Pure Church

Pastor Thabiti, I don't intend this to be an in-depth critique of your book but rather some "rambling" observations.

Full disclosure -- I have not read your book completely - but skimmed through and read quite a few excerpts.

More full disclosure - I come at this from a unique perpective. A Caucasian who has been an associate minister in a large National Baptist church in the Midwest for 9 years (and newly ordained as of Sunday night).

I will admit the title of your book angered me initially, but as I have read your blog over the past few months I have come to appreciate your humble spirit, devotion to preaching of the Word, and respectful views toward those with whom you disagree.

With that said, I agree with much of Dr.Bacote's critique. Loved your research about and respect for Haynes,Payne,etc. (Sidenote - it is also interesting to read some of Frederick Douglass's spiritual and theological reflections from his autobiography).

Thought your section on the "decline" painted with too broad a brush. In my relatively short time in the National Baptist movement I have observed a wide of range of "streams". I would say that in general it is very conservative in its view of the authority of Scripture,deity of Christ, soteriology, etc. In my ordination process, I was trained and catchechized in the classic Baptist "New Hampshire Declaration of Faith" as published in the Baptist Standard Church Directory by the National Baptist Sunday School Board.

Expository preaching is alive and well thanks to the influence of annual events such as the E.K.Bailey Conference on Expository Preaching in Dallas, which has brought together great preachers from the black Baptist tradition and white evangelicals such as Warren Wiersbe and the late Stephen Olford and Adrian Rogers.

I would also say that the influence of liberal theologians such as James Cone, though celebrated in academia and by lazy news media, is very limited in the "trenches" of the local church. While understanding Cone's analogy of the cross and lynching, the extent to which he takes it would be not be acceptable to most.

Other notes --I see William Seymour as more of a heroic figure- a man of faith (and surely flawed) that God used to spark a revival that continues worldwide. Even as I disagree with some aspects of Pentecostal doctrine are there not literally millions of souls saved over the last century as God has worked through this movement? Scholar David Daniels of McCormick Theological Seminary has written some fascinating material on Seymour.

Your observations are not without merit -- the propensity toward a prosperity gospel is alarming (though there are strong voices, liberal and conservative who speak out against it) And in my own experience of teaching basic doctrinal classes at our church I see at times people "socialized" into the the church without a true experience of repentance and faith.

While you and I would probably disagree on Reformed theology alone being the benchmark of a robust,biblical theology, my personal observation is that areas of decline in the Af-Am church are due more to a de-emphasis on true discipleship and obedience to biblical principles (that Reformed and non-Reformed alike would agree on)than the lack of a robust theology.

I guess the title of the book still does bother me a bit - the African American church is just so large that there are too many exceptions to some of the conclusions you reach.

Thanks for the opportunity to post and for the research and effort that went into your book. May God use it to bring about much needed dialogue, understanding and revival in the church as a whole.