Elmer Leon Towns (born October 21, 1932) is an American Christian academic, pastor and writer who co-founded Liberty University alongside Jerry Falwell in 1971. He is a speaker on the principles of church growth , church leadership, Christian education , Sunday school , prayer and fasting .
104-628: Jerry Laymon Falwell Sr. (August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007) was an American Baptist pastor, televangelist , and conservative activist. He was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church , a megachurch in Lynchburg, Virginia . He founded Lynchburg Christian Academy ( Liberty Christian Academy ) in 1967, founded Liberty University in 1971, and co-founded the Moral Majority in 1979. Falwell and his twin brother Gene were born in
208-602: A Master of Theology degree. While in that program, Towns also enrolled in Southern Methodist University to study for a Master of Arts degree in Education. He received both master's degrees in 1958. Towns acquired a teaching post at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and moved to Deerfield, Illinois , where he earned his Master of Religious Education from the nearby Garrett–Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1967. Following an extended break from being
312-558: A congregationalist polity . This cooperative relationship allows the development of common organizations, for mission and societal purposes, such as humanitarian aid , schools, theological institutes and hospitals. The majority of Baptist churches are part of national denominations (or 'associations' or 'cooperative groups'), as well as the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), formed in 1905 by 24 Baptist denominations from various countries. The BWA's goals include caring for
416-471: A school voucher system which would allow parents to send their children to either public or private schools. In his book America Can Be Saved he wrote that "I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them." Falwell supported President George W. Bush 's Faith Based Initiative , but had strong reservations concerning where
520-633: A Baptist church in Providence, Rhode Island , and Clarke began a Baptist church in Newport, Rhode Island . According to a Baptist historian who has researched the matter extensively, "There is much debate over the centuries as to whether the Providence or Newport church deserved the place of 'first' Baptist congregation in America. Exact records for both congregations are lacking." The First Great Awakening energized
624-546: A Baptist-type church. In 2020, according to the researcher Sébastien Fath of the CNRS , the Baptist movement has around 170 million believers in the world. According to a census released in 2024, the BWA includes 266 participating fellowships in 134 countries, with 178,000 churches and 51 million baptized members. These statistics may not be fully representative, however, since some churches in
728-478: A Soviet-backed revolution. He also urged his followers to buy up gold Krugerrands and push US "reinvestment" in South Africa. In 1985 he drew the ire of many when he called Nobel Peace Prize winner and Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu a phony "as far as representing the black people of South Africa". In 1994, Falwell promoted and distributed the video documentary The Clinton Chronicles: An Investigation into
832-511: A bond of friendship to the gay and lesbian community. We've said go somewhere else, we don't need you here [at] our churches. " In February 1999 a National Liberty Journal article (the media attributed it to Falwell) claimed that Tinky Winky, a Teletubby , was intended as a homosexual role model. The NLJ is a publication of the university he founded. An article published in 1998 by the Salon website had referred to Tinky Winky's status as an icon for
936-522: A celebration in heaven." He later denied saying this. Falwell also regularly linked the AIDS epidemic to LGBT issues and stated, "AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals, it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals." After comedian and actress Ellen DeGeneres came out as a lesbian, Falwell referred to her in a sermon as "Ellen DeGenerate". DeGeneres responded, "Really, he called me that? Ellen DeGenerate? I've been getting that since
1040-957: A daughter Jeannie (a surgeon). Falwell and his wife had a close relationship, and she supported him throughout his career. The Falwells often appeared together in public, and they did not shy away from showing physical affection. Reflecting on his marriage, Falwell jokingly commented, "Macel and I have never considered divorce. Murder maybe, but never divorce." Macel appreciated her husband's non-combative, affable nature, writing in her book that he "hated confrontation and didn't want strife in our home ... he did everything in his power to make me happy." The Falwells were married nearly fifty years until his death. He graduated from Brookville High School in Lynchburg, and from then-unaccredited Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri , in 1956. He enrolled there to subvert Pate's relationship with her fiancé who
1144-560: A few churches that submit to the leadership of a body of elders , as well as the Episcopal Baptists who have an Episcopal system . Baptists generally believe in the literal Second Coming of Christ. Beliefs among Baptists regarding the "end times" include amillennialism , both dispensational and historic premillennialism , with views such as postmillennialism and preterism receiving some support. Some additional distinctive Baptist principles held by many Baptists: Since there
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#17328560965131248-585: A gathered, disciplined congregation of believers baptized by immersion as constituting the New Testament church gave expression to and built on insights that had emerged within separatism, advanced in the life of John Smyth and the suffering congregation of Thomas Helwys, and matured in Particular Baptists ." A minority view is that early 17th century Baptists were influenced by (but not directly connected to) continental Anabaptists. According to this view,
