What Can We Do to Make the Board Better?

[cupotea]

[quote:db493cb044][i:db493cb044]Originally posted by joshua[/i:db493cb044]
[quote:db493cb044][i:db493cb044]Originally posted by CajunBibleBeliever[/i:db493cb044]
...dispense with the "If you can't stand the heat, stay out the kitchen" attitude.

This is especially true in the paedo/credo discussions. [/quote:db493cb044]

Remember, Sir, that the whole purpose of the Covenant Theology thread is to debate, "hash out" such things. There's a disclaimer warning those who might enter of this very thing. [/quote:db493cb044]

Josh,

There is a difference between hashing out and fighting it out.

 

[cupotea]

[quote:aca167fcef][i:aca167fcef]Originally posted by joshua[/i:aca167fcef]
[quote:aca167fcef][i:aca167fcef]Originally posted by CajunBibleBeliever[/i:aca167fcef]
[quote:aca167fcef][i:aca167fcef]Originally posted by joshua[/i:aca167fcef]
[quote:aca167fcef][i:aca167fcef]Originally posted by CajunBibleBeliever[/i:aca167fcef]
...dispense with the "If you can't stand the heat, stay out the kitchen" attitude.

This is especially true in the paedo/credo discussions. [/quote:aca167fcef]

Remember, Sir, that the whole purpose of the Covenant Theology thread is to debate, "hash out" such things. There's a disclaimer warning those who might enter of this very thing. [/quote:aca167fcef]

Josh,

There is a difference between hashing out and fighting it out. [/quote:aca167fcef]

Ok. Understood. There's still a disclaimer there. If one is easily offended, he/she should stay out. [/quote:aca167fcef]

Joshua, a great preacher once taught me that if a person is offended by my position, it is their fault. If they are offended by my disposition, it is my fault.

Your disclamer is like telling someone, if you can't handle hard preaching, stay away from the church. Do you want to intentionally drive people away from these boards by your tones or attitudes, or teach in such away that is both doctrinally sound and edifying and encouraging.

All I am saying Josh, is that the demeanor and Christian character of the members here, shouldn't warrant the need for such a disclamer. In other words, our tongue should be guided by the Holy Spirit.

(James 1:26)
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

[Edited on 6-30-2004 by CajunBibleBeliever]

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

Here is a summary of what things should be changed on the Puritanboard:
PB Photo Album should be used more. (This depends on the individual. Yes, it should be used more.)

We should have a Chat room. (Tried that - didn't really "take.")

Baptistic thread. (Bad idea. The Theological Forum covers theology - that should work.)

Revamping some attitudes (hopefully everyone is working on this.)

We need to remember that we are called to love. (Yes!)
I don't think the general attitude in this board is a problem. (Some feel this way....OK)

We need to learn to "take a punch". (I agree. We need to develop a more thick skinned approach to debate.)

Dispense with the "If you can't stand the heat, stay out the kitchen" attitude. (OK)

Not to tell people to shape up or ship out theologically. (See the "kitchen" remark above)

Stop the "we discussed this before; look it up" thing because every new member ought to have a chance to be heard and interacted with on issues close to his heart and .
rethink once more my own tenets and beliefs which differ. (This is a tough one because rehashing pages of stuff already written I hard. What we could do is requote things - cut and paste so that the discussion continues on - let's try that.)

U2U people who you think might be offended with you or that you have offended, or that have offended you. (Should do that anyway).

Don't lock thread too quickly - people have more to be said. (OK - if a thread is locked and you do not want it locked then U2U the Admin who locked it and tell them you have more to say. They should then open the thread and allow you to say something, so long as people are not getting nasty.)

Reformed Baptist Straw Men (This is a tough one because of the nature of independency. My old Reformed Baptist church was very specific in teaching us doctrine, included in that was the LBC. The Credo stance for them (which is really Albert Martin's side of the fence) is stated in those articles I previously wrote, and some of the information still posed on the board. The problem is that SINCE credo theology is fracture between independent churches, there will always be a level of "difference" from one credo to another. What needs to happen is a unity of belief - so an explanation may have to be in order for any who are congregational on the board with differing opinions on ideas. For example, Phillip A said, "I don't know any Reformed Baptists that DOn't hold to CT." Fred Malone, for example, would deny this statement. My old pastor would as well. Elders in our old church would as well. Again, this is Martin's side of the fence. If it is different for different Baptists, then those who have been exposed to one side or another will have to be patient in re-explaining what is meant. In my travels, I have never met a RB that believed in Covenant Theology the way Witsius lays it out. Words I hear are "repudiated" in that kind of theology. So there is room to take opportunity to explain and grow in that. Don't get frustrated with the straw men, rather, explain you position, and we will then assimilate that into the RB at large. Phillip A - just as a side note, RB would say they are "covenantal" but that does not mena they follow Witsius or Coeccius as Covenant Theologians. There is a differecne there. Malone says he is covenantal.)

Include other reformed confessions like the Augsburg, the 39 articles, etc. (We will see about this one.)

What about a Christ & Culture forum? (Could this be talked about in the Theology section, or Pilgrim's Progress section? I think the PP section would work well.)

If there are no more helpful hints here, I will lock this thread later tonight.



[Edited on 6-30-2004 by webmaster]

 

[alwaysreforming]

About various "tones" and "tudes"

I think one thing that we must all remember as we read various "unloving" and "harsh" posts is that many times, with the sheer abundance of writing and reading that goes on here at the PB, posters don't always have the time to proof-read, and edit, or even to "take their time" in typing out their posts for the best wordings.

