"I have no desire to change the old church I joined but want to leave it just as I found it." I have heard that statement or words to that effect from several ministers in north Alabama in the past. When I've heard them express that view it was a comfort and reassuring statement that gave me confidence in the one that stated it. But now in the year 2006, several ministers who expressed or appeared to subscribe to that sentiment have indicated a change in direction and by their walk have shown that they do not now hold that view. They have joined the present day promoters of changing the old church.

I refer the reader to the article "How to find the true Gospel Church" which appears in the February 2006, issue of Essential Baptist Principles website. This article written by Elder Wiley W. Sammons was taken from volume one of his 'Identity of the True Baptist Church'. It is a good representation of the doctrine and practices one will find when he finds the true Church of Christ. After reading that article consider some of our Alabama churches and see if their present walk would describe a church that Elder Sammons presents as one holding to the doctrines and practices of the true Gospel Church. An honest evaluation will reveal a growing number of Primitive Baptist Churches that would not fall into the description of a true gospel church as described by Elder Sammons.

In my study of Primitive Baptist historical writings I have never read where an outreach ministry to the world has ever been the general practice of true old line Primitive Baptists. On the contrary, the general theme of Primitive Baptists concerning all worldly influences, religious as well as secular, is to "Come out from among them and be ye separate". During the early years of this nation, the Baptist faith practiced biblical evangelism by adhering to the biblical examples left us by the Lord and his Apostles. Those faithful servants who labored in the Ministry during the birth of this nation followed the influence of the Spirit, as did the Apostles, in determining where and when they preached the Gospel. The instituting of outreaches, mission societies or any other scheme in or out of the Church were not generally practiced by them but the ministers went, as they were lead by the Spirit of God. It is true that some, in the Kehukee Association around 1789, favored a plan whereby the ministers were asked to visit destitute churches. A fund was collected for that purpose but this plan had strong opposition and never really took hold. This was a prelude to the modern missionary movement in which you could also find other occurrences of false practices being introduced among Primitive Baptists during that time. That movement occurred over a number of years and many churches were favorable to the movement and many were opposed to it. There was a period of time that false practices crept into many of the churches. But the faithful brethren finally realized that they must part ways with those false practices and did so around the year 1830.

As I understand it 'outreaches' have been a practice among those calling themselves Progressive Primitive Baptists but orderly Primitive Baptists have never supported such schemes. Therefore, it is alarming to read of the recent Tanzanian Primitive Baptist outreach sponsored by the Vestavia Primitive Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama. Under the leadership of their pastor Elder Sam Bryant and supported by Alabama Elders: Gene Thomas, Tim McCool, Darrell Chambers, Leon Etheredge, Heath Williams, Guy Hunt, Glenn Payne, Ernie Stump, Louis Culver, Charles H. Kitchens, Coy Brothers, Roy Coker, and Matt Jordan, Vestavia church has implemented a practice which surely they know is not one that true Primitive Baptists have ever practiced. It pains me personally to see this turn of events because of the respect and confidence I once had for many of these Alabama Elders who by their participation in the Tanzanian ordination service at Vestavia made themselves party to the Tanzania Primitive Baptist outreach.

Flint River Primitive Baptist Church is the oldest established Baptist church in the state of Alabama. It was constituted October 2 1808 and has stood the test of time until recent years. Using the same measuring line, the article by Elder Sammons, Flint would no longer fit Elder Sammons description of a true gospel church. The changes in Flint also cause me personal grief, since I grew up around Flint Church and remember several faithful ministers which I was privileged to hear preach and 'contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints' I particularly have fond memories of Elders K. W. Yeager, Owen Robinson, and Eddie Brizendine. In recent years Flint has taken on practices that were never heard of at Flint such as: Bible Study groups, Women's meetings, Men's prayer breakfast as well as fellowshipping with those that have youth camps. They also were ensnared by preachers of false doctrine because of their desire to have the elite preach for them. Recently they are experiencing the fruit of their departures in almost losing the Church to false doctrine as well as false practices. They have failed in their stewardship of Old Flint River Primitive Baptist Church in allowing changes to the church and not maintaining the church as they found it. The pride of pointing to the first organized Baptist Church in Alabama and stating that they are still standing in the doctrines and practices the church was founded on has been tarnished.

Many other facts could be written to support my claim that many churches of North and Central Alabama are changing from their once orderly stand into liberal/progressive churches. But I will refrain from doing so, hoping that what has been stated is sufficient for the wise. "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." (Proverbs 9:8) --Claude McKee