1352-508: A group headed by Jerry Falwell purchased $ 10 million in commercials on southern radio and TV to brand me as a traitor to the South and no longer a Christian." As head of the Moral Majority, Falwell consistently pushed for Republican candidates and for conservative politics. This led Billy Graham to criticize him for "sermonizing" about political issues that lacked a moral element. Graham stated at
1456-587: A group in Fairview Heights known to the police as "the Wall Gang" because they sat on a low concrete wall at the Pickeral Café. Falwell met Macel Pate on his first visit to Park Avenue Baptist Church in 1949; Macel was a pianist there. They married on April 12, 1958. The couple had sons Jerry Jr. (a lawyer, and former chancellor of Liberty University) and Jonathan (senior pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church) and
1560-573: A key role in encouraging religious freedom and the doctrine of separation of church and state. Shared doctrines would include beliefs about one God; the virgin birth of Jesus ; miracles; substitutionary atonement for sins through the death , burial , and bodily resurrection of Jesus ; the Trinity ; the need for salvation (through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God , his death and resurrection); grace;
1664-540: A line of distinction, we should not attempt to cross that line. In 1977, Falwell supported Anita Bryant 's campaign, which was called by its proponents " Save Our Children ", to overturn an ordinance in Dade County, Florida , prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation , and he supported a similar movement in California. Twenty-eight years later, during a 2005 MSNBC television appearance, Falwell said he
1768-667: A magic bag which the NLJ and Salon articles said was a purse. Falwell added that "role modeling the gay lifestyle is damaging to the moral lives of children". Baptist Baptists are a denomination of Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers ( believer's baptism ) and doing so by complete immersion . Baptist churches generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul competency (the responsibility and accountability of every person before God ), sola fide (salvation by faith alone), sola scriptura (the Bible
1872-608: A more biblical "truth" had been discovered. During the Reformation, the Church of England ( Anglicans ) separated from the Roman Catholic Church . There were some Christians who were not content with the achievements of the mainstream Protestant Reformation. There also were Christians who were disappointed that the Church of England had not made corrections of what some considered to be errors and abuses. Of those most critical of
1976-529: A sabbatical from his teaching and administrative duties to focus on speaking and writing. Elmer Leon Towns Jr., was born on October 21, 1932, to Elmer Leon Towns Sr., and Erin McFaddin Towns in Savannah, Georgia , the oldest of three children. The senior Towns was a clerk at a local hardware store and an alcoholic, which contributed to his death. Towns Jr. frequently attended Eastern Heights Presbyterian Church as
2080-776: A statement of their faith and beliefs. Baptist theology shares many doctrines with evangelical theology . It is based on believers' Church doctrine. Baptists, like other Christians, are defined by school of thought—some of it common to all orthodox and evangelical groups, and a portion of it distinctive to Baptists. Through the years, different Baptist groups have issued confessions of faith—without considering them to be creeds —to express their particular doctrinal distinctions in comparison to other Christians as well as in comparison to other Baptists. Baptist denominations are traditionally seen as belonging to two parties, General Baptists who uphold Arminian theology, and Particular Baptists who uphold Reformed theology (Calvinism). During
2184-524: A student, he attended Fuller Theological Seminary and received a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1983. Towns began his work in ministry at the age of 19, when he re-opened Westminster Presbyterian Church in Savannah, Georgia , in 1952. Towns commuted to Savannah to serve as pastor of the church during his junior year at Columbia Bible College , and the congregation grew to over 100 attendees under his leadership. While attending graduate school at Dallas Theological Seminary, Towns attended and later joined
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#17328560965132288-509: A teenager, though he believes his real conversion to Christianity came in 1950, following an evangelistic meeting earlier in the evening. Towns attended Columbia Bible College for three years (1950–1953) before transferring during his senior year to Northwestern College in Minneapolis, Minnesota , and completing his Bachelor of Arts degree. He married Ruth Jean Forbes in 1953. He then attended Dallas Theological Seminary in pursuit of
2392-470: A tract titled "The Character of the Beast," or "The False Constitution of the Church." In it he expressed two propositions: first, infants are not to be baptized ; and second, "Antichristians converted are to be admitted into the true Church by baptism." Hence, his conviction was that a scriptural church should consist only of regenerate believers who have been baptized on a personal confession of faith. He rejected
2496-534: Is an outgrowth of Smyth's movement. Baptists rejected the name Anabaptist when they were called that by opponents in derision. McBeth writes that as late as the 18th century, many Baptists referred to themselves as "the Christians commonly—though falsely —called Anabaptists." Helwys took over the leadership, leading the church back to England in 1611, and he published the first Baptist confession of faith "A Declaration of Faith of English People" in 1611. He founded
2600-457: Is no hierarchical authority and each Baptist church is autonomous, there is no official set of Baptist theological beliefs. These differences exist among associations and even among churches within the associations. Some doctrinal issues on which there is widespread difference among Baptists are: Excommunication may be used as a last resort by some denominations and churches for members who do not want to repent of beliefs or behavior at odds with
