Speaker upholds doctrine's value amid 'post-modern' evangelicalism

by John Gaskin                                                                                                                  Vol. XI, No. 2, February 1998

For many people, doctrine is "an ugly word" today, according to Jimmy A. Millikin, speaking at the spring convocation Jan. 21 of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. Millikin, professor and chairman of the theology department at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary near Memphis, TN, challenged Midwestern students to "keep the faith," which he defined as "that body of revealed truth that was delivered to the saints."

He cited Baptist preacher B. H. Carroll as emphasizing "a church with a little creed is a church with a little light. The more divine doctrines a church can agree on, the greater its power and the wider its influence."

Millikin traced developments which have resulted in apathy toward doctrine. "The ghosts of classic liberal theology are still haunting us today, denying that theology has absolute truth and discouraging dogma."

The legacy of such thought in today's post-modern evangelical church is pragmatism, a charismatic emphasis, evangelical ecumenism and biblicism. "We are willing to compromise objective, doctrinal truth for methods which will gather a crowd or grow a church. Just use whatever works. That's pragmatism," Millikin said.

"Charismatics have minimized the importance of doctrine and glorify certain kinds of experiences and, perhaps, special revelations," Millikin continued. As Southern Baptists watch television programs that present such concepts, he said they bring that fascination into churches. "They become impatient with any kind of strong doctrinal statement that they feel condemns those who hold a heretical view."

Regarding evangelical ecumenism, Millikin said Baptists must reject any viewpoint that claims a need to minimize Baptist doctrines so Baptists can better get along with other denominations, even other evangelicals.

Biblicists argue Christians don't need theology or doctrine, pastors just need to preach or teach the Bible. "If you do not take the time to articulate, to gather together the great truths of the Bible and teach them and preach them to your congregation, you can spend a lifetime preaching through the Bible and have a theologically and doctrinally illiterate congregation."

Doctrine, according to Millikin, "is the setting forth in a systematic and logical order the various doctrines of the Christian faith as set forth in the canonical books of the Christian Scriptures. It is logical, orderly, systematic." Using 2 Timothy 4:1-8 as his text, Millikin presented four reasons why doctrine is needed today.

First, there is a doctrinal content of the Christian faith. "The New Testament says there is sound doctrine and there is false doctrine. They must be distinguished," Millikin said.

Second, doctrine communicates the faith to the world. Christians are not only to give testimony of an inner experience with the Lord, but "to give witness to the whole truth of Christ and his redemptive word."

Third, doctrine is necessary to defend the faith.

Finally, doctrine is necessary in order to preserve the faith. "My prayer," Millikin said, "is that you will be grounded in the revealed truths of the Word of God and commit yourself to teaching them, preaching them and propagating them." [BP]