Today's Fundamentalism or Yesteryears

[John81]

I was listening to an old Fundamentalist preacher talking about how much has changed within Fundamentalism during his lifetime. This kind of got me to wondering how many of us hold to the Fundamentalism of then or have accepted the changes and hold to the changed Fundamentalism.

He spoke of how early Fundamentalists would accept either no make-up or the absolute minimal amount which was virtually unnoticible. "Painted ladies" was considered to be for prostitutes and a sign of worldliness.

He spoke of how the Fundamentalist women back then all had long hair and knew why and what that meant.

He spoke of how Fundamentalist women wore ankle to floor length dresses all year for the sake of modesty and decency. They didn't have plunging necklines or open backs and were not form fitting either.

He spoke of how "family planning" meant planning to have how ever many children God blessed you with and how birth control was preached against as a sin and form of murder akin to abortion.

He spoke of how men stepped up and took the leadership roles willingly and seriously and how women never tried to "fill a gap" that was meant for a man to fill.

He spoke of how course language was not heard nor would it be accepted.

He spoke of how Fundamentalist Christians wouldn't play cards, attend the theater or other forms of worldly entertainment, and would not involve themselves in any form of gambling.

He spoke of how families would faithfully gather for services and special events that would sometimes last for hours or most of the day.

He spoke of how prayer meetings and such were well attended.

He spoke that booze was a clear "no".

He spoke of how the entire family would attend church gatherings, sit together, and how well behaved the children were.

I'm sure he said some other things to say, and maybe I'll recall some more later, but listening to him really got me to wondering about things. If Fundamentalists from back then were to suddenly appear in one of our churches today would they be pleased to see us following in their footsteps or would they be appalled and grieved to see how much we have moved away from the early roots of Fundamentalism?

[1Timothy115]

I was listening to an old Fundamentalist preacher talking about how much has changed within Fundamentalism during his lifetime. This kind of got me to wondering how many of us hold to the Fundamentalism of then or have accepted the changes and hold to the changed Fundamentalism.

He spoke of how early Fundamentalists would accept either no make-up or the absolute minimal amount which was virtually unnoticible. "Painted ladies" was considered to be for prostitutes and a sign of worldliness.

He spoke of how the Fundamentalist women back then all had long hair and knew why and what that meant.

He spoke of how Fundamentalist women wore ankle to floor length dresses all year for the sake of modesty and decency. They didn't have plunging necklines or open backs and were not form fitting either.

He spoke of how "family planning" meant planning to have how ever many children God blessed you with and how birth control was preached against as a sin and form of murder akin to abortion.

He spoke of how men stepped up and took the leadership roles willingly and seriously and how women never tried to "fill a gap" that was meant for a man to fill.

He spoke of how course language was not heard nor would it be accepted.

He spoke of how Fundamentalist Christians wouldn't play cards, attend the theater or other forms of worldly entertainment, and would not involve themselves in any form of gambling.

He spoke of how families would faithfully gather for services and special events that would sometimes last for hours or most of the day.

He spoke of how prayer meetings and such were well attended.

He spoke that booze was a clear "no".

He spoke of how the entire family would attend church gatherings, sit together, and how well behaved the children were.

I'm sure he said some other things to say, and maybe I'll recall some more later, but listening to him really got me to wondering about things. If Fundamentalists from back then were to suddenly appear in one of our churches today would they be pleased to see us following in their footsteps or would they be appalled and grieved to see how much we have moved away from the early roots of Fundamentalism?

Who was the preacher? Would he have a biography?
I vote for appalled.

[MatthewDiscipleOfGod]

I would love to find out who the preacher was as well. There are certainly some in fundamental circles doing what they can to transform the next generation into new evangelicals.

[Bro Jim]

It would be interesting to know who this preacher is and where he came from. How long ago he preached it and what year, I agree he would be appalled at what is going on in most "fundamental" churches.

[John81]

I'm not sure of his name other than his first name is David as he was simply going by Bro David.