2704-779: Is not a liberal or conservative value. It's an American value that I would think that we pretty much all agree on." Falwell's relationship with Israeli prime minister, Menachem Begin was reported in the media in the summer of 1981. His staunch pro- Israel stand, sometimes referred to as " Christian Zionism ", drew the support of the Anti-Defamation League and its leader Abraham Foxman . However, they condemned what they perceived as intolerance towards Muslims in Falwell's public statements. They also criticized him for remarking that "Jews can make more money accidentally than you can on purpose." In his book Listen, America! Falwell referred to
2808-633: Is recognized as an educational facility by the Commonwealth of Virginia through the Virginia State Board of Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools , and the Association of Christian Schools International . In 1971, Falwell co-founded Liberty University with Elmer L. Towns . Liberty University offers over 350 accredited programs of study, with approximately 13,000 students on-campus and 90,000 online. The Moral Majority became one of
2912-530: Is the Baptist World Alliance , and there are many different groupings of Baptist churches and Baptist congregations. Historians trace the earliest Baptist church to 1609 in Amsterdam , with English Separatist John Smyth as its pastor. In accordance with his reading of the New Testament , he rejected baptism of infants and instituted baptism only of believing adults. Baptist practice spread to England, where
3016-606: Is the sole infallible authority, as the rule of faith and practice) and congregationalist church government . Baptists recognize only two ordinances : baptism and communion . Diverse from their beginning, those identifying as Baptists today may differ widely from one another in what they believe, how they worship, their attitudes toward other Christians, and their understanding of what is important in Christian discipleship. Baptist missionaries have spread various Baptist churches to every continent. The largest group of Baptist churches
3120-710: The Baptist Union of Great Britain . Some Baptist associations support same-sex marriage. This is the case of the Alliance of Baptists (USA), the Canadian Association for Baptist Freedoms, the Aliança de Batistas do Brasil, the Fraternidad de Iglesias Bautistas de Cuba, and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (international). Baptists have faced many controversies in their 400-year history, controversies of
3224-908: The First Baptist Church of Dallas . Towns’ affiliation with First Baptist Church was the catalyst for his career-spanning interest in church growth and promotion of large, vibrant congregations. First Baptist Church also introduced Towns to the importance of Sunday school as an education and retention tool within the Church. Also during his time in Dallas, Towns taught philosophy at Dallas Bible College, and served as Education Director for Southwest Baptist Tabernacle and pastor of Faith Bible Church. Following graduation from Dallas Theological Seminary , Towns accepted an assistant professorship in Christian Education at Midwest Bible College in St. Louis, Missouri. Towns
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3328-632: The General Baptists considered Christ's atonement to extend to all people , while the Particular Baptists believed that it extended only to the elect . Thomas Helwys formulated a distinctively Baptist request that the church and the state be kept separate in matters of law, so that individuals might have freedom of religion . Helwys died in prison as a consequence of the religious conflict with English Dissenters under James I . Baptist historian Bruce Gourley outlines four main views of Baptist origins: Modern Baptist churches trace their history to
3432-540: The International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities was founded in the United States. In 2023, it had 42 member universities. Many churches promote virginity pledges to young Baptist Christians, who are invited to engage in a public ceremony of sexual abstinence until Christian marriage. This pact is often symbolized by a purity ring . Programs like True Love Waits , founded in 1993 by
3536-658: The Kingdom of God ; last things ( eschatology ) (Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to Earth; the dead will be raised ; and Christ will judge everyone in righteousness); and evangelism and missions . Most Baptists hold that no church or ecclesiastical organization has inherent authority over a Baptist church. Churches can properly relate to each other under this polity only through voluntary cooperation, never by any sort of coercion. Furthermore, this Baptist polity calls for freedom from governmental control. Exceptions to this local form of local governance include
3640-606: The Southern Baptist Convention have been developed to support the commitments. Most Baptist associations around the world believe only in marriage between a man and a woman. Some Baptist associations do not have official beliefs about marriage in a confession of faith and invoke congregationalism to leave the choice to each church to decide. This is the case of American Baptist Churches USA , Progressive National Baptist Convention (USA), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (USA), National Baptist Convention, USA and
3744-661: The Vietnam War was being fought with "limited political objectives", when it should have been an all out war against the North . In general, Falwell held that the president "as a minister of God" has the right to use arms to "bring wrath upon those who would do evil." On his evangelist program The Old-Time Gospel Hour in the mid-1960s, Falwell regularly featured segregationist politicians like governors Lester Maddox and George Wallace . About Martin Luther King he said: "I do question
3848-583: The abolitionism of the Triennial Convention (now American Baptist Churches USA) left to form the Southern Baptist Convention. They believed that the Bible sanctions slavery and that it was acceptable for Christians to own slaves. They believed slavery was a human institution which Baptist teaching could make less harsh. By this time many planters were part of Baptist congregations, and some of
