Sufficiency of Scripture Conference - Summary of Sessions 4 & 5 (12/10)

Session 4 - The Sufficiency of Scripture for Manhood and Womanhood - Voddie Baucham

If you have ever seen Voddie speak before then you know he is passionate about whatever it is he speaks on and this session was no different.  The topic was manhood and womanhood and how our move from the sufficiency of scripture has affected how we look at these two areas.

Voddie spoke on how it is a myth that the cause of women taking  the roles of men is the passivity of men.  The reality is that feminism was birthed by men being men and the reaction of women to change things.  Thus feminism was a result of women fighting the biblical view of manhood and womanhood so as to seek to blur the gender lines.  Sadly this happens even in the church.

He listed a number of practical effects of radical feminism, on the church - also on the world:
-Masculinized Girls
-Feminized boys
-Delayed/confused marriages
-Plummeting birth rates
-Abortion
-Normalization of single parent homes
-The acceptance of Homosexuality
-An epidemic of unprotected women
-Gender confusion

Voddie then spoke to the effect of  errors in the biblical view of manhood and womanhood.  Errors in the biblical view of marriage lead to marriage patterns that do not portray the relationship between Christ and the church and thus effect the biblical view of manhood and womanhood.  Also, errors in the biblical view of manhood and womanhood lead to parenting practices that do not train boys to be masculine and girls to be feminine.  Often these errors lead to homosexual tendencies and increasing attempts to justify homosexual alliances.  Another place these errors affect is in patterns of unbiblical leadership in the church that promote confusion over the true meaning of manhood and womanhood

He concluded that since it is a move away form the sufficiency of scripture in the area of manhood and womanhood the only way back is to regain the doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture so that we define manhood and womanhood and marriage by scripture.  Strong words that need to be heard not only by the world but also the professing church.



Session 5 - The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Heart of the NCFIC - Doug Phillips

Doug Phillips shared a number of things around the theme of the Sufficiency of Scripture and the NCFIC with his usual passion.  As he spoke I thought of the great number of people that take pot shots at the NCFIC.  If they were to hear not only the words but also the hearts of the speakers it is clear that what is of prime importance is God’s word in all things.  Yes, the NCFIC has as part of its focus families but only as a result of seeking to promote God’s design for His creation.  Above all the focus is on God and His word.

Doug shared how there were 2600 people attending the conference and in context of this gave some history of the NCFIC which was basically started in 2001.  This gave an overview to show where the NCFIC came form and where it is today.

He also shared how the NCFIC is a focused ministry and does not have a goal of solving all the problems of the church.  I would add though that if the NCFIC would be used by God to move the church back to a reliance on the sufficiency of scripture it would have gone a long way to help in correcting many of the churches errors.  Doug shared that we are watching the Babylonian captivity of the church, as the reformers spoke of the church in their day, as the church then and now moves away from scripture as what guides it.  This move includes cultural syncretism where people often delight in these things that Scripture sees as an abomination. 

The results of this move from scripture as being sufficient for the church are such things as:
-Debt-Driven churches
-Selfishness-Driven Churches
-Cleric-Driven Churches (pastor led churches)
-Pagan Culture-Driven Churches
-Women-Driven Churches (where men disconnect)
-Youth-Driven Churches
-Emotion-Driven Churches

So the church needs to move back to the Sufficiency of Scripture to extricate itself from its captivity by the world.  The church needs to regain its moorings in the word of God and to see it not only as inerrant but also sufficient.