Should Your Next Pastor Be a Calvinist?

Tom J. Nettles, professor of Historical Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, thinks so.

In the Winter 2008 Founders Journal (www.founders.org), Nettles argues that Calvinist pastors are most appropriate for preserving the historic doctrines of the Christian faith among Southern Baptist churches. Because of their theological commitment to the Doctrines of Grace, Calvinist pastors will strive to maintain conservative doctrines--such as biblical inerrancy and penal substitutionary atonement and so forth--that the vast majority of Southern Baptists have in common. Nettles summarizes why Calvinists are healthy for our churches:

If a church, therefore, gets a Calvinist preacher, she will get a good thing. Several issues will be settled forever and the church will not have to wonder about the soundness of her preacher on these items of biblical truth and their soul-nurturing power. Calvinists have stood for more than just their distinguishing doctrines, but have held steadfastly to other doctrines that are essential for the health of Baptist churches in our day.

In addition to inspiration and substitution, Nettles elaborates that Calvinists will maintain historic Baptist stances on issues such as the doctrine of the Trinity, missions and evangelism, Christ-centered preaching, the holiness of Christian life, regenerate church membership, and religious liberty. As we have personally experienced, the irony is that nowadays SBC churches are extremely leery of Calvinism. However, the fact remains that the Convention was founded upon these very doctrines. Nettles notes this at the article's outset. He says, "Today, however, some Southern Baptists are warning the churches against [Calvinists]. This is a mammoth historical irony that many find difficult to appreciate."

For the entire article, visit the Founders Journal online (click here).