Compromises of the A.B.W.E. Mission
A Pastor’s Questions Answered
Former ABWE Missionary, Dr. David Bennett
July 17, 2003
Dear Pastor,
Thank you for your email. I am glad you read the June,
2003 AIB Newsletter on our web site www.Bennett.BibleForToday.org and will
continue to visit the site. I will seek to answer your questions. I
will give first your comment then follow through with my answer.
Your Comment:
Dear Brother Bennett,
I recently read your comments on ABWE on the internet.
I have a few questions that I would like you to read and reply to. I want
to have a better understanding of what you are getting at. Please do not
be offended at my questioning. I sincerely want to get WHY you are saying
what you are saying. Along with these questions, I am wondering how the
missionary responded when you confronted him (was he rebellious? did he
listen to you? did he act like he cared? was he willing to change some of
his approaches?)?
My Answer:
I was with ABWE for 14 years so had a personal insight
to what was then happening. Dr. Waite put together a book concerning my
leaving ABWE which is available from The Bible For Today, 900 Park Ave.,
Collingswood, NJ 08108. The book is B.F.T. #2388 "ASSOCIATION OF
BAPTISTS FOR WORLD EVANGELISM - Their Compromise on Biblical separation
and their departures from their own Principles and Practices." I am
not sure of the price. Brother Michael McCubbins also left ABWE over their
compromise. He has written an excellent book which may be purchased from
him. You may email Brother MC Cubbins at pastor@truth4u.org.
I will now proceed with the missionary teaching drama,
dance and music. Since I was with ABWE I know many ABWE people and I seek
to keep up with what is happening especially with their families. Once I
visited the Family News of ABWE's web site and found out a young man we
knew years ago had died. We were able to send a sympathy card to his
parents. On my visit to the ABWE Family News site 31 January I read
the following.
"Friday, January 31
----------and ------- (South Africa) relate
that they have started a new program at Grace Baptist for young
people and a ministry training program on Wednesday nights. They
are very excited to offer drama, movement, music, puppets,
creative writing, guitar, and keyboard lessons. They desire to
bring the arts back into the church where they originated and
center them on God. Please pray for not only these ministries, but
also that the ------- can replace their date projector that was
stolen a few weeks ago. It will not be covered by insurance as
they originally thought."
I was at the time writing a paper on THE NEW
TESTAMENT CHURCH AND MUSIC plus a paper on drama and dance in the
church so I was interested in exactly what he meant by movement. As you
may know contemporary music, drama and dance are spreading through the new
evangelicals and even the fundamentalists so I emailed the brother in
South Africa 11 February:
"Brother,
Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord
Jesus. I am doing research for a paper and in my research I
visited ABWE's web site. There I read the Family News section and
noted you are in South Africa and offering drama, movement and
music along with other things. I would appreciate your explaining
exactly what is meant by "movement"?
Also the statement is made in the Family News
that your desire was to "bring the arts back into the church where
they originated." By the arts are you speaking of drama, movement,
and music? My understanding is that drama did not originally begin
in the church but if it did please inform me as to when and what
church? If you mean more than drama please explain that as well.
I know ministry and life is busy and questions
by those you have never met can sometimes be an inconvenience to
say the least. However, I do appreciate your taking time to answer
these questions and I look forward to hearing from you.
God's best.
Your friend and brother,
David C. Bennett, D. Min."
The missionary brother answered my email 25 February. I
give part of his email as follows plus have highlighted movement/dance. He
wrote:
"I have been involved in music ministry for 22
years. Eighteen stateside, and now almost four here in South
Africa. One of the concerns/burdens that I have had for many years
is that we have allowed the world to take hold of the "arts" and
do all the training from a worldly perspective. As I have studied
music history, I have found that there was a time when a great
deal of the great music and artistic expression of our world came
out of the church. Now I realize that this is a broad sweeping
statement. But there was an expression of God's greatness in the
way they built buildings, and the music that was produced. I think
that we have gone away from that kind of focus. I realize the
financial restraints of buildings and the like, but there was a
commitment to greatness that I rarely see anymore. Our music has
expressed this as well. There is a lot of great music out there
that is just not being used today. Budgets and perhaps less
emphasis/interest in music may also be creating this environment.
