How To Ask A Pastoral Candidate If He Is A Calvinist | Leighton Flowers | Pastor Search | Calvinism

Dr. Leighton Flowers, Director of Evangelism and Apologetics for Texas Baptists, talks briefly about how to ask a pastoral candidate about his views on Soteriology.

#LeightonFlowers #Calvinism #Religion #christianity #Shorts

[whattheheckification]

We did our pastor interview and I just asked flat out “what do you think of Calvinism?” Seemed to do the trick.

[officialDavidRees]

Unfortunately a lot of Calvinist pastors dance around questions if not flat out deceive. My wife and I visited a local Baptist Church that the statement of faith was theologically rock solid. Apparently the pastor was fairly new at 3 years and preached a pretty Calvinist message. He came to us at the end of the sermon to introduce himself and my wife asked, "Are you Calvinist?" He said, "It says Baptist on the sign." She asked again, "Are you Calvinist?" He said, "There are some here." She asked again, "But are you Calvinist?" He just smirked. A few days later I ran into my bank lady who I saw there. I asked her about the pastor being... and she said "Calvinist." I said, "yeah." She told me that he and his family are great but when they were questioning him, he ignore specific questions and answered the others in a way, using words that Calvinists define differently, and got hired. Lots of people left and I'm surprised she didn't since she grew up in a church called Free Will Baptist, but she didn't want to lose her friends. I know, bad reason to stay at a place that teaches false doctrine.

[annakimborahpa]

As examples of direct questions Leighton recommends, how about:
1. Have you accepted John Calvin as your personal theologian?
- and/or -
2. Have you accepted Loraine Boettner as your TULIP Botanist?

[OkieAllDay]

My brother point blank asked a candidate if he was a Calvinist. The pastor candidate (who later became pastor) responded “I’m a biblicist”

I knew at that point he was using code words to say he was a Calvinist. But he was too scared to come out and say it. Turns out I was right

[bilboswagginz]

I agree being up front and transparent is an important quality in a pastor.

I almost joined a church, but before I did, I asked the pastor what he believed about TULIP. He just said, “our church doesn’t take a position on the subject.” So, I asked, “but what do you personally believe?” And he was a broken record, “our church doesn’t take a position…” It was very concerning. I could not get him to be honest with me even one on one. I left and never went back.

[shawnglass]

Our Church is so bless to have a Pastor whose theology matches the Biblical truths, a pastor whose theology is in the line of Charles Spurgeon, Jonathan Edwards, John Knox, John Bunyan, and all of the great puritan Christians. The same teachings of Biblical truths that brought the great Revivals to our country. We need to get back to this Biblical truth so that we can once again see a revival in this country.

[d.carpenter]

Churches should be raising up men in their own congregations instead of hiring a stranger. But if you do hire a stranger, please check his references!

There was a church i was a part of that hired a man without checking references, the manipulative wolf split the church, and then they found out he had done the same thing at his last church. I have seen this twice!

[danitapowell]

Why would a candidate not want to be forthright? That’s a little scary

[mikelyons]

LF, your material has truly been beneficial for reaching those steeped in the "Ungracious" system of Calvinism. I wish the body of Christ was more of a "Team-Player" because Kevin Thompson has great info & teachings for this kind of

[audofit]

Oh I live in Portland and Vancouver is just across the way. I go to Door of Hope SE. They're pretty much in the middle which I appreciate because I came out of calvinist churches and just needed a break.

[lukessportsacademy]

My question: Do you believe that God loves every person and that Christ died for every person?

Follow-up: Could you say to a lost person, “God loves you and Christ died for you.”

[ezequielarce]

This is why church confession/what they believe are important. They should be subjected to stand on that ground.

[heyman]

Deal maker/breaker question:
"Is the gospel intended for all people and available to all people?"

[mamab]

Although I do not live there any longer, my home church, the one that is and will always be of my heart, where I first dedicated my life to the Lord then my children did almost brake for this very reason. We are one Church in the blood of Christ, but I have seen and at the time I was an adult but just a babe in my faith, it (this topic)split our Church body. There are members that grew up together, brothers and sisters in Christ that no longer speak to one another to this day. I nearly walked away, for I was just beginning to have a foundation. I am not Calvinist by any means, but I learned in the most terrible way how we as Christians need to learn and hold onto to teaching of Christ. Forgiveness, grace, understanding, etc. it is important to ask the hard questions when hiring a new pastor. It’s important not to sugar coat topics. It’s important for all members to be involved. But remember one thing, where God has a pulpit Satan builds one too. Satan uses secondary doctrine and differences in our denominations to tear us apart. He uses our beloved Word of God against us. Have your Church families with similar beliefs/doctrine, but never forget we are all apart of one family through the blood of Jesus, by the grace and mercy of God, and guided by His Holy Spirit. *sorry so long this just hit deep memories.

[mxkhrjt]

A good question to ask is if the candidate conflates foreknew with predestined.

[bguptill]

I was on our church's board for a while and was on a pastoral search committtee at one time. When we did pastoral interviews, I simply said to them: "I have two doctrinal questions for you: Do you support Calvinism, and what is your view on Creationism?" Based on these two I think you can essentially zero in on how they handle all other matters of doctrine. Both questions betray whether they are exegetical or eisigetical. Do they believe what's in the Bible or bring man's ideas into the Bible.

[andrewlancaster]

I straight up asked the pastor where I attend now, No reason to beat around the bush.

[jdude]

I would ask he defines the gospel as calvinism, like Spurgeon did.
I would ask who made Lucifer have pride, God or Lucifer?
I would ask who made Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, Adam and Eve or God?
I would ask if he believes God is the author of every sin like john Calvin says on page 176 of his book concerning the predestination of God.

Those are hills to die on.

[rlee]

Does regeneration precede faith? What is your view of the immaculate conception and of Mary (get them talking about how they disagree with a Catholic view, then transition to the tea of total gravity, because both the sinlessness of Mary and Calvinism stem from improper heretical views of original sin.)

[jvieceli]

Be careful. You may find you are not in the right church…forget about the new Pastor. Happened to me.