Mar 4, 2020

Sufficiency of Scripture

by Mid-America Communications

Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary (MABTS) leadership was frequently approached during 2019 by concerned students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends regarding current trends. Their questions are about debates, decisions, terms, and biblical interpretations currently ongoing within American churches and the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). The following documents are part of the MABTS Sufficiency of Scripture Series. The series is written and released by MABTS to provide clarity and a broader perspective to the Mid-America family regarding many of the key debates. Each document is intentionally concise and is not meant to be an exhaustive resource. Included in each issue are references which will aid further study. The goal of the series is three-fold: Challenge Christians to utilize the Scriptures as their guide in any debate, encourage trust in God’s Word for all areas of faith and practice, and strengthen the faith of the Mid-America family. Volume one of the MABTS Sufficiency of Scripture Series includes four issues focusing on: 

Issue 1

 Understanding the Key Debates by Dr. Matt Akers

The purpose of this paper is to inform Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary’s students, staff, faculty, and friends by helping to define Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality, to consider benefits and risks related to Southern Baptists utilizing these ideologies as tools, to provide some helpful resources for readers who wish to research the subjects further, and to emphasize Southern Baptists’ commitment to Scripture as the inspired, inerrant, and completely sufficient Word of God

Issue 2 

Deepening Knowledge of Alternate Views by Dr. Lee Brand & Cary Duffel, MDIV

The purpose of this paper is to expand the perspectives of the first paper in the Sufficiency of Scripture Series presented to Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary’s students, staff, faculty, and friends. This will be accomplished by examining CRT/I’s connections to Marxism and Social Justice, contrasting and comparing an analytical tool with a worldview, presenting the perspective of those for Resolution 9, and presenting the perspectives of those for using Scripture alone as a guide for dealing with racism in society and within churches.

  • Click here to listen to Dr. Lee Brand deliver a speech on the Sufficiency of Scripture during the 2020 Gospel Is Enough Conference.
Issue 3

Forming a Biblically Based Opinion by Dr. Michael Spradlin.

This issue of the Sufficiency of Scripture series furthers the discussion regarding Resolution 9 (On Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality) passed at the 2019 Annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. While the first two issues in the series took a more explanatory and diagnostic approach to the terms and technicalities supporting the alternate views of Resolution 9, this issue will provide a pastoral focus on the sufficiency of Scripture, the role of supplemental tools in a believer’s decision making, and how one should form a biblically-based opinion when new ideologies are presented. The goal of this issue is for Mid-America’s students, faculty, staff, and friends to be confident in their answer to the following question: “Should SBC churches and believers use CRT/I as supplemental tools to the Bible for meeting the social and spiritual needs of society and bringing it into a right relationship with God?”

  • Click here to listen to Dr. Michael Spradlin, President of MABTS, deliver a sermon entitled Standing on the Promises, which allows us to take confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture.
Issue 4

: Through the first 3 issues of Volume 1 in the Sufficiency of Scripture Series, Mid-America explains the debate around Resolution 9 adopted at the 2019 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, deepens the reader’s knowledge of the alternate views, and provides guidance for forming a biblically-based opinion. This issue seeks to provide a proper understanding of Baptist Distinctives to help believers with current debates and prepare them for any future debates which will challenge the sufficiency of Scripture. The author compares and contrasts confessions with creeds, defines and clarifies the common beliefs held as Baptist distinctives, and explains historical examples of the importance of these distinctives to Southern Baptists in the United States. Additionally, the benefits of adopting and holding to a confession of faith are explored and encouraged on the individual, local, national, and global levels.

The Importance of Baptist Distinctives by Dr. John Mark Terry

To be notified about future volumes in the Sufficiency of Scripture Series, click here.