Rev. Frank S. Page, left, stands with President George Bush and Page's wife Dayle in October 2006. Page was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest evangelical denomination.
New generation of evangelicals
Polls suggest that evangelicals under 30 are just as staunchly opposed to abortion, and almost as concerned about "moral standards" in general, as their elders. But a February Pew survey found that younger evangelicals are more likely than their parents to worry about environmental issues; 59 percent of those under 30 said the United States was "losing ground" on pollution, compared with 37 percent of those over 30.Acceptance of homosexuality is also greater among young evangelicals. One in three under 30 favors same-sex marriage, compared with one in 10 of their elders.
Redeem the Vote, a group formed in 2004 to register young evangelicals to vote, is campaigning with black churches in Alabama for capping the interest charges on short-term "payday" loans, which can hit 400 percent a year. The group's founder, physician Randy Brinson, said he finds that young evangelicals are intensely interested in practical ways to help their communities and are little swayed by issues such as same-sex marriage.
"These kids have gone to school with people who happen to be gay, and they don't see them as a direct threat. They may think that lifestyle is wrong, but they don't see it as something that really affects their daily lives," Brinson said. "The groups that focus only on a narrow agenda, especially gay marriage and abortion, are going to decline."
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Either there is a problem with this poll's methodology, or there is a problem with evangelicalism, or both.
“In the past, Baptists were very well known for what we’re against. . . . Instead of the caricature of an angry, narrow-minded, Bible-beating preacher, we wanted someone who could speak to normal people.”
It sounds like Rev. Page is making a huge mistake. He is allowing the opposition to define what a Baptist preacher is. Tell me that statement above doesn’t sound like he is seeking approval from the world. Maybe it is just that he has a different way of spreading the Gospel than Mr. Falwell, but it doesn’t sound good. John the Baptist was pretty narrow-minded when it came to Herod’s living arrangements.
OMG!! Evangelists and Baptists going the way of Episcopalians!! sad.
Falwell was preaching for correction sake but many took it as condemnation. Jesus said you will be despised in this world for My Name sake and Falwell was despised by many - but not by His Judge!
Page is a sell-out-your-friends-so-that-you-can-act-superior-to-them kind of guy. He blindly accepts false characterizations so that he can say “I’m not like that.” Well la-de-da. Who is? Name names Mr. Accuser.
Some aspiring leaders of the evangelical movement are pushing good works and pop issues like environmentalism to become noticed and popular.
They are forgetting the roots of evangelicalism. Those roots were to accept a belief on God and to have a personal relationship with the Lord by obeying His commandments and reading His Word, the Bible. Evangelicals believe you can find Christ and his Mercy on a one to one basis, without the intervention or guidance of a church hierarchy. There is no overall Evangelical Bishop and each person, church or congregation has equal access to God’s love.
He should be extremely careful not to tug anyone to the left, as others have attempted.
Not to be too picky, but my personal belief is that Jerry Falwell was not an evangelical in the sense that most people think of today. When reporters report on “evangelicals,” they are usually referring to non-denominational churches such as Rick Warren’s and the like. Falwell had a denoimination, Baptist, and they have a defined orthodoxy, as opposed to non-denominational evangelicals, who seem to invent their own orthodoxy on a church by church basis (I know, since I belong to one).
Of course, in the traditional sense, Falwell was an evangelist (someone who is spreading the Word), but I don’t think he was a typical non-denominational evangelist a la Rick Warren, Robert Schuller, and other megachurch founder,as well as my own current quasi-denomination, The Vineyard.
Of course, it is too much to expect the media to get anything right regarding religion, but I think they miss the point when they classify him as an evangelical along the lines of Rick Warren and the like. I have seen several websites from the Baptists who are quite opposed to Warren, and even argue that these types of churches are not “authentic Christians,” in that they do not follow the core message of sin and salvation through grace.
Acceptance of homosexuality is also greater among young evangelicals. One in three under 30 favors same-sex marriage, compared with one in 10 of their elders.Redeem the Vote, a group formed in 2004 to register young evangelicals to vote, is campaigning with black churches in Alabama for capping the interest charges on short-term "payday" loans, which can hit 400 percent a year. The group's founder, physician Randy Brinson, said he finds that young evangelicals are intensely interested in practical ways to help their communities and are little swayed by issues such as same-sex marriage.
"These kids have gone to school with people who happen to be gay, and they don't see them as a direct threat. They may think that lifestyle is wrong, but they don't see it as something that really affects their daily lives," Brinson said. "The groups that focus only on a narrow agenda, especially gay marriage and abortion, are going to decline."
How many agree that this is true of younger evangelicals?
If so, it means some terrible things for my denomination, in particular, and for historic Christianity in general.
While I agree that morality preaching is not the sum total of what Christianity is all about, I do not think that means doctrines of Christian morality are optional.
MSNBC wants us to think that but I seriously doubt that’s the case.
Exactly why I refuse to belong to a Church affiliated with the SBC.
They went soft.
this is no surprise as it's another a sign of the times.
the framework is being set up for the anti-christ, and these are just signs we all need to be ready and prepared for Christ's triumphant return.
Oh they are NOT!
Oh, brrrrother -- talk about not having your priorities straight. Has this guy ever gotten past Genesis and read the Gospels? Exactly where did Jesus or the apostles warn about the sin of carbon dioxide emissions?
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same sex "marriage" can NEVER produce a younger generation.
That will likely remain so until these young people have kids and see that the homosexual activists want to directly influence their lives. Then these people who are young now will begin to understand why their parents took the stand that they did against homosexual activism.
I have friends who I suspect are homosexual, but I've never delved into their personal lives. What they do behind closed doors doesn't concern me, as it probably doesn't concern most people. But when homosexual activists try to up-end the mores of this nation and drastically change our culture to accomodate the lifestyle choices of a miniscule minority of people, that's when I disagree with them, and will fight against them.
No their not.. Queers were queer, remain queer, and always will be queer.. Because sexual identity disfunction is queer..
Even little kids know its queer... Back when the word queer meant something it was still queer.. Thats why they were called queers'..