T4G welcomes Hardshell pastor
AMERICA'S #1 HARDSHELL PREACHER GETSSTANDING OVATION AT T4G CONFERENCE
The Glory Blogger is the blog of Primitive Baptist preacher, Matt Strevel, pastor of the Primitive Baptist Church of Tifton, Georgia.
Strevel's Hardshell church is listed on the Flounders' website as a "Founders-Friendly" affiliate.
Strevel attended the 2008 "Together for the Gospel" Conference which featured the likes of Ligon Duncan, R. C. Sproul, C. J. Mahaney, John Piper, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, John MacArthur, and Thabiti Anyabwile.
According to Strevel, the "highlight" of the Conference was the recognition of Hardshell Primitive Baptist Pastor, Lasserre Bradley Jr., the #1 promoter of Hyper-Calvinistic Hardshell Anti-Gospel, Anti-Missionary, Anti-Evangelism, Anti-Sunday School teachings for about 50 years.
Here is what Strevel says about Bradley at the "T4G" Conference:
"However the highlight so far came at the very beginning of the conference. In the introduction Mark Dever was polling the crowd for some biographical information like: who travelled the furthest for the conference, etc. Then Dever asked all senior and primary preaching pastors in the crowd to stand. He then began to ask only pastors who had been in ministry for 5 years, then 10 years, on up to remain standing."Of course, the higher he went the fewer pastors were left standing. When Dever got to 50 years of ministry there were only two men still standing one of which was Bro. Lasserre Bradley. When the bar was raised to 55 years of gospel ministry or more, only Bro. Bradley was still standing. It was sort of an amazing moment. Even more amazing was that spontaneously, one by one, 5,000 men began to rise to their feet and clap in honor of Bro. Bradley's faithful service. In all my anticipation leading up to this conference, I never expected that Bro. Bradley would receive a standing ovation."
The vast majority of those at the Conference perhaps had no idea what kind of a heretic they were applauding!
This is the same Lasserre Bradley Jr. who was invited to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary campus by Tom Nettles awhile ago.
This is the same Lasserre Bradley Jr. who in his early 20s was part of the "Sovereign Grace" Conference at Pastor Henry Mahan's 13th Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky in the 1950s. Brother Mahan disfellowshipped Bradley in the late 1950s when Bradley departed into Hyper-Calvinist theology and was baptized by a minister of the Hardshell Primitive Baptist denomination.
This is the same Lasserre Bradley Jr. whom I first met at Brother Mahan's parsonage in 1955 when he still believed in preaching the Gospel to the unregenerate. When he went Hardshell, I wrote and published information about his apostasy.
This is the same Lasserre Bradley Jr. who has for over 50 years had a nationwide radio broadcast promoting the same "born again before faith" heresy as held by Tom Ascol, Tom Nettles, Mark Dever, R. C. Sproul, Ligon Duncan, and others who endorse the "pre-faith regeneration" heresy.
It's said that "money talks," and I understand that Bradley is a very well-to-do. I don't know if this has anything to do with the Hybrid Calvinists having "open arms" for Bradley.
I do know this, however, Bradley would not be interested in the Hybrid Calvinists unless he saw in them some elements of the Hardshell doctrine which he has labored so hard for about 50 years to promote all around the country.
As a young preacher, Bradley attended the preachers' school at Clarence Walker's Lexington Baptist College [now Boyce College], then located at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky, while pastoring the New Testament Baptist Church in St. Bernard [Cincinnati], Ohio.
I became acquainted with Bradley, often corresponded with him, and he even used some of my writings in his Baptist Witness paper. At that time, Bradley agreed with the Baptist Confession of Faith and quoted it in his Doctrines of Grace booklet.
However, after he departed into hyper-Calvinism, became an "anti-Sunday schooler," and eventually wound up going to the Hardshells in October of 1958 (The Primitive Baptist, 10/58, p. 210, 211), he revised and reprinted his booklet and removed the quotes from the Baptist Confession which he no longer believed.
The Hardshell Baptist service at which Bradley was baptized was described as "Another Pentecost" by The Primitive Baptist magazine. Preachers from 15 states were in attendance as an estimated 900 Hardshells gathered for what seems to have been the greatest event in Hardshellism during my lifetime. "Big name" preachers among the Hardshells were on hand, such as Monsees, Lord, Darity, Daily, and many more. Bradley and several of the other young preachers [Norbert Ward, Paul Trautner, Ellis Randall] were said to be "liberated for the work of the ministry."
