The phenomenal growth of Real Life Ministries in Idaho caught my eye years ago. I was always curious as to what was behind their success. Jim Putnam the minister who started the church spoke at the 2007 NACC so I was eager to hear him. As best I can recall it was a good sermon. It didn’t answer my questions about the church’s success but it did further increase my interest. Thus, when Jim wrote a book, I bought it hoping to learn more. I don’t know that there is anything revolutionary in it but it is a good book mixing Real Life’s story with their philosophy and practices. I am glad I bought it.

I am posting about it because in the book there is a brief discussion of baptism. You were waiting for that weren’t you? This brief section does two things. It gives evidence to the shift on baptism and how the new Christian Church Movement thinks about baptism. From what I heard and read I like Jim. He is a no nonsense guy who does not seem to be into church fads. However, that does not change the fact that his writing gives evidence to the shift and change in our Brotherhood.

Here is the quote from Church Is a Tem Sport by Jim Putman pages 195-197;

“Avoiding Nonessential Divisive Theology

Let me give you an example of how theology can be divisive. The Scriptures tell us that we are to be baptized. Often the debate has not been about doing it, but why you must do it. The Church of Christ emphasizes Acts 2:38. They tell us that baptism is for the remission of sins, so you will receive the gift of the Spirit. They teach that baptism is essential for salvation since you receive the Spirit afterward, and you receive forgiveness through it. Baptists would say that baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. Salvation comes by grace through faith and faith only. You are baptized to become part of the body of Christ: the church. It is an absolute command that is to be obeyed, but not for salvation. I am not here to argue any particular side, though I have my opinions. All the sides believe you must be baptized in water. They agree disciples must baptize because they have been sent by Jesus to do so. However, they disagree on the reasons for and, in some cases, the mode of baptism. Countless fights have taken place over this issue throughout the centuries—usually because someone attached salvation to the discussion. In other words, a teacher claimed that if you do not agree with me you are lost.

Unfortunately, in many cases, Christians fight each other rather than the enemy. Meanwhile, our unsaved neighbors are hurting. They are dying unsaved because we are more consumed with arguing with each other than sharing our faith with them. We fight. They watch. We lose. They lose more.

Uncluttered Christianity says that we do what the Bible says to do, the way the Bible shows us to do it. Yes, in our church we baptize by immersion because we believe that the Scriptures tell us to do so. To baptize means to immerse. That is the definition in the Greek, and was the method of the first church. The disciples did it. All the early fathers did it. The Reformers taught that we should do it. The battle over why is answered simply: because the Bible says so. Quit arguing! Zip it! And just do it! Let’s get on the same team, give the same message and work together to get some work done for the kingdom!

The goal of our church is to reach the lost with the saving mes­sage of Jesus. How can we be a team if we don’t give the same message? We share as a body that we are saved by grace, through faith. Faith leads to repentance and confession, baptism, and a life lived for Jesus.

One team, one message, glorifying God by doing what He says … together.

There are many issues we can highlight that fit into the same discussion: eternal security, eschatology, the gifts of the Spirit, and more. Can you be saved, no matter what side of the debate you take on these issues? If the answer is yes, let’s concentrate on things we can agree on and get the work of the church done.”

I accept Jim as my brother in Christ. He may not accept me, but I accept him. This is not about whether he saved or not, a devoted Christian or not.

This shows the shift on baptism. Note the following.

The teaching and practicing of the Biblical purpose of baptism is not important. To do so would be divisive. Rather than the goal being to restore the New Testament’s understanding and practice, the goal is to reach lost people. Total accuracy is sacrificed for effectiveness. We can all agree that minor issues can be ignored to do this but it is a shift to make the purpose of baptism a minor issue. I don’t understand why, if they can make the meaning of baptism a minor issue, they can’t make the mode of baptism a minor issue. How can they be so dogmatic about the mode and not the meaning? Does the Bible speak any less clearly about the meaning than the mode? There are Presbyterian scholars who would argue that sprinkling is the preferred mode or at least an equally valid mode. Is the mode essential to salvation? If not, why make that a non-negotiable? If one takes this approach there is no consistent reason not to accept all modes of baptism for the sake of unity and increased evangelistic effectiveness. It is a shift on baptism not to see teaching and practicing of baptism for the forgiveness of sins to be essential to the restoration of NT Christianity. Here is an important point. The fact that many in the Brotherhood include Jim as “one of us” is further evidence of the shift on baptism. They have decided that simply being born into the RM is enough and holding the Biblical and RM position on baptism is not required to be “one of us.”. They have decided that it is not necessary to hold the Biblical position on baptism to be a main speaker at the NACC as Jim was in 2007. You may agree with that position and you have a right to do so. But please have the integrity to admit that it is a shift. Argue for the validity of the shift rather than pretend it has not and is not taking place.

Jim’s quote also shows the nature of the Christian Church Movement as opposed to the Restoration Movement. Note the following.

I don’t know if Jim considers that he is part of the Brotherhood or Restoration Movement. I really don’t think Jim would identify himself or his church as “one of us.” I don’t recall anything in the book or anything on his church’s website that would indicate that he does. I think Jim is simply an evangelical that grew up in a Restoration Movement church and environment so he has lots of contacts with the Brotherhood. The result is that we “claim” him more than the he claims us. I don’t think Jim perceives himself to be part of the old Restoration Movement or the New Christian Church Movement. He is an independent Evangelical and so is his church. However, the fact that he is claimed by some of us reveals the nature of the Christian Church Movement. Jim’s church is what the CCM holds up as a model. Church growth is a higher value than the restoration of NT Christianity. Some issues previous thought essential to restoring NT Christianity are no longer essential. Surprising immersion is still essential to NT Christianity but baptizing for the remission of sin is not. I will explain why in another post. The Christian Church Movement sees itself as an evangelical movement with four distinctives that set it apart as a sub-set of evangelicalism; distinctive characteristics that it has that some but not evangelicals have.

1. Doctrinal minimalism. Doctrine is divisive so determine the bare minimum needed and do not emphasize it beyond that. Complete faithfulness to Scripture as in the old RM is not as important as increasing market share.
2. Baptism by immersion. Most of the evangelical church shoppers who are potential customers think immersion is important so we will keep that. Watch for this to jettisoned as soon as there is a sufficient shift in the market preference.
3. Weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper. This will go first and already is. It takes too much time in the service.
4. Local autonomy. I think this will stay.

Let me try to wrap this point up. The old RM would draw a line and someone who did not embrace baptism for the remission of sin would not be seen as “one of us.” However, the new Christian Church Movement mindset is in control and anyone or anything with a connection to us is one of us. Thus, a church that rejects the Bible’s teaching on baptism can be listed as “one of our” largest churches.

Let me again make this finally point. I do not question Jim’s salvation or devotion to the Lord. From what I can tell he has started a good church. I don’t know if he started the church think it would be part of the Brotherhood, I actually doubt it. In fact, he may have already adopted his current beliefs about baptism before starting the church. In the end this post less about him and the his church than what is says about our Brotherhood, its leaders, and direction that they include Jim and Real Life Ministries as “one of us.”