3952-682: The holiness movement , some General Baptists accepted the teaching of a second work of grace and formed denominations that emphasized this belief, such as the Ohio Valley Association of the Christian Baptist Churches of God and the Holiness Baptist Association . Most Baptists are evangelical in doctrine, but their beliefs may vary due to the congregational governance system that gives autonomy to individual local Baptist churches. Historically, Baptists have played
4056-557: The racial desegregation of public school systems by the US federal government. Liberty Christian Academy (LCA, founded as Lynchburg Christian Academy) is a Christian school in Lynchburg which was described in 1966 by the Lynchburg News as "a private school for white students". The Lynchburg Christian Academy later opened in 1967 by Falwell as a segregation academy and as a ministry of Thomas Road Baptist Church. The Liberty Christian Academy
4160-570: The 19th century, the rise of the modern missions movement, and the backlash against it, led to widespread and bitter controversy among the American Baptists. During this era, the American Baptists were split between missionary and anti-missionary. A substantial secession of Baptists went into the movement led by Alexander Campbell to return to a more fundamental church. Leading up to the American Civil War , Baptists became embroiled in
4264-615: The Alleged Criminal Activities of Bill Clinton . The video purported to connect Bill Clinton to a murder conspiracy involving Vince Foster , James McDougall , Ron Brown , and a cocaine - smuggling operation. The theory was discredited, but the recording sold more than 150,000 copies. The film's production costs were partly met by "Citizens for Honest Government", to which Falwell paid $ 200,000 in 1994 and 1995. In 1995 Citizens for Honest Government interviewed Arkansas state troopers Roger Perry and Larry Patterson regarding
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4368-642: The Baptist congregations in the United States split over slavery and missions. The Home Mission Society prevented slaveholders from being appointed as missionaries. The split created the Southern Baptist Convention , while the northern congregations formed their own umbrella organization now called the American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA). In 2015, Baptists in the U.S. number 50 million people and constitute roughly one-third of American Protestants . The Baptist churches in Ukraine were preceded by
4472-633: The Baptist movement spread across the south of Ukraine and then to other regions as well. One of the first Baptist communities was registered in Kyiv in 1907, and in 1908 the First All- Russian Convention of Baptists was held there, as Ukraine was still controlled by the Russian Empire. The All-Russian Union of Baptists was established in Yekaterinoslav (now Dnipro ) in southern Ukraine. At
4576-650: The Baptist movement, and the Baptist community experienced spectacular growth. Baptists became the largest Christian community in many southern states, including among the enslaved Black population. Baptist missionary work in Canada began in the British colony of Nova Scotia (present day Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ) in the 1760s. The first official record of a Baptist church in Canada was Horton Baptist Church (now Wolfville) in Wolfville , Nova Scotia on 29 October 1778. The church
4680-514: The Baptist successionist or perpetuity view consider the Baptist movement to have existed independently from Roman Catholicism and prior to the Protestant Reformation. The perpetuity view is often identified with The Trail of Blood , a booklet of five lectures by James Milton Carroll published in 1931. Other Baptist writers who advocate the successionist theory of Baptist origins are John T. Christian and Thomas Crosby . This view
4784-521: The Church Growth Institute, Inc., for the purpose of creating and distributing educational content and seminars for both pastors and laymen on the subject of church growth in local congregations. A popular seminar on Sunday school revitalization was attended by over 60,000 people in the first five years it was offered. The most recognizable contribution by the Institute to the ministry community
4888-612: The English General Baptists. Representatives of this theory include A.C. Underwood and William R. Estep. Gourley writes that among some contemporary Baptist scholars who emphasize the faith of the community over soul liberty, the Anabaptist influence theory is making a comeback. This view was also taught by the Reformed historian Philip Schaff . However, the relations between Baptists and Anabaptists were early strained. In 1624,
4992-696: The English Separatist movement in the 17th century, over a century after the foundation of the Church of England during the Protestant Reformation . This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted. Adherents to this position consider the influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists to be minimal. It was a time of considerable political and religious turmoil. Both individuals and churches were willing to give up their theological roots if they became convinced that
5096-409: The Fairview Heights area of Lynchburg, Virginia , on August 11, 1933, the sons of Helen Virginia ( née Beasley) and Carey Hezekiah Falwell. His father was an entrepreneur and one-time bootlegger who was agnostic. His father shot and killed his own brother Garland and died of cirrhosis of the liver in 1948 at the age of 55. His paternal grandfather was a staunch atheist . Jerry Falwell was a member of
5200-535: The General Baptists shared similarities with Dutch Waterlander Mennonites (one of many Anabaptist groups) including believer's baptism only, religious liberty , separation of church and state , and Arminian views of salvation, predestination and original sin. It is certain that the early Baptist church led by Smyth had contacts with the Anabaptists; however it is debated if these influences found their way into
5304-549: The General Baptists. The Particular Baptists were established when a group of Calvinist Separatists adopted believers' Baptism. The Particular Baptists consisted of seven churches by 1644 and had created a confession of faith called the First London Confession of Faith. Both Roger Williams and John Clarke are variously credited as founding the earliest Baptist church in North America. In 1639 Williams established