After that Hardshell "Pentecost," Bradley quickly became the "poster boy" for the Hardshells, and via radio somewhat of a national "voice" for the cause of Hardshellism. According to his paper, Bradley is on multitudes of radio stations in a large number of states, and he published the Primitive Baptist Church Directory which lists the churches, preachers, and publications which I assume are of the same order of Hardshellism as Bradley.
For years, Bradley has constantly been on the go, filling preaching "appointments" at Hardshell churches all over the country where there are such churches. But this is not for evangelism to the unregenerate, for Bradley's ministry is strictly to "feed the sheep" with Hardshell doctrine.
Some of the Primitive Baptists ["Absoluters" faction] refer to the Bradley followers as "Bradleyites." One of Bradley's fellow-ministers, C. E. Darity, says that Bradley's Baptist Bible Hour broadcast and Baptist Witness paper are "two of the strongest and most effective means" for propagating the Hardshell doctrine, and he makes a plea for "regular support" of these "means."
I have my doubts that these "means" and this plea to "divide our substance" in "promotion of the kingdom of God" would have set too well with the original Hardshells back in the 1820-1840 era when the "missionaries" and "means Baptists" were the ultimate scourge, according to the Hardshell leaders of that age. In those years, they opposed tract publishers, Bible societies, evangelists, revival meetings, mission societies, and anything they regarded as "human inventions." About the only thing they would tolerate that had no "biblical precedent" was a Hardshell "association" and a Hardshell publication such as the fabled "Signs of the Times." But now they can peddle their papers, cassettes, videos, books, hymnals, Bibles, and even church directories through Bradley's paper without the necessity of "biblical precedent."
Recalling Bradley's apostasy, I remember that one of his first steps toward Hardshellism was his "anti-Sunday Schoolism." This started in about 1956, and due to Bradley's influence, several independent Baptist churches had "splits." I attended a meeting in Chesapeake, Ohio where Bradley was holding a meeting, and he made an effort to sow seeds of discord about the Sunday School in this church (Mt. Pleasant Baptist). After I received a number of letters and communications from Baptist pastors and other members, thru our weekly independent Baptist paper I took the "anti-Sunday Schoolers" to task on their views and the dissension which they were causing. These efforts had a settling effect upon most of the Baptists that we reached, and the "anti-Sunday Schoolers" began to wane in their efforts.
The next thing I noticed about Bradley was his change on the New Birth. On his radio program and in his paper, he began to advocate the theory of the Hardshells that one is "born again before faith" and apart from "means" (the Gospel), rather than teaching that the New Birth is the work of the Holy Spirit's using the Gospel, or Word, as a "means" in the creation of repentance and faith. He began to teach that "spiritual life" was sort of a "deposit" that the Spirit puts into the sinner and he is born again before and without knowing, believing in, or having love for Christ.
I have observed that this is usually the error that is first swallowed by those who apostatize from the confessional Baptist view of the New Birth. I once heard Bradley speak when he said, "I don't fish for dead fish; I fish for live fish" -- referring to the idea of "pre-faith regeneration."
Now, after so many years of promoting hardcore Hardshellism, Bradley is given a "standing ovation" at the "Together for the Gospel" conference. That seems to be about "par for the course" for the T4G brethren. If you hold to Hardshell doctrine on the New Birth, why not applaud the Hardshell who has been preaching it the longest?
posted by Bob L. Ross @ 11:36 AM
15 Comments:
Unbelievable! Shocking news!
This ought to show how the "Founders" position is nothing but Hardshellism.
Our great Baptist forefathers are turning over in their graves!
God bless
Stephen
From the hardshell church's website.
Sovereign grace beliefs frequently are associated with a lack of evangelistic fervor. We firmly believe, however, that the Doctrines of Grace are the foundation for sound, successful evangelism.
We believe that the church's mission is to spread the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes (Romans 1.16). We are passionate about evangelism, for it brings worship where worship did not previously exist.
Individual evangelistic opportunities occur daily as believers model Christ's love, share with others their joy in walking with Him, and stand ready always to answer the question, "What makes you different?" But our outreach doesn't stop there: as God has opened international doors of opportunity, faithful servants have been willing to answer the call. Today there are active evangelistic efforts in the Philippines, India and Kenya, as well as radio and tape ministries extending even to remote corners of the world.
ROMANS 1:16
Anonymous said...
From the hardshell church's website. . .
We believe that the church's mission is to spread the gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes (Romans 1.16).
As Stephen Garrett, a former Hardshell Baptist preacher who has the can confirm, the Hardshells interpret Romans 1:16 to the effect that those to whom it is the power of God are ALREADY born again.
