Thanks, Joe. Good comments.

I will say that I have had many opportunities to speak of the Doctrines of Grace to many within the SBC. The church I now go to, although a member of the SBC, is Reformed and is not afraid to let that theology shape its preaching and practice. We do not use the official SBC materials (FAITH evangelism, Sunday School materials, etc). In fact, the curriculum used in the childrens' Sunday School is the Great Commission Publications of the PCA/OPC. Are most SBC churches Reformed? No, not hardly! But if those type of churches were not standing for the Biblical doctrines we hold so dear, where would the SBC be?

Like Joe said, you are either staying as part of the solution or part of the problem. If I was in the SBC advocating Billy Graham's methods, using the FAITH material, touting John Eldredge and Adrian Rogers, and pushing seeker sensitivity, I would be part of the problem.

Today in my membership interview for my new church, the pastor encouraged me to write a letter to my old church detailing these concerns. I should have done so earlier, but now I will do it because I am convicted of the need to. In an earlier post, I listed some of the problems I saw, and I will use them in developing my letter. Here is what I wrote earlier:

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1. I repent of choosing the church I go to chiefly because Dr. Mohler is the Sunday School teacher. I had to admit this today when a good friend of mine and I got into a discussion and she asked me, "If Dr. Mohler was not at the church, would you be going there?" My response was "no."

2. Of late, some things in the worship service have bothered me, including an "invitation" (which they have just recently begun doing- the Founder's church does not do one), music during the invitation prayer, this last Sunday the music leader asking God for a "double dose" of Himself, the increasing neglect of hymns and the ncreasing use of choruses that are "questionable"- like "He Has Made Me Glad," and the use of videos behind the words to music at times, as well as the use of the service to promote "The Passion" during offering this past Sunday.

3. The fact that I am a Calvinist and, from what I can tell, my pastor is not. Also, several of the teachers that were Calvinists have gone on to other ministries.

4. They use the FAITH material in their evangelism. The FAITH tracts, which we have talked about before on here, are not as Scripturally rich and crucifixion/resurrection centered as what I feel is adequate.

5. The lingering fact that the pastor did not correct anything when we had a speaker come for our anniversary banquet who preached a prosperity-type sermon. I mentioned this on here as well.

Please pray that I can do this smoothly and without hurting anyone's feelings. The main thing that is holding me back is that I joined the church about a year ago. I've changed, though, since I joined that church. Before I was seeking for the approval of man (in that I thought it would be the right church for me just because someone else goes there) instead of seeking the approval of God in the matter.

True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin