Unto These Hills

 The following is not meant to be a story that "flows". It is the collective facts, thoughts and documentation of the earliest Baptists of Georgia. I have tried to be clear when something is my opinion or personal thoughts. Historical writings that are the most popular, tend to concentrate on Baptists in New England, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. As Baptists moved south and west, the American Revolution was imminent, and I suppose historians concentrated on that, then writing about Baptist history picks up again in earnest after the Revolution. Georgia Baptist history is unique, in that we get to see some of how the second generation Baptist sons carried on the work of their fathers in faith, while still seeing the fathers alive. It is us getting to see the passing of the torch between generations. These Baptist sons would be the equivalent of the "Apostolic Fathers" of the first century church, among American Baptists in historical ...

   Romans 5:2 says " By whom also we have access by FAITH INTO THIS GRACE wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."  If regeneration precedes faith, as the hypers, Reformed and many Calvinists teach, then this verse is in error. The hyper version should read " By whom also we have access by GRACE into this FAITH wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Now the "Reformed" churches do not all say that some who never hear the Gospel are saved, (although many do), yet they are still, in a sense, hyper Calvinists, because they talk out of both sides of their mouth. They contradict themselves when they claim to promote the 5 solas, which are, saved by GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE , in Christ alone, according to the Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. When they speak of salvation they will say "by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone". How can this be true if regeneration precedes ...

 There is a war of sorts going on within the SBC and among many Independent Baptists over the issue of Calvinism. Why is this so? Is it really a dislike of Calvinists themselves, the theology or is there something more? If Calvinism has always been present among Baptists, what is different now than in the past? How can teachers and pastors love Charles Spurgeon and quote him in the pulpit, who was a Calvinist, then turn around and and declare war on it? The biggest problem is not Calvinism itself. It is very true that many people who disagree with another theology will fight tooth and nail against it. Whether you're a Calvinist or not, this should be understandable. What we believe about God, His character, salvation and love should be at the very heart of anyone who claims to be a Christian. In some sense, we should at least respect someone who thinks and studies enough to be "against" any "ism". So let's begin there. The starting point of any war is "...

   "Unlikely".....that word has been on my mind a lot lately. How God chooses to use "unlikely" people, that may seem rough around the edges to a "seasoned" Christian, someone the "church folks" would never choose as a leader, someone they would not choose to be the bearer of truth, is a story that has repeated itself ever since the beginning of time. Carl Hasty was born on 1928, and having lost his father at age 8, was raised by a single mom, a devout Baptist. Carl was an all American rugged man, cowboy and a hard worker. Though he trusted Jesus for his salvation at an early age, he was never the "saintly" type. He reminds me of the Apostle Peter. Though he was never given to drinking alcohol, he was a smoker, had a temper, occasionally using "rough" language when agitated, though nothing profane. He was not what we would consider the picture of one who God would use to be a missionary, yet Carl was quick to tell...

  WHEN THE LAW RUNS INTO JESUS -- THOUGHT FOR THE DAY     For the past couple of weeks (with more to come), I have been visiting and speaking with churches from the Georgia Baptist Association, the first association in Georgia, and a sister association, the Kilpatrick Baptist Association. Both have many churches founded in the late 1700's and early 1800's. All of these churches are descendants of or directly founded by Daniel Marshall, brother-in-law of Shubal Stearns from the Sandy Creek Association, or his associates.     One of the churches, is Damascus Baptist Church, founded July 29, 1820. What a wonderful story of the church's first pastor! Does this not show that the same Jesus who saved the Phillipian jailer, was the same Jesus at work in 1820? Does this not also show that women are not exempt from proclaiming the Gospel?    The first pastor, Samuel Cartledge, served from 1820 to 1839. He was the officer who arreste...

 A Hardshell wrote this to me when I said "one who has no burden for the lost, has no gospel to believe". Jeremiah 23 warns against religious people claiming that people need a "burden" from the "Lord" and says that it should be spoken of in such a fashion no more. "34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken? 36 And the burden of the Lord shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God. 37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken? 38 But since ye say, The burden of the Lord; therefore thus saith the Lord; Because ye say this word, The burden of the ...