LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE CHANGE MOVEMENT
 

Under the leadership of Dr. Steve Flatt, David Lipscomb University has boldly joined the movement to implement fundamental changes to the faith, worship and practice of churches of Christ.  Dr. John Mark Hicks and Dr. John York of Lipscomb's Bible Department are working to introduce and influence Bible students to the ways of the change movement. Doubters need only to read Dr. Hick's two recent volumes, Come to the Table and Down in the River to Pray and Dr. York's The Jesus Proposal (co-authored with Rubel Shelly) to see the facts.

The annual Hazelip Preaching Seminar is now devoted to promoting the change agenda by bringing to the campus leading promoters of change to lecture and indoctrinate to all the preachers they can assemble for this Seminar.  Last year they featured Dr. Fred Craddock of the Disciples of Christ.  This year they are featuring Dr. Robert Webber from the Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Joining Dr. Webber is Dr. Jack Reese, Dean of the College of Biblical Studies at Abilene Christian University and a leading proponent of the change movement, and  David Fleer, Professor of Religion at Rochester College.

A few moments on the Internet yielded the following important information about Dr. Webber from his website:

	"Dr. Robert Webber is recognized by pastors, denominational leaders, scholars and lay people as one of the foremost authorities on worship renewal..."
	"He regularly conducts workshops for almost  every major denomination in North America."
	"Northern's commitment to develop a new kind of seminary education to prepare men and women for ministry in a postmodern world..."
	"Current concerns focus on how worship and spirituality bring vitality to the church in Postmodern culture."
	The titles of his books tell us much about his emphasis.
	"Ancient -Future Faith: Rethinking Evangelism for a Postmodern  World. "Worship, Evangelism and Nurture: The Missional Church in a  Postmodern World."
	"The Younger Evangelical: A New Kind of Conservative in the  Postmodern World."

The site invites readers to "Join Dr. Robert Webber on the Road to Emmaus and your worship will never be the same..."  I am quite sure they are correct in saying this.  That is why he is invited for the Seminar.

It is fair to say that no Lipscomb president prior to Harold Hazelip would have ever considered allowing a denominational preacher to come and promote his views on the campus of David Lipscomb University.  No prior administrator would have contemplated having such a person on a lectureship financed and presented by the school.

To have such a program is a repudiation of the spiritual principles held by Lipscomb's past leaders. It is a contradiction of the intent of David Lipscomb and James A. Harding, the founders of the school. H. Leo Boles would have repudiated it as would have Willard Collins.  Batsell Baxter Jr.  And Carroll Ellis would have had no part in such a program.  Those responsible for arranging this program should be ashamed of themselves for betraying the founders and financiers of the school in which they are employed.

It seems to me that those who wish to study at the feet of denominational authorities should go to their denominational seminaries to get their indoctrination.  For a school dedicated to the propagation of New Testament Christian to present such a program is akin to inviting a wolf to lecture on the nurture and care of lambs.