'Complete standing': Jonathan Edwards' pastoral model of church membership adapted to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama

Steven Bateman

Etd

'Complete standing': Jonathan Edwards' pastoral model of church membership adapted to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Steven Bateman. 'complete Standing': Jonathan Edwards' Pastoral Model of Church Membership Adapted to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama. Reformed Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a5d7018a-0382-4b01-bef8-9b0d70083273.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

S. Bateman. 'Complete standing': Jonathan Edwards' pastoral model of church membership adapted to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a5d7018a-0382-4b01-bef8-9b0d70083273

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Steven Bateman. 'complete Standing': Jonathan Edwards' Pastoral Model of Church Membership Adapted to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama. Reformed Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/a5d7018a-0382-4b01-bef8-9b0d70083273.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

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Steven Bateman

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Abstract

Is the holiness of the church, guarded by a practical theology of assimilation, an essential ingredient in God's church-growth strategy? The foundation for the answer is found in the Biblical teaching that holds the purity of God's church in tension with the growth of God's church. The Bible consistently exhorts leaders to be attentive to both purity and growth, not emphasizing one to the neglect of the other. Only a comprehensive understanding of Biblical teaching can produce a theology of assimilation that guards the church from both extremes. A survey of church history demonstrates the difficulty of maintaining this balance, as the church at times has been too exclusive and at other times too inclusive. An examination of the confessions and creeds of all major denominations reveals a consistent recognition of three criterion that must be met in order for one to be admitted into the full privileges and responsibilities of church life, mainly through the time-honored traditions of church membership and church discipline. These high standards are largely neglected in the North American church today, resulting in a spiritually weak, theologically illiterate, and largely unregenerate church. This dissertation examines the pastoral ministry of Jonathan Edwards as a case study for developing a theology of assimilation. Special attention is paid to the process, rationale, circumstances, and missteps leading up to his dismissal from the Northhampton Church. Practical principles are drawn from this significant event and applied to First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama.

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