Why are many SBCers and Independent Baptists uspet about Calvinism?

 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 "disagreement" with an ideology. Does it have to lead to war? No. But it always starts there.

So what are the issues Non Calvinist Baptists have with Calvinism today? Over the past few years, I have looked at each and every church I could find that had problems with this issue. Here is what I have discovered.

1. The vast majority of Calvinists within Baptist circles today are "Reformed Calvinists" They try to conflate the terms. Some do not use the label "Reformed" because they know it would immediately raise eyebrows. Some do use it, then try to convince everyone that Reformed and Calvinist means the same thing. It does not. This has caused so much confusion, that now any Calvinist is suspect.

2. A HUGE problem is that Southern Seminary will not allow a Non Calvinist to hold a position at the School, even though 80% of their funding comes from Non Calvinists. Yet the seminaries who are not Calvinist will hire anyone who can give ascent to the Baptist Faith and Message. This isn't fair. No matter what your leanings, this just cannot be right. It has come to light, that some Reformed groups who are NOT part of the SBC, and not Baptists, are sending yearly "donations" to the school. Why?

3. There has never, to my knowledge, been an issue of a Non Calvinist lying to a church in order to be hired. However there are HUNDREDS of instances where a Reformed Calvinist has lied in order to deceive the church and gain a leadership position. (Keep in mind, that these guys are "Reformed" not merely calvinistic)

4. Those Baptist churches who say they are Reformed Baptists are going full blazes against Baptist principles. Many are openly accepting into their membership anyone from another denomination who was baptized by sprinkling, without requiring proper baptism.

5. Reformed Calvinists will hide their theology in order to take advantage of receiving support money when starting a church. Then after the church is built, they declare themselves Reformed, and break away from the SBC, or worse, send out others to "conquer" other churches. 

6. After gaining control of a church, they institute customs foreign to most Southern Baptists, by doing the following:

           a. Changing the name of the church, deleting the word "Baptist".

           b. Getting rid of long time staff and replacing them with their own types.

           c. Elimination of congregational rule by switching to elder rule. Elders are chosen by pastors     and deacons boards are dissolved.

           d. Observing Communion every Sunday or at least monthly rather than quarterly or semi-          annually and introducing Catholic Creeds. (To be fair, I have taught the Catholic creeds myself as a matter of history, and show how one can affirm a "creed" and yet be lost. A creed does nothing to ensure right belief, because over time, the creed itself becomes the standard instead of Scripture. You have conservative Catholics on one hand with all kinds of heresies, and liberal Episcopalians on the other hand who even deny the virgin birth and resurrection, yet both recite the creeds at every service. If creeds ensure right belief, how can two totally different churches affirm them, then turn around a deny what the creeds teach? Some of the creeds affirm baptismal regeneration, others refer to Mary as the  "Mother of God").

           e. Replace SBC Sunday School materials with non Baptist materials, requiring Reformed materials, often including hymnals.

           f. Accepting non immersion baptisms. John Piper tried to implement this in his own church.

Why do they do this? Because by dividing and stealing churches, they don't have to build their own. Most people just leave rather than fight, so these Reformed guys gain a multi million dollar property without having to work for it. Even if the church collapses, they sell the property enriching themselves, or funneling the funds into other "Reformed Baptist" enterprises. This happened to my church (Glenwood Hills Baptist Lithonia Ga) back in the 90's. We had over 1500 members, The new pastor covered up his beliefs and slowly introduced new doctrines and practices. Once in power, he dismissed the deacons, (what few were left), appointed "elders" and did away with congregational voting. Eventually the church dwindled to almost nothing. They changed the name to Glenwood Hills Bible Church, which still exists with about 50 members. However they sold our multi million dollar property, giving the "pastor" a "retirement gift" of one million dollars, went to another town and used the rest to buy some property and build a small building.

Current examples of what I am saying are First Baptist, Niceville Florida, and Trinity at Loudon, in Virginia.  James Ross pastor of First Baptist Church Niceville Florida, lied to get his position. The church told ALL candidates that they did NOT want a Calvinist pastor, and asked them point blank about the issue. He lied. To this day he will not answer the question. He just says "I believe the bible", yet at his interview he declared he was not a Calvinist. Now some members are questioning things he says in the pulpit. He along with 10 deacons out of a total of 70 deacons, voted these long time members out of the church and said they'd be arrested if they came on church property. Since when can a pastor and ten deacons vote someone out of a church? The whole church votes on whether or not to accept a member, yet 11 people can decide if they are excommunicated? What about the other 60 deacons of the church who were not informed? He did away with SBC teaching materials, and required all teachers and leaders to teach out of a Reformed book. He now calls the church "The Church on Bayshore". He listed the church as being affiliated with 9 Marks and Together For The Gospel, then says he has no idea how the church got on their list. He only appeared with Calvinist/Reformed groups at the SBC convention the past year. When asked why he only quoted Reformed people in the pulpit and never Wesley, his reply was "Wesley wasn't very smart". He openly teaches regeneration before faith and covenant theology. It appears that he does not accept premillenialism, even though the church has been premil from its inception.

Louie Giglio was raised in First Baptist Atlanta under Charles Stanley. He took support from the church to start Passion City Church, then after he no longer needed FBC's support, declared the Westminster Confession to be their Statement of Faith.

 Trinity at Loudon Church, an SBC church accepts members who have never been immersed, without requiring proper baptism. So now the SBC will kick out Rick Warren's church for "ordaining" women, but not Trinity who doesn't even require immersion, which is the very heart of why we are called "Baptists"?

Al Mohler has appeared many times with RC Sproul and other Presbyterians, yet has never been on a panel with Non Calvinists or Arminians. Not only does he refuse to have staff that are Non Calvinist, but has fired many Calvinists who do not go along with his "wokism" and higher criticism. See here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMfiRWgobOU

The following true story appears on the 9 Marks website about a candidate being considered for pastor: 

“Are you a Calvinist?” asked the interim pastor who was guiding the pastoral search committee considering me. “If you’re a Calvinist, then this candidacy is over now.”As a seven-point Calvinist I answered, “What do you mean by Calvinist?” He replied, “By Calvinist, I mean you only share the gospel with the elect and you don’t need to pray for people’s salvation because it’s already determined.” Based on THAT definition, I replied, “No, I am not a Calvinist.” No need to tell them everything. Four months later, I was installed as their pastor." ---Later on it says "Will the people correctly connect the theological dots? What if they’re steeped in Arminianism? We must lead discreetly." (Based on that definition?? A SEVEN point Calvinist"??, Steeped in Arminianism?? Already he is calling the rest of us "Arminian" and unable to "connect the dots". In other words Non Calvinists are stupid, uneducated simpletons. Sorry he LIED to this church)

"God will have nothing to do with liars except to cast them into hell.  Every liar is a child of the devil and will be sent home to his father"  Charles Spurgeon