We are living and ministering in an era of unprecedented change, especially regarding the definition of gender, sexuality, and marriage. With all the attention on the transgender movement and then the oral arguments regarding same-sex marriage before the Supreme Court, I was reminded how swift the pace of moral change is.
Recently, I watched an evening news program on one of the major networks that featured a five-year-old girl who had decided to become a boy. The reporter interviewed the parents, who were going along with the girl’s wishes and attempting to change her into a boy. The reporter also interviewed experts who lauded this.
One thing was clear: This network presented no alternative viewpoint—no alternative perspective even slightly questioning the prudence of doing this to a five-year-old. This was simply an unmitigated celebration of the transgender movement, with no need for an alternative viewpoint—as if the topic was why you shouldn’t eat foods high in saturated fat—with no alternative perspective presented.
Have Conservatives Lost the Culture War?
In the wake of this onslaught of media momentum for the same-sex marriage and transgender movement, some conservative evangelicals have concluded that we have “lost the culture war.” And they have decided that the best way to react is to withdraw from the public square, at least for a time, and build up the church’s internal resources.
James Davidson Hunter, the sociologist at the University of Virginia, is an example of this approach. He believes Christians should be “silent for a time” in the public square, concentrating on improving the internal resources of the church.
But is this the approach we should take? If conservative religious people are behind in the current battle for the hearts and minds of Americans regarding the definition of gender, marriage, and sexuality, is withdrawal a viable option?
I don’t think it is. It presents a false dichotomy, as if the only way for the church to build up its internal resources, re-learning its identity and mission (and there is no question that it needs to do this), is to withdraw from the public square.
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A RESOURCE FROM WELCH PRESS!
Sexuality Gender and the Church provides a handy resource regarding sexuality, gender, and the definition of marriage for everyday Christians who have a deep interest in Christian cultural engagement. This volume is useful for academic settings but is also ideal for ministers, laypeople, parents, and community leaders who want to work through these issues from a biblical perspective. Our desire is to provide a step forward to help Christians respond to the cultural and legal changes we’re facing. LEARN MORE
The Teachings of Jesus—Out of and in the World
Jesus’s teaching pushes us away from this false dichotomy. This is seen nowhere more clearly than in His high-priestly prayer in John 17:14-19:
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (NKJV).
In this passage, Jesus says this regarding our relationship with the world: We must withdraw from the world and permeate the world at the same time. We withdraw from the world in our values, attitudes, priorities, habits, and practices. But we permeate the world in our presence in and active engagement with the world.
Jesus takes us radically out of the world and puts us radically into the world at the same time! I can’t imagine how withdrawal can be justified biblically.
Christian Witness and the Public Sphere
Christian witness cannot be artificially limited to just private, “spiritual” witness. What are we to tell Christian artists or scientists or judges or doctors or political leaders or psychologists? Must their witness in the world be limited to sharing the plan of salvation with individuals? Are we to tell them not to bear witness, in their spheres of influence, to how the law and gospel and kingdom of the Trinitarian God transform our lives together?
I think Jesus’s teachings lead us to avoid this false dichotomy. We dare not make an arbitrary decision to withhold our witness to the world in the public sphere—whether this be how doctors deal with abortion, or how judges or governmental leaders deal with same-sex marriage, or how psychologists deal with a transgender five-year-old, or how scientists deal with genetic engineering, or how artists deal with portraying the reality of God’s creation and the distortions fallen humanity brings to it.
Yes, we need to get serious about the need for the church to rediscover its biblical and historic identity—about orthodox faith and practice. This is going to mean calling a halt to our infatuation with popular culture and being accepted by that culture. The reason evangelical Christianity is losing influence over the moral direction of our culture is that it has lost its stark, prophetic difference from the world in its quest to attract the world by being as much like the popular culture as it can be.
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Conclusion – Conservatives Must Avoid a Pendulum Swing
Yes, we need to ask serious questions about how the religious right has sometimes borne its witness in the public square in ineffective and even less-than-Christlike ways. But the answer is not to pendulum-swing to the opposite extreme from what we don’t like about some in the religious right, thus withdrawing from the public square in the various spheres of influence in which Christians engage.
Instead, we must be radically in the world, bearing witness to the transforming rule of Christ in every area of life. But we must also be radically not of the world, living out what it means to be Christ’s redeemed people, called out from the world, set apart for His holy purposes. This nuanced posture will bring kingdom transformation to the world around us.
J. Matthew Pinson is Welch College’s fifth president, having served in that office since 2002. Read more from Dr. Pinson at matthewpinson.com.
GALLATIN, TN—Mrs. Davida Black recently joined Welch College as Office Manager for the Institutional Advancement department, according to Todd Parrish, Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
Black is a Robertson County native with over thirty-three years of experience as an office manager with communications and financial services corporations and a local Christian school. Her new role will combine her skills as office manager and administrative assistant and enable her to become an integral part of the IA team.