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#17328560965135408-550: The German Anabaptist and Mennonite communities, who had been living in southern Ukraine since the 16th century, and who practiced adult believer's baptism. The first Baptist baptism (adult baptism by full immersion) in Ukraine took place in 1864 on the river Inhul in the Yelizavetgrad region (now Kropyvnytskyi region), in a German settlement . In 1867, the first Baptist communities were organized in that area. From there,
5512-408: The Jewish people as "spiritually blind and desperately in need of their Messiah and Savior." In the 1984 book Jerry Falwell and the Jews , Falwell is quoted saying: I feel that the destiny of the state of Israel is without question the most crucial international matter facing the world today. I believe that the people of Israel have not only a theological but also a historical and legal right to
5616-419: The Puritans and Congregationalists , they went into exile in 1607 with other believers who held the same biblical positions. They believe that the Bible is to be the only guide and that the believer's baptism is what the scriptures require. In 1609, the year considered to be the foundation of the movement, they baptized believers and founded the first Baptist church. In 1609, while still there, Smyth wrote
5720-595: The Separatist movement's doctrine of infant baptism. Shortly thereafter, Smyth left the group. Ultimately, Smyth became committed to believers' baptism as the only biblical baptism. He was convinced on the basis of his interpretation of Scripture that infants would not be damned should they die in infancy. Smyth, convinced that his self-baptism was invalid, applied with the Mennonites for membership. He died while waiting for membership, and some of his followers became Mennonites. Helwys and others kept their baptism and their Baptist commitments. The modern Baptist denomination
5824-508: The Southeast. In 2007, the Pew Research Center 's Religious Landscape Survey found that 45% of all African Americans identify with Baptist denominations, with the vast majority of those being within the historically Black tradition. Elmer L. Towns Towns has served as Dean of the B. R. Lakin School of Religion, Dean of Liberty University Baptist Theological Seminary, and Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Liberty University. In fall 2013, Towns announced he would be taking
5928-486: The Sunday School editor of Christian Life magazine, a position he held for 22 years. Both of these appointments corresponded with a remarkable increase in published works from him. Both posts also provided Towns with an environment for gathering and analyzing data on Sunday schools, Christian education, and church growth through the use of yearly surveys, interviews, and church attendance records. This combination of sociology and ministry to create models for church growth
6032-460: The United States have dual or triple national Baptist affiliation, causing a church and its members to be counted possibly by more than one Baptist association, if these associations are members of the BWA. Among the censuses carried out by individual Baptist associations in 2023, those which claimed the most members on each continent were: Since the early days of the Baptist movement, various associations have adopted common confessions of faith as
6136-442: The accuracy of the claims made in The Clinton Chronicles ." Falwell condemned homosexuality as forbidden by the Bible. Homosexual rights groups called Falwell an "agent of intolerance" and "the founder of the anti-gay industry" for statements he had made and for campaigning against LGBT social movements . Falwell supported Anita Bryant 's 1977 "Save Our Children" campaign to overturn a Florida ordinance prohibiting discrimination on
6240-600: The autonomy of churches, but generally an individual becomes a member of a church through believer's baptism (which is a public profession of faith in Jesus, followed by immersion baptism). Most Baptists do not believe that baptism is a requirement for salvation but rather a public expression of inner repentance and faith. In general, Baptist churches do not have a stated age restriction on membership, but believer's baptism requires that an individual be able to freely and earnestly profess their faith. In 2010, an estimated 100 million Christians identified as Baptist or belonging to
6344-463: The basis for cooperative work among churches. Each church has a particular confession of faith and a common confession of faith if it is a member of an association of churches. Some historically significant Baptist doctrinal documents include the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith , 1742 Philadelphia Baptist Confession, the 1833 New Hampshire Baptist Confession of Faith , and written church covenants which some individual Baptist churches adopt as
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#17328560965136448-452: The basis of sexual orientation and a similar movement in California. In urging the repeal of the ordinance, Falwell told one crowd, "Gay folks would just as soon kill you as look at you." When the LGBT-friendly Metropolitan Community Church was almost accepted into the World Council of Churches , Falwell called them "brute beasts" and stated that they are "part of a vile and satanic system" that "will be utterly annihilated, and there will be
6552-454: The church became a megachurch . In the same year, he began The Old-Time Gospel Hour , a nationally syndicated radio and television ministry. When Falwell died, his son Jonathan inherited his father's ministry, and took over as the senior pastor of the church. The weekly program's name was then changed to Thomas Road Live . During the 1950s and 1960s, Falwell spoke and campaigned against the civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and
6656-427: The church's direction, some chose to stay and try to make constructive changes from within the Anglican Church. They became known as " Puritans " and are described by Gourley as cousins of the English Separatists. Others decided they must leave the church because of their dissatisfaction and became known as the Separatists. In 1579, Faustus Socinus founded the Unitarian Polish Brethren in Poland-Lithuania , which
