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Fellowship: Its Center & Its Limits

Kevin Bauder has done it again. He’s been detailing differences between conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists. It’s been an interesting series. In his last article he spoke about differences between fundamentalists and groups like T4G (Together for the Gospel) and why fellowshipping solely around the gospel is not enough. He makes good points about cooperation and non-cooperation not being based solely on the gospel, because it can be reductionistic. This week he has written an article arguing with himself.  That’s right, arguing with himself. It’s loaded with irony from that perspective, but it highlights the difficulties in making choices in these areas.

He points out to himself that fellowshipping around the gospel is the focus of much of the New Testament and that it shouldn’t be assumed in one’s theology or community. It should be central. So fellowshipping around the gospel is highly important. He ends it this way:

“We do not need less of the gospel. We need more of it. True, we need to proclaim it and to defend it. But we also need to hear it, learn it, explore it, apply it, and love it. You say that the gospel is to be assumed. What—do you want us just to take the gospel for granted? We can’t afford that! The gospel was never more needed by God’s people than it is today. If you do not take these matters into consideration, I think that you will never understand how important it is to be together for the gospel. You will always have a limited and shallow approach to Christianity. Perhaps you should reconsider.”

Read the entire article here.

One Comment

  • Hey, thanks for the link. It’s been an interesting series. I wonder if he’ll “finish” it or just suspend it for a while as he sometimes does when he’s gotten interested in something else or isn’t ready for a wrap-up.
    Will see. But it’s good to see folks giving these issues more thought and open discussion.

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