The following is from a pastor's CV

[Invicta]

Spurgeon, along with many of his like and similar minded contemporaries, all denounced Darby as unstable, a nut with strange, unbiblical ideas. Spurgeon said if it wasn't for the novelty and the way Darby presented his crazy ideas, no one would even pay attention to it.

Darby's views were rejected by the Fundamentalist Christians of his time.

Then he went to America and Scofield took on his views and developed them, and the rest, as they say, is history.

[Seth Doty]

#14 Small groups bad. The preaching should be done at the pulpit. There is but one shepherd and having 20 throws consistent doctrine out the window. In our church those small groups are fellowships. If you go to church Wednesday night, Sunday night, Sunday School and Sunday Service and listen to your pastor, why would have need for another? Excepting of course the head of the house leading his family in daily devotions.

If those are you views it begs the question what are you doing on a forum like this one? It is essentially the same thing. A fairly small group outside a church where more than one person presents their views.

[John81]

If those are you views it begs the question what are you doing on a forum like this one? It is essentially the same thing. A fairly small group outside a church where more than one person presents their views.

Is small groups supposed to be where everyone, or several, in the group expresses their views?

[Seth Doty]

Is small groups supposed to be where everyone, or several, in the group expresses their views?

Sometimes, but not necessarily all the time. It is just generally a little more open setting to ask questions and discuss things in a manner it would not be done in a church service. Most "bible studies" work that way. Though I suppose most preachers would probably take time to answer if interrupted with a question during a sermon, it isn't generally done that way. It is a little impractical to do that with a very large group as a preacher probably wouldn't be able to complete a coherent sermon if he also needed to address any questions that came up in peoples minds in a manner that did them justice. Small bible study or discipleship type groups provide a much better environment for that type of thing.

[John81]

Sometimes, but not necessarily all the time. It is just generally a little more open setting to ask questions and discuss things in a manner it would not be done in a church service. Most "bible studies" work that way. Though I suppose most preachers would probably take time to answer if interrupted with a question during a sermon, it isn't generally done that way. It is a little impractical to do that with a very large group as a preacher probably wouldn't be able to complete a coherent sermon if he also needed to address any questions that came up in peoples minds in a manner that did them justice. Small bible study or discipleship type groups provide a much better environment for that type of thing.

Okay, that clarifies things. That's how things should be and how the ones I've been involved in (small groups and Bible studies) have been.

I only asked because there are some groups that meet where they will read a verse or passage and then go around the group to see what each person thinks it means. In those settings it's typical that most or all views are seen as valid. I knew that was something you wouldn't agree with so I was wondering what you were actually saying. Thank you for the clarity!

[Invicta]

This man is being presented as a potential pastor for our church. Please pray for us, as we have a vote on this, this evening, Wednesday,

[John81]

This man is being presented as a potential pastor for our church. Please pray for us, as we have a vote on this, this evening, Wednesday,

Praying...

[Salyan]

Praying...

[Invicta]

Thank you.

The vote went soundly against calling this man as pastor. Unfortunately four out of five of our deacons resigned their membership and walked out. We are a small church and this will no doubt cause problems but we look to the Lord.

[blossom]

I disagree with all the points.

Small groups are bad, imho, as I believe they split the church into cliques.

The worse point is that some in our church want to call him as a pastor.

Even worse is that they want to bring him from Australia. This has caused more bad feeling than in any church that I have been in.

Hi, I'm Australian and you don't see Australia on this site very often so I'm just curious. I've not heard of an Australian Pastor moving to the states to Pastor. We are in desperate need of them here. Hence there are so many American pastors here. Would you mind telling me where he is from. I'm just curious.

I'll be praying for your church. Splits are rarely good, they do so much damage.

[swathdiver]

If those are you views it begs the question what are you doing on a forum like this one? It is essentially the same thing. A fairly small group outside a church where more than one person presents their views.

This isn't my church. This is a form of fellowship with like-minded IFBs from around the world.

[Invicta]

Hi, I'm Australian and you don't see Australia on this site very often so I'm just curious. I've not heard of an Australian Pastor moving to the states to Pastor. We are in desperate need of them here. Hence there are so many American pastors here. Would you mind telling me where he is from. I'm just curious.

I'll be praying for your church. Splits are rarely good, they do so much damage.

It is not the US he wants to come to, it is England. He is from Brisbane, QL. In the 1880s my great gradfather's two sisters emigrated to OZ, and joined Jireh Baptist Church, Brisbane, One, Martha Plested, became the first Queensland Baptist missionary and spent over 30 years in India.

[blossom]

I grew up in Brisbane I don't live there now. Sorry I didn't realize you were British. Do you know if that church is still around? I've not heard of it.

[Invicta]

I grew up in Brisbane I don't live there now. Sorry I didn't realize you were British. Do you know if that church is still around? I've not heard of it.

I believe the church closed in the 1970s. or thereabouts' Rev David Parker wrote a booklet called The martha Plested Story. Martha was one of 5 Australian young women missionaries who were dubbed The Five barley Loaves. Rosalind Gooden has written an article on these ladies under this title.

http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/bq/31-4_159.pdf

[blossom]

Thanks for that, I'll look into it.