6760-599: The confession of faith of the community. When an entire congregation is excluded, it is often called disfellowship. In Baptist churches, worship service is part of the life of the church and includes praise , worship , of prayers to God , a sermon based on the Bible , offering , and periodically the Lord's Supper. Some churches have services with traditional Christian music , others with contemporary Christian music , and some offer both in separate services. In many churches, there are services adapted for children, even teenagers. Prayer meetings are also held during
6864-481: The controversy over slavery in the United States . Whereas in the First Great Awakening , Methodist and Baptist preachers had opposed slavery and urged manumission , over the decades they made more of an accommodation with the institution. They worked with slaveholders in the South to urge a paternalistic institution. Both denominations made direct appeals to slaves and free Blacks for conversion. The Baptists particularly allowed them active roles in congregations. By
6968-434: The denomination's prominent preachers, such as Basil Manly Sr. , president of the University of Alabama , were also planters who owned slaves. As early as the late 18th century, Black Baptists began to organize separate churches, associations and mission agencies. Blacks set up some independent Baptist congregations in the South before the Civil War. White Baptist associations maintained some oversight of these churches. In
7072-633: The end of the 19th century, there were between 100,000 and 300,000 Baptists in Ukraine. An independent All-Ukrainian Baptist Union of Ukraine was established during the brief period of Ukraine's independence in early 20th-century and once again after the fall of the Soviet Union, the largest of which is currently known as the Evangelical Baptist Union of Ukraine . Some Baptist church congregations choose to be independent of larger church organizations ( Independent Baptist ). Other Baptist churches choose to be part of an international or national Baptist Christian denomination or association while still adhering to
7176-457: The first General Baptist Church in Spitalfields , east London, in 1612. Another milestone in the early development of Baptist doctrine was in 1638 with John Spilsbury , a Calvinist minister who helped to promote the strict practice of believer's baptism by immersion (as opposed to affusion or aspersion ). According to Tom Nettles, professor of historical theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , "Spilsbury's cogent arguments for
7280-420: The five existing Baptist churches of London issued a condemnation of the Anabaptists. Furthermore, the original group associated with Smyth (popularly believed to be the first Baptists) broke with the Waterlander Mennonite Anabaptists after a brief period of association in the Netherlands. Traditional Baptist historians write from the perspective that Baptists had existed since the time of Christ. Proponents of
7384-521: The fourth grade. I guess I'm happy I could give him work." Falwell's legacy regarding homosexuality is complicated by his support for LGBT civil rights (see "civil rights" section above), as well as his attempts to reconcile with the LGBT community in later years. In October 1999, Falwell hosted a meeting of 200 evangelicals with 200 gay people and lesbians at Thomas Road Baptist Church for an "Anti-Violence Forum", during which he acknowledged that some American evangelicals' comments about homosexuality entered
7488-548: The funding would go and the restrictions placed on churches: My problem is where it might go under his successors. ... I would not want to put any of the Jerry Falwell Ministries in a position where we might be subservient to a future Bill Clinton, God forbid. ... It also concerns me that once the pork barrel is filled, suddenly the Church of Scientology, the Jehovah Witnesses [ sic ],
7592-551: The land. I am personally a Zionist, having gained that perspective from my belief in Old Testament Scriptures. I have also visited Israel many times. I have arrived at the conclusion that unless the United States maintains its unswerving devotion to the State of Israel, the very survival of that nation is at stake ... Every American who agrees Israel has the right to the land must be willing to exert all possible pressure on
7696-434: The largest political lobbies for evangelical Christians in the United States during the 1980s. According to Falwell's self-published autobiography, the Moral Majority was promoted as being "pro-life, pro-traditional family, pro-moral, and pro-American" and was credited with delivering two thirds of the white evangelical vote to Ronald Reagan during the 1980 presidential election . According to Jimmy Carter, "that autumn [1980]
7800-533: The level of crises. Baptist historian Walter Shurden says the word crisis comes from the Greek word meaning 'to decide.' Shurden writes that contrary to the presumed negative view of crises, some controversies that reach a crisis level may actually be "positive and highly productive." He claims that even schism , though never ideal, has often produced positive results. In his opinion, crises among Baptists each have become decision moments that shaped their future. Early in
7904-414: The lifestyle, but that has nothing to do with the civil rights of that part of our constituency", said Falwell. When Carlson countered that conservatives "are always arguing against 'special rights' for gays," Falwell said equal access to housing and employment are basic rights, not special rights. "Civil rights for all Americans, black, white, red, yellow, the rich, poor, young, old, gay, straight, et cetera,
8008-472: The mid-19th century, northern Baptists tended to oppose slavery. As tensions increased, in 1844 the Home Mission Society refused to appoint a slaveholder as a missionary who had been proposed by Georgia. It noted that missionaries could not take servants with them, and also that the board did not want to appear to condone slavery. In 1845 a group of churches in favor of slavery and in disagreement with