We are ALL sinful human beings. Total Depravity on this Board means that we are fallen in the way we write AND read posts. Its easy to misinterpret someone's intentions and tones through just the written word, and because of this, mistakes and offenses ARE going to happen.

Sometimes people are going to be having a bad day, or be especially passionate about an issue that just frustrates the heck out of them, and are therefore going to fail in being loving in their post. I think we all understand this more now as its been talked about at length recently, so I have a real feeling that things are going to improve in this regard. And for the times it doesn't, perhaps we as readers are prepared to be "extra gracious" with our offending brother.

But as for my suggestion (unrelated): YES, let's have a Puritan get together! That would be SOOOO cool! I'd love to meet everybody here. Maybe we could just all go to a conference that's already being put on, like a Ligonier ministry conference, and center our meeting around that. We could all sit together in the same section and wear PB t-shirts! Too cool!

 

[C. Matthew McMahon]

[quote:1272816c82]
Ligonier ministry conference, and center our meeting around that. We could all sit together in the same section and wear PB t-shirts! Too cool!
[/quote:1272816c82]

That could be doable.

 

[a mere housewife]

I have really profited from the board, and it has been good to see other people profit from it, too. It's really wonderful to know that when I need help, there are people here with the knowledge and experience to answer my questions. I have sometimes contacted the moderators with questions, and I think they deserve special mention for being so great at caring about the people on the board, and giving their time to help us when we need them.

I do stay out of CT: not because I don't think I could learn anything, but because I'd rather learn it in a setting where I do not have to "get past" a person's way of stating something to get the good of what they're stating. It's hard enough, given our nature, to be without prejudice in favor of our own views: I do not find it helpful to add that to the mix.

Having said that, everyone who has personally interacted with me in CT has always been very gracious to me, even though I am a woman and know much less than many of you.

But my main reason for adding this post so late in the thread is that I'd like to highlight what Ruben said: that his major concern was the tendency to be less careful of those we consider "weak" in some area than we are commanded to be. Even some of the remarks about being too "thin-skinned" reflect this attitude. This was my major-- disillusionment-- when I first visited the site, and it is the major thing that has really consistently bothered me. The Bible makes it so clear that what strength we have is not to be consumed on ourselves, but to "bear the infirmities of the weak." Our strengths are for other's weaknesses: this is part of the realization of being the Body of Christ. And truthfully, sometimes (as I think Philip A. pointed out) some of the things we perceive as "strengths" may be less Christ-like than some of the things we perceive as "weakness". So this cuts both ways: for instance I, as probably a more sensitive person (thin-skinned , ought to use my strength of sensitivity not to think evil of those who aren't very sensitive to the "sheep", but to try to be so gracious in my posts that those who interact with me will find it easier to be gracious, too (you know, JohnV is a classic example of a person who consistently does this-- not to imply you're thin-skinned, though .

I guess it's trite but true that almost every personality trait we or another person has has both a strong side and a weak side. Writing another person off for the weak side is really abusing our own strong side, and losing a chance to help them develop theirs.

 

[pastorway]

Good input from everyone so far.

I would only add this, taken from the rules for another fellowship on the internet:

[quote:f4443296fb][b:f4443296fb]True fellowship[/b:f4443296fb] seems rare in the church today as many are being tossed about by every wind of doctrine. Indeed, many think that fellowship is simply companionship or time spent together. Some advocate unity in fellowship at the expense of sound doctrine. Others uphold sound doctrine but fall victim to unsound practice. Fellowship, in the Biblical sense, is a much deeper thing than unity, companionship, or the sharing of common goals. [b:f4443296fb]It is deep love and care for one another in the body that is motivated by and founded upon our love for God and obedience to His Word (1 John 5:2-3)[/b:f4443296fb]. It is rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep, not out of sympathy, or even empathy, but out of the reality that we are members of one another in Body of Christ. When one of us expresses joy in a victory won it is a victory for all of us - won for us by Christ for His glory alone. When another grieves a loss beyond comprehension, it is that fellowship of suffering and the participation in peace that is far above our human understanding that brings home the point that Jesus' High Priestly prayer is being answered in our midst.

Jesus prayed as it is recorded in John 17, "20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24"Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

In the Providence of God, He has seen fit to bring believers together for fellowship through different venues available on the internet. In our quest to glorify God in all we do (1 Cor. 10:31) and with the purpose of fostering a true brotherhood in the Body of Christ, we have seen fit to found this fellowship so that we might seek to be "doers of the Word, and not hearers only" (James 1:22)

In summary, if you are accepted as a member of this fellowship, [b:f4443296fb]you are expected to act like a disciple of Jesus Christ[/b:f4443296fb]. Since our goal is the glory of God by means of edification, education, and debate, [b:f4443296fb]we expect any exchange, debate or discussion to be founded on Scripture[/b:f4443296fb] and all discussion should be [b:f4443296fb]conducted in a manner that offers the highest esteem for other members, without regard for their ability to comprehend the subject(s) under consideration[/b:f4443296fb]. Condescension, "talking down," or insulting a fellow member will not be tolerated. [b:f4443296fb]Any subscriber who intentionally portrays themselves to be intellectually or spiritually superior in contrast to another member will be removed from this fellowship. Pride and arrogance will find no lasting home on this list[/b:f4443296fb]. [/quote:f4443296fb]

These are guidelines that I was privileged to draft for another fellowship. The spirit they convey should apply here as well!

Phillip