Bradley's website has the usual "born again before faith" doctrine in their Statement of Faith.
I have known Bradley since 1955, and if he has changed from Hardshellism on the place of the Gospel in salvation, he has never said so, at least to my knowledge. His Statement of Faith indicates he is still as Hardshell as ever on the Gospel.
If Stephen reads this, I hope he will comment, since he has known Bradley for years.
CORRECTION
I did not properly link the foregoing.
I was attempting to hyperlink the BaptistGadfly
at --
http://baptistgadfly.blogspot.com/
Somehow, I fouled it up.
BRADLEY'S HYBRID,
HARDSHELLISM
Here is the Statement of Faith found on Lasserre Bradley Jr.'s website.
"7. We believe that all who were chosen by the Father and redeemed by the Son will be effectually called by the Holy Spirit. These are quickened or born of the Holy Spirit and made new creatures in Christ Jesus.
"8.We believe that faith in Jesus Christ and good works are evidences of this experience of grace."
Notice in #7 that "effectual calling" is "by the SPIRIT" but there is no mention of the WORD. GOSPEL or "MEANS" used. This is the Hardshell "Direct Operation" idea on "regeneration." It is the "Spirit alone" theory.
Notice in #8 that "faith" comes AFTER the alleged "effectual calling" in #8. This is the Hardshell idea that one is "born again before faith."
Since at least most of the T4G leaders hold to this "born again before faith" idea, Lasserre Bradley Jr. was very comfortable with this group. He is not "coming over" to them, but they are "coming over" to the view held by Bradley and Hardshells.
Brother Bob, Hello!
You're right. Merely saying the calling is "by the Spirit" allows for the heretical doctrine of "born again before faith."
Wording their Statement of Faith in such as manner also allows them to deceive Baptists who may read the statement but may not be as theologically adept as you are. At first glance, most of us would have no problem with it, only upon close examination and reflection do we really know what it means.
Charles
The mere fact that Bradley was at T4G speaks volumes, and the message is coming through loud and clear.
Al Mohler and Southern Seminary are moving in a dangerous theological direction. It's time for Southern Baptists to wake up.
Brother Bob, I have a question: Are "Hardshell Baptists" and "Primitive Baptists" synonymous terms?
Charles
Bob, Steve, and Charles,
It is remarkable how out of touch and out of date your assumptions of Lasserre Bradley truly are. Your assumptions are based on what you knew of Lasserre Bradley 20-50 years ago.
If you would read his present publication, the Baptist Witness, and listen to his present day broadcast (weekdays especially), you would realize that Lasserre is on a circular quest of returning to where he began.
At present, 95% of the Hardshell ministry rejects him and his doctrines. Matt Strevel, Thomas Mann, Zack Guess, Jeff Harris, and Mike Stewart are cohorts in Lasserre's departure from Hardshellism. Those men basically preach among themselves. Lasserre's scant number of preaching engagements posted in the Baptist Witness should lend some credibility to this information.
Lasserre and his followers now teach and believe that God has commanded the gospel to be preached to the unregenerate. It appears he is returning home with a few stragglers to boot. The troubling thought is that he may eventually find a home with the G4T-Founders-Reformed-Sovereign Grace crowd.
As a Hardshell, Lasserre was not much of a threat to the SBC. However, as a Reformed Sovereign Gracer with the support and promotion of the likes of Ascol, Nettles and others, Lasserre would be in a position to influence and convert a great number of SBC members to his beliefs.
The Hardshells should be the least of anyone's concern. They are a small group that is disorganized, divided and sub-divided. All efforts should be concentrated on the real threat of change to the SBC...i.e. the united, organized, and well financed attacks of reformation from Ascol, Nettles, Mohler and the Founders.
THE ANSWER IS "YES"
Charles said...
I have a question: Are "Hardshell Baptists" and "Primitive Baptists" synonymous terms?
Yes. The words "Primitive Baptists" are what they use for their churches.
"Hardshells" is a the common appellation used by ordinary folks in the South, like "Campbellites" is used of the "Church of Christ." Don't ask me where it first started, for I don't know. Some think that it came about because some of them in the past were so "hard-headed" about their doctrine and practice. Maybe Steve Garrett knows where it came from.
BRADLEY
Anonymous said...
It is remarkable how out of touch and out of date your assumptions of Lasserre Bradley truly are. Your assumptions are based on what you knew of Lasserre Bradley 20-50 years ago.