Tim Owen, Director of the Welch Fund, stated, “Already Mrs. Black has been a joy to work with. The knowledge and experience she brings to the office is exceptional and will provide positive traction as the Advancement office continues forward.”
Parrish said, “Exciting things are happening in the Advancement department as we develop new strategies and initiatives. Mrs. Black’s experience and skillset will only add to that excitement and make her an invaluable part of the Advancement team.”
Black and her husband Ron have three grown children and four grandchildren.
GALLATIN, TN—Todd Parrish assumes a new role as Vice President for Institutional Advancement on July 1 after the retirement of David Williford, according to President Matt Pinson.
Parrish came to Welch in January 2018 as Director of Church Relations and Major Gifts Officer before transitioning to the role of Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement in May 2021. In his new role, he will engage in the overall administration of fundraising and external relations at Welch, working with Tim Owen, Director of the Welch Fund. Williford will continue in a part-time fundraising role.
“Todd Parrish is tailor-made for this position,” Pinson said. “No one loves Welch more than Todd. He combines a deep knowledge of our alumni base and denomination with a singular penchant for ‘friend raising’ and has distinguished himself as an excellent fundraiser in his five years at Welch. He’s known for his hard work and can-do attitude. I’m so glad to have him in this new role.”
Before coming to Welch in 2018, Parrish served as Senior Pastor of First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington, North Carolina. A North Carolina native who ministered in churches in North and South Carolina for 26 years, Parrish has served in a number of denominational roles, including Director of the South Carolina Free Will Baptist Children’s Home, Assistant Moderator of the North Carolina State Association of Free Will Baptists, and (currently) Vice President of the Welch College Alumni Association.
Parrish was ordained under the ministry of Dr. Malcolm C. Fry. A 1989 Welch graduate in Bible and church music, he engaged in graduate study in music at Middle Tennessee State University and obtained his M.A. in mental health counseling from Webster University in 2010 and his M.A. in theology and ministry from Welch in 2018. He is nearing the completion of his doctorate in educational ministry at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is writing his doctoral thesis on the advancement and fundraising function of Welch College.
Parrish and his wife, Merinda, Welch’s Clinical Coordinator for Teacher Education, have two married daughters, Emily Vickery (Zach) and Ellen Stox (Kevin), both Welch graduates, and two grandchildren, Lucy and Jack.
GALLATIN, TN—The Welch College Rejoice! Ministry Team announces that their summer tour will begin Sunday, June 5, according to David Williford, Welch’s Vice President for Advancement.
The team will hold services in eighteen churches in ten states during their eight-week tour. The team will also attend Free Will Baptist State Meetings in North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, and Ohio and the Annual Session of the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Birmingham, Alabama.
The summer tour’s program will feature hymns, gospel songs, and modern worship arrangements designed to evangelize and encourage. The members of the 2022 Rejoice! Ministry Team are Benjamin Barcroft, Nicolas Cruz, Emily Edgmon, Erin Goucher, Sarah Lovett, Mason McClure Matthew Pinson, Samuel Rodriguez, and Stephen Yerby.
“What a blessing it is to share the power of the gospel through songs, hymns, and spiritual songs,” Williford said. “It is our prayer that this team will lead our Free Will Baptist people to worship the Lord and that God will give them grace as they minister around our denomination.”
The tour schedule is as follows:
June 5 AM – First Free Will Baptist Church, Bristol, VA
June 6–7 – North Carolina Free Will Baptist State Meeting, Greensboro, NC
June 8 PM – Garner Free Will Baptist Church, Garner, NC
June 10 – 11 – West Virginia Free Will Baptist State Meeting, Inwood, WV
June 12 AM – Parkway Free Will Baptist Church, Woodbridge, VA
June 14 PM – Harrisonburg Free Will Baptist Church, Harrisonburg, VA
June 15 PM – Free Will Baptist Church of Roanoke, Roanoke, VA
June 16–17 – Virginia Free Will Baptist State Meeting, Forest, VA
June 19 AM – Canaan Free Will Baptist Church, Creston, OH
June 22 PM – Sandhill Free Will Baptist Church, Sandusky, OH
June 24–25 – Ohio Free Will Baptist State Meeting, Columbus, OH
June 26 AM – Flagship Free Will Baptist Church, Erie, PA
June 26 PM – Northpoint Free Will Baptist Church, Buffalo, NY
June 30 PM – Beacon Free Will Baptist Church, Exeter, RI
July 1 PM – Iglesia Christiana Bautista Youth Service, Yonkers, NY
July 3 AM/PM – Iglesia Christiana Bautista, Yonkers, NY
July 6 PM – White Oak Hill Free Will Baptist Church, Bailey, NC
July 7 PM – Temple Free Will Baptist Church, Greenville, NC
July 10 AM – Horse Branch Free Will Baptist Church, Turbeville, SC
July 10 PM – Peace Free Will Baptist Church, Florence, SC
July 12 PM – Madison Heights FWB, Lexington, NC
July 13 PM – Peace Free Will Baptist Church, Morristown, TN
July 17 AM – Liberty Free Will Baptist Church, Millington, TN
July 19 PM – New Pleasant Grove Free Will Baptist Church, Savannah, TN
July 21 PM – Heads FWB, Cedar Hill, TN
July 23–27 – Annual Session, NAFWB, Birmingham, AL
GALLATIN—This summer the inaugural class of the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree in Humanities will begin their studies at Welch College, according to Dr. Matthew McAffee, Welch’s Provost.
