Does someone's belief that is not mainstream bother you especially if you find their teachings beneficial?

[Sovereign Grace]

The reason I asked this question in the OP title is because I have learned a lot from Dr. Bruce Gore's YouTube videos on Revelation. I found out his church has a female associate pastor and that bothers me. It's in MY opinion, women have no place in the pulpit, whether it be as an itinerant minister or associate pastor, or pastor. So, should this not bother me, as I don't think one's ecclesiology naturally bleeds over into their eschatology?

So, what say ye blokes?

 

[Sovereign Grace]

Now, I don't think I'm going to eschew his Revelation teachings as they seem to be spot on. I just wonder how he can be so solid in one area and deficient in another area.

 

[Sovereign Grace]

Unless the PCUSA's associate pastors have differing functions than associate pastors in other churches, such as OPC, Reformed Baptist, Dutch Reformed, among others?

 

[Sovereign Grace]

And PLEASE do not take this as me slamming the PC in any way, shape, form, or fashion. I just finished my eschatology studies and I want to start studying paedobaptism and how it links to covenant theology. I already see some links and hope to better understand this soon. Please pray for me and my studies.

 

[Polanus1561]

If I can bypass your immediate situation and speak in more general terms: It would be hard for me to find any topic that there isn't a good Reformed resource on. E.g eschatology.

Btw, Dr Cornelis Venema is someone who has good books on eschatology and Covenant theology

 

[Sovereign Grace]

If I can bypass your immediate situation and speak in more general terms: It would be hard for me to find any topic that there isn't a good Reformed resource on. E.g eschatology.

Btw, Dr Cornelis Venema is someone who has good books on eschatology and Covenant theology

Well, I am asking to get others' opinions on here. I would like their opinion as well, and yours too, if you wish to give it. Thank you for your response, I truly appreciate it.

 

[aaronsk]

if I were in a church that ordained women I would leave. As far as using them as a study resource, I wouldn’t. Not sure my opinion is worth much here though.

As a side since you brought up infant baptism and covenant theology. I would say you have somethings out of order. Eschatology requires the whole bible to be studied (as opposed to just revelation). You will study the bible through some framework (like it or not). Covenant theology aught to be understood first and understood well as it is one such framework. Then infant baptism (a study of infant baptism without understanding covenant theology will just be spinning your wheels) and then eventually eschatology.

I would recommend Dr. McMahon’s works to start (a simple overview of covenant theology and covenant theology made easy). Witsius’Economy of the Covenants seems to be the standard work most seek to read after a couple introductory works to get their head wrapped around the concepts.

 

[retroGRAD3]

Unless the PCUSA's associate pastors have differing functions than associate pastors in other churches, such as OPC, Reformed Baptist, Dutch Reformed, among others?

PC-USA is a denomination that has long liberalized. You may find some that are barely holding on, but for the most part that is why the OPC exists.

 

[Jeri Tanner]

My husband and I have benefitted from and enjoyed Bruce Gore on some things, as have some friends in our church. However, he's coming from a certain viewpoint so I've also disagreed with him, and I guess the problem there is that if you don't already have a background knowledge of the church history he's discussing, for example, you might not realize there are other factors to consider. However, overall, I think his church history videos are some of his strongest and most helpful ones.
Then on one of his latest series there was a table in the background with a 2nd commandments violation (image of the painting the last supper)...

So I don't think he is a fully confessional man. Discernment required.

Edit: I realized that I didn't read your Op requests and following posts carefully enough, sorry. And I missed that there is a woman serving as a pastor in his church...
Overall I agree with Aaron's answer above.

 

[Ed Walsh]

Does someone's belief that is not mainstream bother you especially if you find their teachings beneficial?