Could you please quote any statement where Bradley has expressed a recantation of his Hardshell doctrine on regeneration? I have no interest in listening to all his sermons or reading all his papers to find what I don't believe is there.
HELP WANTED
ON BRADLEY
Anonymous said...
Lasserre and his followers now teach and believe that God has commanded the gospel to be preached to the unregenerate.
I took the time to visit Bradley's websites, but found nothing to verify your foregoing assertion.
Furthermore, I read several of Bradley's articles and not a one of them varies from the Hardshell doctrine he has taught since the late 1950s.
The only changes I see he has made have to do with certain "methods" of ministry, to which many Hardshells have objected. But that is "old news," dating back for years.
If you can verify your above assertion, please post the information.
HARDSHELL ZACK GUESS
anonymous said:
At present, 95% of the Hardshell ministry rejects him and his doctrines. Matt Strevel, Thomas Mann, Zack Guess, Jeff Harris, and Mike Stewart are cohorts in Lasserre's departure from Hardshellism.
In regard to Zack Guess, here is an item on the Internet written by Zack which sets for the Hardshell heresy on the Gospel:
>>
"BEGOTTEN BY THE GOSPEL"
What Does This Mean?
A Study on 1 Corinthians 4:15
by Elder Zack M. Guess (Memphis, TN)
Many well-meaning and honest Christians have the wrong notion of the purpose of the gospel. Many of them think that the gospel is the means that God uses to bring about the new birth in people. But an examination of the Scriptures shows that this is not true. The new birth is exclusively the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8). The purpose of the gospel is to bring life and immortality to light (2 Tim 1:10). This means that the gospel simply manifests or reveals spiritual life that had previously been placed in the heart by the Holy Spirit.
This is the typical Hardshell heresy on the place of the Gospel. If Zack Guess has recanted that heresy, please indicate where you got your information to that effect.
This is the same view of Lasserre Bradley Jr., based on all the evidence I have seen. It is also the view held by the Pedobaptist, Reformed, and Flounders Hybrid Calvinists.
BRADLEY REJECTED?
Anonymous said...
At present, 95% of the Hardshell ministry rejects him and his doctrines.
If this estimate is anywhere near to the facts, then this might account for why Lasserre Bradley Jr. is flirting with the likes of Tom Nettles, the "Together for the Gospel" group, and any other so-called "Reformed" entity.
If Bradley is losing credibility with the Hardshells due to some of his "innovations" in methods -- such as "missions" in the Philippines, "preachers' school," etc. -- then he may simply be looking for "new pastures" in which to romp.
That's what he did in the 1950s after Henry Mahan and the Sovereign Grace preachers disfellowshipped him -- he found a "sweet home" with the Hardshells. He basked in the "glory" of Hardshell adulation for awhile, but that evidently has worn off. Now he is looking for other naive "suckers."
But, so far as I can find, his Hardshell view on the new birth remains the Hardshell view, consistent with the "born again before faith" view of the Flounders and any other "Reformed" sect.
FLOUNDERS AND
THE HARDSHELLS
Charles said...
The mere fact that Bradley was at T4G speaks volumes, and the message is coming through loud and clear.
Also, the fact that the Hardshell church in Tifton, Georgia is listed on the Flounders' webwsite as a "friendly" shows how pleasing the Flounders must be to these Hardshells.
The Flounders' website says, "The purpose of the list [of churches] is to aid people in finding a church home that is sympathetic to the aims and doctrinal distinctives of the Founders movement."
Despite Tom Ascol's
"disclaimer" about those churches which chose to submit to the list, why would Ascol allow a Hardshell church on the list? Would he allow a Campbellite church or Mormon church to list if they submitted their information?
Does Ascol think the Hardshell church would be a good "church home" for people looking for a church?
FLOUNDERS AND
THE HARDSHELLS
Charles said...
The mere fact that Bradley was at T4G speaks volumes, and the message is coming through loud and clear.
Also, the fact that the Hardshell church in Tifton, Georgia is listed on the Flounders' webwsite as a "friendly" shows how pleasing the Flounders must be to these Hardshells.
The Flounders' website says, "The purpose of the list [of churches] is to aid people in finding a church home that is sympathetic to the aims and doctrinal distinctives of the Founders movement."
Despite Tom Ascol's
"disclaimer" about those churches which chose to submit to the list, why would Ascol allow a Hardshell church on the list? Would he allow a Campbellite church or Mormon church to list if they submitted their information?
Does Ascol think the Hardshell church would be a good "church home" for people looking for a church?
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