The 33-semester-hour graduate degree is designed to prepare college graduates who desire additional education in the humanities. It is especially suitable for those who wish to continue to a Ph.D. in one of the humanities fields (e.g., English, history, philosophy, politics, the arts, law, and theology) or obtain a credential as a community college teacher in the humanities.
Coursework for the interdisciplinary degree will integrate the classical disciplines of the humanities, such as the arts, culture, hermeneutics, history, law, literature, philosophy, and theology. Graduates of the program should be able to demonstrate the following objectives:
A sound grasp of the philosophical issues undergirding the disciplines of the humanities
Knowledge of the major writings in literature of the great tradition, including a knowledge of the underlying issues present in the interpretation of works more generally
Critical analysis of culture and its artifacts
Competency in original research
“We’re excited about this new degree program,” McAffee said. “We have a lineup of exceptionally qualified faculty who will help prepare students for Ph.D. work and teaching in the humanities fields. This kind of preparation is important in our day. The university departments in the humanities are most influential in shaping the ideas that drive our culture. We desire to help produce bright, young Christian thinkers who can affect their culture with a Christian worldview, and this program is carefully designed to do just that.”
McAffee continued, “The program is also great for community college teachers and students who are interested in the humanities but don’t know exactly what career they want to pursue. What’s more, it’s very affordable. We encourage students who might be interested in the program to contact program coordinator Matt Bracey at mbracey@welch.edu.”
The two primary faculty for the degree will be Matthew Steven Bracey, who will also serve as coordinator for the degree program, and Tyler Flatt. Other faculty from the humanities areas at Welch will also teach in the program.
Matthew Steven Bracey, a native of Ashland City, Tennessee, has taught at Welch for nine years and serves as Vice Provost for Academic Administration and Assistant Professor of Theology and Culture. A graduate of Welch College, he holds the M.T.S. degree from Beeson Divinity School and the Juris Doctor degree from Cumberland School of Law of Samford University. He is currently completing his Ph.D. in Christian ethics and public policy with a minor in philosophy at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, writing his dissertation on the moral imagination in the thought of Edmund Burke. He is founding co-editor of the popular website the Helwys Society Forum (TheHSF.com) and is a prolific writer and editor, having co-edited and contributed to two books, Sexuality, Gender, and the Church (Welch College Press) and The Promise of Arminian Theology: Essays in Honor of F. Leroy Forlines (Randall House Academic). Bracey has written for numerous publications, including ONE Magazine, the Journal of Biblical Higher Education, Christian Academia, and the Evangelical Quarterly. He also serves as managing editor of Welch College Press. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening and coaching Welch’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams. He is married to Sarah, who heads the psychology program at Welch.
Dr. Tyler Flatt will serve as adjunct instructor for the new program, teaching summer courses in great texts of the Western tradition. He serves full-time as Assistant Professor of Humanities and Co-Director of the Augustine Honors Collegium at Boyce College of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, Flatt holds a Ph.D. in Classics from Harvard University, having earned his B.A. from the University of Waterloo and his M.A. from the University of Toronto. Flatt is dedicated to the conservation and ongoing interpretation of the Western intellectual and cultural tradition and enthusiastically supports the current revival of interest in classical education in North America. Flatt’s work has appeared in The Classical Journal, Classical World, The Classical Review, The Journal of English and Germanic Philology, and Vigiliae Christianae. Current projects include an edition and translation of Erasmus’s Annotations on the Gospel of John for the Collected Works of Erasmus (University of Toronto Press). He also hosts Daily Dose of Latin, a video series devoted to short explanations of passages from the Vulgate, the Latin Bible of medieval Europe. He is married to his best friend Liz, and when he is not reading or writing, he likes to fish. The first course, Great Books: Ancient and Medieval, will be taught this summer by Dr. Flatt, consisting of online instruction beginning in early July and a week-long, on-campus intensive the first week of August. For more information on the M.A. in Humanities at Welch, email program coordinator Matthew Bracey at mbracey@welch.edu. For general information on Welch, visit www.welch.edu.