8112-415: The ministry until the scandal died down, but Falwell barred Bakker from returning to PTL on April 28, and referred to him as "probably the greatest scab and cancer on the face of Christianity in 2,000 years of church history". Later that summer, as donations to the ministry declined in the wake of Bakker's scandal and resignation, Falwell raised $ 20 million to keep PTL solvent and delivered on a promise to ride
8216-540: The murder conspiracy about Vincent Foster. Perry and Patterson also gave information regarding the allegations in the Paula Jones affair . The infomercial for the 80-minute videotape included footage of Falwell interviewing a silhouetted journalist who claimed to be afraid for his life. The journalist accused Clinton of orchestrating the deaths of several reporters and personal confidants who had gotten too close to his supposed illegal activities. The silhouetted journalist
8320-496: The national Foreign Mission Convention to support Black Baptist missionary work. Two other national Black conventions were formed, and in 1895 they united as the National Baptist Convention . This organization later went through its own changes, spinning off other conventions. It is the largest Black religious organization and the second-largest Baptist organization in the world. Baptists are numerically most dominant in
8424-475: The needy, leading in world evangelism and defending human rights and religious freedom. Missionary organizations favored the development of the movement on all continents. The BMS World Mission was founded in 1792 at Kettering , England. In United States, International Ministries was founded in 1814, and the International Mission Board was founded in 1845. Membership policies vary due to
8528-544: The postwar years, freedmen quickly left the white congregations and associations, setting up their own churches. In 1866, the Consolidated American Baptist Convention, formed from Black Baptists of the South and West, helped southern associations set up Black state conventions, which they did in Alabama , Arkansas , Virginia , North Carolina , and Kentucky . In 1880, Black state conventions united in
8632-419: The powers that be to guarantee America's support of the State of Israel at this time. Falwell repeatedly denounced certain teachings in public schools and secular education in general, calling them breeding grounds for atheism , secularism , and humanism , which he claimed to be in contradiction with Christian morality . He advocated that the United States change its public education system by implementing
8736-428: The realm of hate speech that could incite violence. At the forum, Falwell told homosexuals in attendance, "I don't agree with your lifestyle, I will never agree with your lifestyle, but I love you" and added, "Anything that leaves the impression that we hate the sinner, we want to change that." He later commented to New York Times columnist Frank Rich that "admittedly, evangelicals have not exhibited an ability to build
8840-425: The same movement. In response, Steve Rice, spokesperson for Itsy Bitsy Entertainment, which licenses Teletubbies in the United States, said, "I really find it absurd and kind of offensive." The UK show was aimed at pre-school children, but the article stated "he is purple–the gay pride color; and his antenna is shaped like a triangle –the gay-pride symbol". Apart from those characteristics Tinky Winky also carries
8944-528: The school's only full-time instructor. In 1973, Towns left Lynchburg Baptist College on sabbatical and became a consultant for the consolidation of seven small Bible colleges into Baptist University of America , in Atlanta, Georgia . He then served as vice-president and academic dean. In 1977, Towns returned to Lynchburg Baptist College, which had been renamed Liberty Baptist College the previous year as editor-in-chief of all publications. During this time, Towns
9048-532: The school. Falwell and Towns had met previously during the preparation for The Ten Largest Sunday Schools and What Made Them Grow , as Thomas Road Baptist Church was number nine on the list. Towns' academic work in Christian education and previous experiences with the college accreditation process made him a strong candidate. In 1971, Falwell and Towns co-founded Lynchburg Baptist College in Lynchburg, Virginia (now Liberty University ), with Falwell in an executive and fund-raising role and Towns as academic director and
9152-642: The sincerity and non-violent intentions of some civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. James Farmer, and others, who are known to have left-wing associations." In speaking of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, he said, in 1958: If Chief Justice Warren and his associates had known God's word and had desired to do the Lord's will, I am quite confident that the 1954 decision would never have been made. The facilities should be separate. When God has drawn
9256-435: The time of Falwell's death, "We did not always agree on everything, but I knew him to be a man of God. His accomplishments went beyond most clergy of his generation." In March 1987, Pentecostal televangelist Jim Bakker came under media scrutiny when it was revealed that he had a sexual encounter (and alleged rape) with Jessica Hahn and had paid for her silence. Bakker believed that fellow Pentecostal pastor Jimmy Swaggart
9360-407: The various and many denominations and religious groups—and I don't say those words in a pejorative way—begin applying for money—and I don't see how any can be turned down because of their radical and unpopular views. I don't know where that would take us. In the 1980s Falwell said sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa would result in what, he felt, would be a worse situation, such as
9464-630: The water slide at Heritage USA. Despite this, Falwell was unable to revive the ministry from bankruptcy and he resigned in October 1987. Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other Falwell advocated beliefs and practices influenced by his version of biblical teachings. In 1989, he told Liberty University employees that membership in his church and tithing were mandatory. Falwell felt