I have rarely had a music budget that can empower the church to
effectively minister in music. It is expensive, but I see it as a
focus thing. Do we want to do this or not? We like good music, but
we do not often want to pay for it.
I'm off my soapbox now.
I also realize that a lot of "art" has come out
of the world and it does not have a place in the church. But,
there was a time when the church took the lead in this. That does
not mean that all of the arts originated in the church, but there
was significant emphasis on it. I can think back to my days
growing up on -------. My home church afforded me many
opportunities to grow my music talents through involvement in the
choir, orchestra, dramas, etc.
All of this to say, why are we doing very
little training in this area that is church based and with a
perspective to honor and glorify the Lord? As a church musician, I
am burdened about this and believe that the Lord has directed me
to do something about it. I think that in most of our churches we
would have a mind and heart to train/disciple people. When it
comes to the arts, it suddenly becomes controversial. I do not
think it has to be that way, but we often respond negatively
because of the way the world has used the arts.
Here in our context, and it is important that
one understands this, we are really on new ground. There is some
opportunity to get training in the arts here, but it is quite
expensive. So, we believe that we have a unique opportunity to
train up a generation in some of these areas. So, we are doing
specific training in music, drama, creative writing, puppets,
graphic arts- painting, sculpting, movement/dance. This is our
context, and it fits. Our concern is that we help our people and
especially our young people to understand that God gave us these
things to enjoy, and so we must develop them for His glory and
honor, not for self gain. We are endeavoring to create a
Biblically centered perspective/alternative to going to the world
for training. Again, in our context, we will not have
music/worship leadership in the future if we do not do something
about this. The opportunities are just not out there like they are
in the states."
In my article I did not mention his name and do not
feel I should now. My intent was not to change him but to receive directly
what was being taught by a missionary serving with an independent Baptist
mission board. There is no Scriptural basis for movement/dance in the
local church or evangelism.
Your Comment:
What I wrote dealt specifically with your "editor's
comment(s)".
You wrote "I am sure this man is sincere but he is
Biblically incorrect?" What makes him "Biblically incorrect"? Why do you
think missions can not be "training in music, drama, creative writing,
puppets, graphic arts- painting, sculpting, movement/dance"! Did Jesus not
meet the needs of people? Was he not creative in His approach as compared
to His contemporaries? What makes this method "nothing but new
evangelicalism evangelism." Do the evangelicals and new evangelicals have
nothing to offer the body of Christ? Could we not learn a little from
their approach (and not take away from doctrine)? You said "This is out
and out COMPROMISE with the world," why would you say that? Could it be
that some of the biblical mission approaches are contextual?
My Answer:
You ask "What makes him 'Biblically incorrect'?" He is
Biblically incorrect for the New Testament does not give a command to do
what this missionary is doing. The Bible says; Acts 2:42 "And they
continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers." and 2Ti 2:2 "And the things that thou
hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful
men, who shall be able to teach others also." What were they to commit?
Doctrine.
You ask "Why do you think missions can not be "training
in music, drama, creative writing, puppets, graphic arts- painting,
sculpting, movement/dance"!" The Biblical principle of missions is found
in many passages but I give only a few; Matthew 28: 19, 20 "Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen." Mark 16: 15 "And he said unto them,
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Acts
1:8 & 8:4 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the
word." Acts 13: 4, 5 "So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,
departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus. 5 And when
they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of
the Jews: and they had also John to their minister."
You say "Did Jesus not meet the needs of people?" Yes,
Jesus did meet the needs of the people such as providing food and healing
as recorded in Matthew 4:23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in
their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all
manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." He also
sent the disciples out to preach as well as to heal but a study of the
Church Epistles does not lead one to the conclusion that this was a
continuation of God's goal for His churches. When it comes to the local
churches the Bible gives pre-eminence to preaching the Word.
As to "Could we not learn a little from their approach
(and not take away from doctrine)?" Doctrine believed in the heart will
always determine our evangelistic approach.
Your Comment:
You wrote "ABWE is going down the same social gospel
road as the ecumenical new evangelical." The ecumenical new evangelicals
loss has been that they stop giving the gospel and just try to meet the
need of the people in the community but I don't see that ABWE has stopped
preaching the gospel. Don't you agree that there should be a balance of
meeting needs and preaching the gospel?"