It was interesting because previously a group of us were discussing why it seems so difficult to get more people involved in youth groups, adult Sunday school, Bible studies, and to fill needs for Sunday school teachers, VBS helpers and such things. Why is it there seems to be a small dedicated core in the churches who attend services regularly, are the ones in the Sunday school classes, have their children in youth groups and volunteer to help, while the rest just coast.

One of my responses was to just take a look at the Facebook pages of those in the churches. Look especially at the photos they post. What style of dress do we see, what sorts of entertainment are presented, what activities are they involved in, who are they spending their time with. It's absolutely amazing to look at the Facebookk pages of "fine church families and individuals" and see all the photos they post of themselves and others very immodestly dressed, drinking booze, hanging out a booze parties, doing things with just about anyone but those from the church. This clearly shows where their hearts are and the life they are really living. Unfortunately, many see little wrong with this and love to proclaim that a person can be a Christian and "have fun" too. No doubt a Christian can have fun, but a Christians fun should not be the same as the worlds.

Why do so many professing Christian women, and teen girls, think they have to post pictures of themselves wearing bikinis and trying to look "sexy" in some scanty dress? Why do so many professing Christian men, and teen boys, think they have to post pictures of themselves acting like idiots at booze parties?

Anything, this was my answer for why so many in the churches are uninvolved and often seem apathetic. Their Facebook profiles reveal their hearts.

[Bro Jim]

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

We wonder why there is no revival in the church let alone in America, it was once said from the pulpit, "We must be in the world, but not of the world." The seeker sensitive churches are destroying America. Praise God for the remnants that are staying true to the Word of God and the Church.

Until we return to the Word of God, John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." and allow it to work in our lives and church, 1 Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" It doesn't matter how positively we think, that a revival is coming to America, it ain't gonna happen.

I want and desire and Pray for revival in our country, (mind you I love you in the other countries on this board). But until we pew potatoes break loose our roots and get to the alter with broken hearts and tears of our own repentance, ain't nothin gonna happen.

And if Jesus doesn't come real soon (even now Lord Jesus) we won't have seen nothing yet.

[John81]

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

We wonder why there is no revival in the church let alone in America, it was once said from the pulpit, "We must be in the world, but not of the world." The seeker sensitive churches are destroying America. Praise God for the remnants that are staying true to the Word of God and the Church.

Until we return to the Word of God, John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." and allow it to work in our lives and church, 1 Peter 4:17 "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" It doesn't matter how positively we think, that a revival is coming to America, it ain't gonna happen.

I want and desire and Pray for revival in our country, (mind you I love you in the other countries on this board). But until we pew potatoes break loose our roots and get to the alter with broken hearts and tears of our own repentance, ain't nothin gonna happen.

And if Jesus doesn't come real soon (even now Lord Jesus) we won't have seen nothing yet.

and

Not long ago our pastor was discussing in our adult Sunday school class why so many churches ar so far astray today and he said much of it has to do with a lack of church discipline. What was once obviously unaccepted in fundamentalist churches is today accepted. So many "little things" were allowed to creep in that the door was eventually opened for the "bigger things" to make it into the churches and from there the slide away from godliness just picks up steam.

It's like many of the things in the original post in this thread that old pastor spoke of. Many fundamentalists today would wonder what is wrong with much of what he spoke of, or even all of it. Many would say they do some of those things but they are still godly fundamentalists. Perhaps by todays standards but they wouldn't have been considered so back then. Imagine, for instance, a fundamentalist woman of today walks into a fundamentalist church back then as she is today. Her hair is short as is her dress and she has much make-up upon her face. This woman would have been confronted about these things and if she were a member she would have been warned of pending church discipline if she didn't allow her hair to grow out, wear a long dress and wash off the make-up.

If the woman were married her husband would have been confronted about this issue as well.

Many today would consider such matters to be petty but such was a matter of holding to high standards for the glory of God. In so doing, the doors were kept closed to "larger" issues entering the church.

[HappyChristian]

Following the Bible is the key. Not all fundamentalists did back in the inception (and the group came about because others quit following the Bible), not all do today...many less do today.

I think church discipline is vital, but if a church is so messed up that it needs a lot of disciplining of its members, there's something wrong in the pulpit...

[John81]

Following the Bible is the key. Not all fundamentalists did back in the inception (and the group came about because others quit following the Bible), not all do today...many less do today.

I think church discipline is vital, but if a church is so messed up that it needs a lot of disciplining of its members, there's something wrong in the pulpit...

If a church practices proper church discipline it should never reach a point where a lot of discipline is necessary. The reason many churches today could stand to apply a lot of church discipline is because they have failed to do so for years or decades.

It was enlightening to hear this elder pastor talk of the standards in fundamentalist churches then and to notice how many of those have been dropped or even forgotten by todays fundamentalist churches.

[HappyChristian]

If a church practices proper church discipline it should never reach a point where a lot of discipline is necessary. The reason many churches today could stand to apply a lot of church discipline is because they have failed to do so for years or decades.

It was enlightening to hear this elder pastor talk of the standards in fundamentalist churches then and to notice how many of those have been dropped or even forgotten by todays fundamentalist churches.

Oh, I agree that there isn't enough church discipline. But I still believe that if a church needs it to excess there is a pulpit problem. God said in Hosea that His people suffered for lack of His Word, not church discipline (and things were a lot stiffer back then! ). I'm just saying that it needs to be both. Proper preaching in the pulpit will eliminate a need for much discipline. And proper church discipline will eliminate potential troublemakers...(or at least help to!)

[John81]

Oh, I agree that there isn't enough church discipline. But I still believe that if a church needs it to excess there is a pulpit problem. God said in Hosea that His people suffered for lack of His Word, not church discipline (and things were a lot stiffer back then! ). I'm just saying that it needs to be both. Proper preaching in the pulpit will eliminate a need for much discipline. And proper church discipline will eliminate potential troublemakers...(or at least help to!)

Absolutely, in all things we must maintain scriptural balance. Church discipline, like any other good thing, can't stand alone and will be far less effective if other matters aren't tended to as well. Pastors and others within the church have their proper roles to fullfil in a biblical manner. It's the fact many pastors, church boards and/or leadership teams fail in their biblical duties that many churches are filled with professing Christians who look like they just walked in from hanging in the bar or a street corner. If they don't address such matters when it begins, things will only get worse. What we tolerate today will turn into something far worse tomorrow. After that we know it's much hard to get the horse back into the barn than it is to keep the barn door safely secure in the first place.

[Invicta]

1 Cor 5: 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

[Bro Jim]

We are living in a day where churches change preachers not preachers changing churches.

[John81]

We are living in a day where churches change preachers not preachers changing churches.

That's a very profound and true statement! I've noticed several churches around here that if their pastor doesn't quickly adapt to the way they want him to be and accept things the way they want it, they are out the door and that church is looking for a new, more compliant pastor.

I'm thankful our home church didn't do that. When our pastor first came to this church nearly 30 years ago, after interviewing over 100 pastors, this pastor was the only one that was clearly born again in Christ, believed the whole Word of God and planned to preach what the Word says. They told him immediately he had the job and he wondered why they didn't want to ask him more questions. Our church board informed him he was the the only one out of over 100 pastors who got the first two questions right (regarding salvation and the Bible). They even had one pastor, when asked what he believed about the Bible, responded with the question, "what do you want me to believe, because I'm willing to see it as you want me to and preach however you want". :icon_sad:

[John81]

Why do so many Christian women today get married wearing a revealing wedding dress? It seems this has become the norm and fully acceptable for some reason.

The wedding dress is traditionally white as a sign of purity but how "pure" is this when so much of the bride is exposed before all? Why do grooms and the bride's dads go along with this? What about the pastors?

I also recently read that traditional vows and use of Scripture are both being pushed aside for pagan quotations, couples writing their own vows, and those who want no vows at all. It was also reported that many are taking out the word "forever" in vows because so many couples don't believe their marriage will last that long anyway!