9568-509: The week. The architecture is generally sober, and the Latin cross is one of the only spiritual symbols that can usually be seen on the building of a Baptist church and that identifies the place where it belongs. Baptist churches established elementary and secondary schools, Bible colleges , colleges and universities as early as the 1680s in England, before continuing in various countries. In 2006,
9672-473: Was a student there. Falwell was later awarded three honorary doctorates: Doctor of Divinity from Tennessee Temple Theological Seminary , Doctor of Letters from California Graduate School of Theology , and Doctor of Laws from Central University in Seoul , South Korea. In 1956, aged 22, Falwell founded the Thomas Road Baptist Church . Originally located at 701 Thomas Road in Lynchburg, Virginia, with 35 members,
9776-621: Was a tolerant country. The Unitarians taught baptism by immersion . After their expulsion from the Commonwealth in 1658, many of them fled to the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, the Unitarians introduced immersion baptism to the Dutch Mennonites . Baptist churches have their origins in a movement started by John Smyth and Thomas Helwys in Amsterdam . Because they shared beliefs with
9880-557: Was attempting to take over his ministry because he had initiated a church investigation into allegations of his sexual misconduct. To avoid the takeover, Bakker resigned on March 19 and appointed Falwell to succeed him as head of his PTL ministry, which included the PTL Satellite Network , television program The PTL Club and the Christian-themed amusement park Heritage USA . Bakker believed Falwell would temporarily lead
9984-973: Was editor of Faith Aflame , and started and edited Fundamentalist Journal and The Journal Champion (later renamed the Moral Majority Report ). He was named dean of the seminary in 1979, and two years later, dean of the B.R. Lakin School of Religion, a position he still holds. Under his leadership, the School of Religion received accreditation in 1984 and started a doctoral program in 1987. During Towns' academic career, he has given theological lectures and seminars at over 111 theological seminaries and colleges worldwide. He holds visiting professorship rank in five seminaries and has received six honorary doctoral degrees. He has published over 2,000 reference and/or popular articles. Five doctoral dissertations have analyzed his contribution to religious education and evangelism. In 1983, Towns joined with Larry Gilbert to found
10088-581: Was established with the assistance of the New Light evangelist Henry Alline . Many of Alline's followers, after his death, converted and strengthened the Baptist presence in the Atlantic region. Two major groups of Baptists formed the basis of the churches in the Maritimes . These were referred to as Regular Baptist (Calvinistic in their doctrine) and Free Will Baptists (Arminian in their doctrine). In May 1845,
10192-576: Was held by English Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon as well as Jesse Mercer , the namesake of Mercer University . In 1898 William Whitsitt was pressured to resign his presidency of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for denying Baptist successionism. In 1612 Helwys established a Baptist congregation in London, consisting of congregants from Smyth's church. A number of other Baptist churches sprang up, and they became known as
10296-807: Was instrumental in helping the college achieve accreditation, and the experience earned him a place on the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC). Towns’ involvement with AABC led to his selection in 1961 as president of Winnipeg Bible Institute and College of Theology in Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada (now Providence University College and Theological Seminary ). During his tenure the college became accredited, doubled enrollment, and increased fundraising efforts. In 1965, Towns became Associate Professor of Christian Education at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. A year later he became
10400-530: Was not troubled by reports that the nominee for Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, John G. Roberts (whose appointment was confirmed by the US Senate) had done volunteer legal work for gay rights activists on the case of Romer v. Evans . Falwell told then-MSNBC host Tucker Carlson that if he were a lawyer, he too would argue for civil rights for LGBT people. "I may not agree with
10504-581: Was so overwhelming that Towns used his position at Christian Life to publish the list "The 100 largest Sunday Schools" annually for ten years. Also during this period he became an advisory board member for the Evangelical Teacher Training Association and wrote a textbook and two teacher manuals. In 1970, Jerry Falwell , then pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church , began a fund-raising campaign to create an institute of higher learning and started researching candidates to help lead
10608-482: Was subsequently revealed to be Patrick Matrisciana, the producer of the video and president of Citizens for Honest Government. "Obviously, I'm not an investigative reporter", Matrisciana admitted to investigative journalist Murray Waas . Later, Falwell seemed to back away from personally trusting the video. In an interview for the 2005 documentary The Hunting of the President , Falwell admitted, "to this day I do not know
10712-503: Was the creation of the Friend Day program, in which congregation members were encouraged to invite non-believing acquaintances to a special seeker-friendly service at a local church. Over 15,000 churches participated in the first Friend Day, and it became a perennial event in many churches over the next decade. Towns continues to be active in this ministry, producing resource packets and education material. In 1995 Towns's book The Names of
10816-460: Was unique. Towns used the editorial appointment to communicate to a national audience through articles and books his vision for effective Sunday school teaching and church growth, eventually becoming a leading figure in the field of Christian education. It was during this period that Towns released his first research compilation in the ground-breaking bestselling book The Ten Largest Sunday Schools and What Made Them Grow . The reception for this book
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