BIBLE COLLEGE BICKERING

Is it a sin to start a Bible College?  Was Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., wrong when he began Bob Jones University many decades ago?  Were Dr's. Ron Comfort, Clarence Sexton, Paul Chappell and a hosts of other good men misleading God's people when they announced that the Lord had led them to start Bible Colleges for the expressed purpose of training men and women for full-time Christian service?

Some would say so.  In fact, a FACEBOOK friend of mine rants against Bible Colleges pretty regularly.  Recently he raised the issue again, arguing that Bible Colleges had no authority to charge financially for teaching the Bible.  No less than 52 comments have been contributed to his status as of this writing, many of which are of a lengthy nature.

Folks, I will be the first to admit - as you have perhaps noticed from my brief writings - that I am no theologian or self-proclaimed Bible scholar.  I did attend Bible College for a year and learned some valuable insights, particularly in the area of Baptist History.  But, I have to say that straw men arguments like the one raised in my friend's FACEBOOK post makes me want to regurgitate, to put it nicely.

If one feels that starting (or attending) Bible Colleges is wrong my advice would then be to not start or attend one.  But to label as unbiblical or unscriptural those who attend colleges or those good men who have began institutions to train full-time Christian workers is shameful!  Is this the new low to which many in the Fundamental Baptist movement, as some have labeled it, have sunk?  Are arguments of this nature of utmost importance?  It would seem to be in some independent, Baptist circles.

God help us to get beyond such petty issues and concentrate on what is really important and that is getting souls to Jesus.  And that, my friends, is my View From the Porch for Thursday, June 14, 2012. God bless.