My Answer:
Balance is something all fallen men have a problem in
achieving. ABWE began 75 years ago in the Philippines because the Northern
Baptist Convention desired for their doctors to do more medicine than
preaching. Dr. Thomas desired to do more preaching than medicine so ABWE
was formed. ABWE has now come full circle. For instance a medical doctor I
know personally resigned from ABWE over the very issue which ABWE came
into existence.
It must also be noted whether our working association
continues only if they are preaching the gospel or does our association
depend on other areas as well? Why will most independent Baptists not
support a Southern Baptist missionary? Many Southern Baptists preach the
gospel but not supporting a Southern Baptist missionary is primarily due
to his association. Note Leviticus 11: 31-33 "These are unclean to you
among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall
be unclean until the even. 32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they
are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of
wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any
work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the
even; so it shall be cleansed. 33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any
of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break
it." If the dead unclean animal just falls on the item it is unclean. If
it falls into a vessel whatever is in the vessel is unclean and the vessel
was to be broken. God's purpose in all this is that He wants His cleansed
people to be separated from contamination. How much contamination is
allowed before separation? That is the question each preacher must answer
for himself.
Your Comment:
"You keep making this statement "a separatist Baptist
church should not have anything to do with ABWE!" However, you give little
support except to make a big deal out of something without backing it up
biblically. This is one missionary who is attempting some new methods
explain why I would be a heretic for supporting an ABWE missionary."
My Answer:
At no time was it ever said a pastor was a heretic for
supporting an ABWE missionary. If a pastor can pastor a church supporting
missionaries using contemporary music, dance, and drama he must agree with
that type of evangelism for "Can two walk together, except they be
agreed?" Amos 3: 3. On the web site www.Bennett.BibleForToday.org there
are two articles I would recommend. They are WHERE TO FROM HERE concerning
drama and dance and THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH AND MUSIC.
Your Comment:
"You said "ABWE has been new evangelical for many years
... this is really dangerous ground upon which they are treading." What is
dangerous? Is it that the church (Independent Separated Baptists) does not
and have not done things this way? You said "The Lord Jesus did not tell
His churches to redeem culture but to go into all the world and preach the
gospel, Mark 16:15." Would you agree that it takes friendship many times
for people to "hear" the gospel? Surely, you do not think that we have
credibility just because we proclaim Christ. In fact, according to
scripture we are hated because we proclaim Christ. I know many preachers
that have no testimony simply because they yell from their pulpits every
week citing what is wrong with culture but are unwilling to teach, train
and become friends with their congregations."
My Answer:
I was on the foreign field with ABWE for 14 years and
during that time I saw their compromise first hand. Once the camel gets
the head in the flap it is not long until the rest of the camel seeks
further encroachment into the tent. ABWE has been very broad in its
associations for years and now it seems to be accepting the teachings of
Reconstructionism which is dangerous! The Cultural Mandate is not simply
making friends and leading them to Christ. If you are not already aware of
Reconstructionism there is a lot of information pro and con about it on
the internet which you can read at your leisure and decide for yourself.
As far as having friendships with the unsaved we
believers will most often have some friendships outside the circle of
believers. Our life is to be a light to those in darkness. My wife and I
have many unsaved friends. We often have unsaved couples in our home for
meals but there is a limit to what we will do even in our witnessing. The
believer should always seek to follow the Bible in being a shining light
for Christ in a dark world. Some suggested passages are; Matthew 5:16 "Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven." and Philippians 2:14-16 "Do all
things without murmurings and disputings:15 That ye may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding
forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I
have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain."
Preachers who only "yell from their pulpits every week
citing what is wrong with culture" are not being faithful to God's Word.
Preachers are faithful when they are preaching "…the word; be instant in
season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and
doctrine." 2Timothy 4:2. When preachers do this their people will be
equipped to Biblically witness to the unsaved. Expository preaching allows
a preacher to confront every issue that arises within his culture without
picking texts for the moment.
Brother I will cease here for more light is not
necessarily diffused by a multitude of words. As it is stated on the AIB
Newsletter its purpose is "To inform and warn God's people of religious,
social, and political events in today's world." As in many cases more
information must be sought by the reader for a better understanding of a
matter.
Thank you for writing and please visit our web site
www.Bennett.BibleForToday.org again. If I can be of any further assistance
please write.
Your friend and brother,
Missionary David C. Bennett