Hi Willis,

Just looking at your title without interacting with responses so far, I have a general answer I like to give. It is a [rough] quote by Jonathan Edwards that goes something like this:

I have learned to consider all the advice I receive.
Whether it be from an enemy, or from a child.​

I try hard not to be gullible, but I am woefully aware that I do not know it all. (1 Corinthians 8:2)

 

[yeutter]

I don't believe that Bruce Gore an ordained man.
I think that he is a layman, who was trained in law, philosophy, and history.
He has some helpful insights on history as it relates to the events set forth in the text of the Bible.
I tend to give lay teachers a pass on confessional issues, as long as they do not stray into formal heresy.
With layman like C. S. Lewis, Tim & Lydia McGrew, & Bruce Gore I take what they offer, without scrutinizing it for doctrinal correctness; the way I would similar remarks from a cleric.
If I remember correctly it was his personal study of church history that led Bruce Gore to become a Presbyterian.
He is well enough trained that he should have discerned that the PCUSA is apostate as a denomination; but he probably joined the Presbyterian Church before decision in the case of Rev. Mansfield “Kasey” Kaseman.
It was the decision in the Kaseman case in the old UPCUSA [a predecessor denomination to the PCUSA] which is the point at which she became formally apostate.
He was influenced by the Church history lectures of R. C. Sproul, & John H. Gerstner that he listened to on cassette tapes.
I think that he lives in Grand Coulee, Washington. There may be a dearth of faithful Kirks in Grand Coulee.

 

[reformed grit]

Does someone's belief that is not mainstream bother you especially if you find their teachings beneficial?

Everyone here by virtue of the Terms of Service agrees that it is bothersome. However, we'd likely also agree that this side of Heaven and knowing as we are known, that not one of us even under Bibilical and confessional standards is perfect in belief and practice. That said, and finding truth where we may, we are also called out and apart from falsehood. That's the delicate balance of godly living in a fallen world.

It's also how we can find solace in Naaman the leper finding healing at the behest of a wee slave girl (2 Kings 5, Lk. 4), the widow Zarephath of Sidon following through with the command to feed Elijah (1 Kings 17, Lk. 4), or even Abram's faith counted as righteousness (Gen. 15:6, Rom. 4:3). Correct theology, doctrine, or godly practice is often conditioned by but not exclusive to a saving faith. That is, the dynamic of James 2 comes to mind, of faith evidenced by works; but also Matt. 23: 27-28 and the aspect of inward cleanliness being truer than outward appearance. One may have and teach a truth while having, as you might say, a belief that is askew; but caution and self-reflection is warranted.

 

[DanSSwing]

The reason I asked this question in the OP title is because I have learned a lot from Dr. Bruce Gore's YouTube videos on Revelation. I found out his church has a female associate pastor and that bothers me. It's in MY opinion, women have no place in the pulpit, whether it be as an itinerant minister or associate pastor, or pastor. So, should this not bother me, as I don't think one's ecclesiology naturally bleeds over into their eschatology?

So, what say ye blokes?

It would definitely bother me (assuming the female "pastor" is in his actual church, not just his denomination) and I would begin approaching him with some extra skepticism and maybe look for a similar source with more reliable theology. That said, as others here have already mentioned, all of us are probably wrong about something (though maybe not something so obviously gainsaid in the Scriptures) and some of the teachers I value the most in one area I disagree with in another.

 

[jwithnell]

I've benefited from writers across a broad spectrum. I recognize when authors don't square with the scriptures but have found useful information in, say, Biblical archaeology or musicology or those who might offer insight into a social context for a passage.

I can understand that female officers in a church suggest an approach to the Bible that accepts the authority of scripture as long as those passages support what a church wants to do. But one can look to glean what might be helpful.

 

[Jonathan95]

It definitely bothers me when men I care about err in their theology. I'm sure they might say the same about me.

I've learned a lot from many Charasmatic individuals. I've learned a lot from C. S. Lewis. The thing is, even though they were helpful for a season, now I am able to quickly find a theologically reformed author who exposits a text in its right context.

All of the old teachers I gained wisdom from have been replaced, more or less.