The Ohio Bible Fellowship Visitor

“Earnestly contend for the faith.” This statement from Jude 3 has long been the battle cry of fundamentalist Christians, those who are willing to do “battle royal” in defense of biblical doctrine. Fundamentalists have rightly appealed to Jude as an example of a faithful defender of the faith. He willingly entered the fray for the sake of the truth, and he called on his readers (including us!) to join him.

However, Jude’s epistle is not merely a call to arms, though it certainly is that. Jude provides us with a philosophy of ministry that includes—but is not limited to—defending the faith. Indeed, his epistle gives us a look at his own heart. Though we know comparatively little about this half brother of Christ, I admire him and relate to him. If we are willing to learn, Jude can teach us much regarding the role of the believer in a wicked world. In particular, he shows us what it means to love the gospel.

Continue reading ‘Gospel-Driven Separation’

For over a century Christians have wrangled over the issue of ecclesiastical separation, debating whether it is biblical, helpful, or even needed. We frequently hear “Why can’t we just get along? After all, we’re all really on the same team, right?” Questions like these have a ring of spirituality and can influence pastors, Christians, churches, and Christian organizations. Is ecclesiastical separation biblical? If so, why do so many reject it?

Continue reading ‘Ecclesiastical Separation’

A charge often leveled at separatists is that they are divisive. They split groups, leave churches, separate from organizations, and go off and form their own “splinter groups.” Aren’t Christians supposed to love one another? Shouldn’t they all be united? Didn’t Jesus pray that all those who believed in him would be as one?

Continue reading ‘Are Separatists Divisive?’

During the business sessions of the Ohio Bible Fellowship’s quarterly meetings resolutions are read, considered, and acted upon by the Fellowship’s members and delegates. These resolutions are published in the Visitor, and depending on the particular subject matter, sometimes they are also read and addressed during church services. You may have wondered what exactly is a resolution, why the OBF considers and adopts them, or how they are composed and considered.
A resolution is simply a formal motion in written form. Through these formal, written motions, the OBF sets forth and conveys its opinion and position regarding important and significant issues. Resolutions are also written to influence others with regard to the particular subject being addressed. The basis by which the particular subject of a resolution is evaluated is the OBF’s constitution and commitment to militant, separatist fundamentalism.

Continue reading ‘The Ohio Bible Fellowship and Resolutions’

This past summer my wife and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary. Each anniversary is a special occasion for us to celebrate another year together as a married couple. When a couple reaches their golden or 50th wedding anniversary, that’s something really special.
This month another anniversary will be celebrated, but of a different sort—for 50 years the magazine Christianity Today has been published. During this time it has served as the “voice” of new evangelicalism, opening a window into its soul. Anniversaries are supposed to be special times of celebration, but this one really provides nothing for Christ’s church to be happy about.

Continue reading ‘Happy Anniversary?’

Many people, myself included, went through school not having a great interest in history. Names, dates, events, and places of long ago were drudgingly memorized for tests and then soon forgotten. Yet during the last dozen years I have gained a greater love for history, specifically the history of fundamentalism. John E. Ashbrook, the editor of this paper for decades said, “When people understand where they came from it will help them see where they need to go.”

Continue reading ‘The Separatist Heritage of the Ohio Bible Fellowship’

Fundamentalism is distinguished from other “Christian” movements by three essential characteristics: the belief in certain core doctrines as essential to genuine Christianity, a militant spirit in spreading and defending those truths, and the doctrine and practice of ecclesiastical separation. These characteristics are essential for obedient Christian individuals and groups to honor God. When these characteristics are adjusted, tampered with, or removed, fundamentalism is abandoned and God is not honored through obedience.

Continue reading ‘The OARBC’s New Recipe’

Our church office is bombarded with invitations to new evangelical events. Each advertisement claims to be the most important event since the Great Awakening. Many times, evangelism, discipleship, revival, and worship are the inviting subjects. Who would not want to be united with brothers and sisters in Christ in such endeavors?

Unfortunately, many of these events are filled with compromise in both doctrine and practice. At times I wonder, “Is it really possible to have unity within the Body of Christ?” The answer to that question is simple. Yes, it is possible, but it is often hindered by sin. Unless the sin is addressed, there is no hope for biblical unity.

Continue reading ‘Purity and Unity’

The Cleveland Plain Dealer for June 26, 2005 carried a three-column picture of Evangelist Billy Graham preaching at what we assume will be his final crusade in New York City. His appearance in the picture, and the list of ailments given in the paper, bear out that probability. As I looked at that picture and read about its setting I thought that his ministry was truly a story from New York to New York in forty-eight years. The world in general, and new evangelicals in particular, would consider that course as a triumphal
march through the world’s major cities. To the fundamentalist that march has been a tragedy in modern church history.

Continue reading ‘From New York to New York’

The following resolutions were passed during the 2005 Winter Conference of the Ohio Bible Fellowship. They are published here to affirm our stand on the issues presented and to encourage our readers to stand with us.

A RESOLUTION ON PROMISE UNFULFILLED

WHEREAS the theological position known as new evangelicalism has been on the religious scene for approximately sixty-five years; and

WHEREAS this position arose out of fundamentalism and has made great inroads into the numerical base of fundamentalism; and

WHEREAS this position differs from historic fundamentalism in rejecting the doctrine of biblical separation, espousing a social agenda, and agreeing to dialogue with liberalism; and

WHEREAS there has been a need for a history of the movement which would trace the theological aberrations which have occurred through the unscriptural nature of these founding principles; and

WHEREAS Dr. Rolland D. McCune has recently met this need with a book-length effort titled: Promise Unfulfilled: The Failed Strategy of Modern Evangelicalism; and

WHEREAS this volume promises to become the definitive history and theological exposure of new evangelicalism from a fundamentalist point of view;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we the members and delegates of the Ohio Bible Fellowship, meeting in our Winter Conference on January 14–15, 2005, at Westerville Bible Church, Westerville, Ohio, commend Dr. McCune for the Herculean task he has accomplished for fundamentalism in the assembling and critical theological evaluation of this material; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we commend the reading of this volume to fundamentalist pastors and people; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we commend this book to our Christian colleges and Bible schools as an appropriate text for courses on fundamentalism and new evangelicalism; and

BE IT NOTED, for the convenience of our readers, that the book may be obtained from Inter-City Christian Bookstore, 4635 Allen Road, Allen Park, Michigan 4810l, (313) 383-6110, www.icbooks.com, for the cost of $24.99.

RESOLUTION ON UNBIBLICAL COOPERATION

WHEREAS on November 14, 2004 many evangelicals, including Ravi Zacharias and Richard Mouw, participated in “An Evening of Friendship” with Mormons in the Mormon Tabernacle; and

WHEREAS the purpose of this meeting was to preach the gospel, strengthen a working relationship with Mormons, and continue the process of dialogue; and

WHEREAS Mormons summarize their beliefs in the statement, “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man may be,” thereby rejecting the Christian doctrines of the Bible, God, man, sin, Jesus Christ, and salvation; and

WHEREAS Scripture teaches that Christians should not enter into working relationships in spiritual matters with unbelievers or those who compromise with them (2 Cor 6:14–7:1; 2 Thess 3:6, 14) but be separate from them; and

WHEREAS these evangelicals have repudiated the doctrine of separation and made experience, not sound doctrine, the basis of fellowship;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members and delegates of the Ohio Bible Fellowship, meeting in our Winter Conference on January 14–15, 2005 at Westerville Bible Church, Westerville, Ohio, remind ourselves of and renew our commitment to separation from entangling alliances that would compromise our testimony and endanger our churches (2 Cor 6:14–7:1); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in our local churches we teach and practice biblical evangelism, separation, and apologetics rather than ecumenical evangelism and the practice of dialogue; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we expose unbiblical beliefs and practices such as those propagated by Mormonism (Eph 5:11), preach the gospel to all men (Col 1:28), and teach the fundamental doctrines of Christianity for maturity in Christ and protection from error (Eph 4:11–16); and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we make sound doctrine the basis for Christian fellowship and cooperation rather than pleasing experiences at the expense of such doctrine (Eph 4:4–6).

RESOLUTION ON THE UNGUARDED USE OF NEW EVANGELICAL AUTHORS
BEFORE OUR CONGREGATIONS

WHEREAS the most dangerous deviation is the one closest to our own position; and

WHEREAS the conservative voice of new evangelicalism is the fundamentalist’s greatest peril; and

WHEREAS there is a predominance of religious works written by new evangelicals; and

WHEREAS these writers demonstrate an effectiveness in communicating their thoughts and in displaying a winsomeness of personality which readily reaches the mind and heart of the average layman; and

WHEREAS those same authors who are banned from our pulpits gain the ear of our people through their writings; and

WHEREAS Scripture warns against developing friendships with those whose influence can harm us (Prov 22:24–25; 1 Cor 15:33); and

WHEREAS such influence can steadily erode our militancy and develop in us an admiration and even acceptance of individuals clearly identified with the new evangelical movement;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members and delegates of the Ohio Bible Fellowship, meeting in our Winter Conference on January 14–15, 2005 at Westerville Bible Church, Westerville, Ohio, renew our commitment to refuse to give new evangelicalism a foothold in our churches through the unguarded usage or inappropriate promotion of their writings before our people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we identify these writers and warn our people against their subtle influence; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we encourage one another in maintaining our watchfulness as we “seek to protect the flock of God” (Acts 20:28–31).

RESOLUTION ON EVANGELISM

WHEREAS Jesus Christ, before returning to heaven, entrusted the Church with the responsibility of evangelism, making it clear that the gospel was to go into all the world (Mark 16:17; Matt 28:18–20: Acts 1:8); and

WHEREAS each Christian is Christ’s ambassador, to whom God has committed the ministry and message of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18–20); and

WHEREAS the truth of God’s Word is the basis of saving faith (Rom 10:17; 2 Tim 3:15) and any message that departs from God’s revelation is a false gospel, accursed by God (Gal 1:6–9); and

WHEREAS evangelism is not peddling a particular moral, religious, or political viewpoint (2 Cor 2:17), meeting felt needs, persuading someone to give mental assent to certain facts, or emotionally overpowering a person;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the members and delegates of the Ohio Bible Fellowship, meeting in our Winter Conference on January 14–15, at Westerville Bible Church, Westerville, Ohio, rededicate ourselves to biblical evangelism, faithfully proclaiming the gospel message (1 Cor 1:18, 21; 15:1–4; Rom 10:13–17), God’s divinely ordained means by which he will save those whom he has sovereignly chosen from every tribe, language, and people group (Rev 5:9); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we consistently teach our people their personal responsibility to take the gospel to the world, boldly proclaiming the reality of God, the nature of sin, the person and work of Christ, and the necessity of faith and repentance as revealed in the Bible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we maintain the purity of the gospel message, carefully guarding the truth as revealed in the Bible (Jude 3; 2 Tim 1:13–14) and avoiding associations that would tarnish the gospel (2 Cor 6:14–18; 2 John 10–11; 1 Cor 15:33); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we as God’s representatives confront sinners, commanding them to repent based on who God is (Acts 17:30–31), bearing in mind that the gospel creates opposition and difficulty as the demands of discipleship are clearly delineated (Matt 10:34–39; John 6:60–69); and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we implement these biblical principles in our churches, supporting global missions, reaching out to surrounding communities, clearly presenting the gospel in our preaching and teaching, and making biblically accurate gospel materials available to our people.

January 2005