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Marty Duren: There is Hope for Southern Baptists!
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Baptist Theology: A Critical Look
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| Marty Duren: There is Hope for Southern Baptists! |
| 06.29.05 (6:15 pm) [edit] |
As one of my professors at the Baptist seminary I attended used to say, “Many of my friends and all of my enemies are Southern Baptists.” I’ve recounted here how my family was kicked out of a Southern Baptist church and how difficult it was to teach at a Southern Baptist institution. My orthodoxy was always a matter of discussion among my students. I guess I’ll probably never get over the hurt my family has experienced and the pain caused by those who are judgmental.
My final break with Baptists occurred when my daughter’s Wednesday night teacher, who never had a positive thing to say about any of her students, said in front of my daughter, wife, other parents, and children that she didn’t want to see my child and another child back on Wednesday night if they couldn’t behave. My wife said, “That can be arranged” and we never went back. We found a wonderful Methodist church in our neighborhood where my daughter is loved and cherished. Her Sunday School teachers have repeatedly, without knowing about our prior experience, told us how much she is maturing and how good she is! Praise God!
Well, anyway, now to Marty Duren. I don’t know Marty. I’ve never met him. Never spoken to him. Yet just over a week ago he heard about my struggles with Southern Baptists and out of the blue I get an email from him. He wrote that an email that I had written (apologizing to someone for my having done something really stupid and unchristian) to a friend of his “was a blessing to him.” He then shared that he had also had a difficult experience with Christians in the past. This was such a blessed gift from someone that I don’t even know! What a guy!
Then, he offered to send a book to me that he thought I would find helpful. The book was “Wisdom Hunter” by Randall Arthur. Here’s a guy I don’t even know that wants to send a book to me to help me deal with difficult issues I’ve had to deal with! Well, I got a copy of the book as soon as I could. I read the book in about three days. Pretty good since I’m dyslexic and read very slow. I know this sounds trite, but that book really changed the way I look at life, other people, and myself. I’m now recommending it to everyone.
Marty is one heck of a guy! And he’s a Southern Baptist. He reminds me that most of the people that impacted my life in a positive way were Baptists. They’re not all bad.
Thanks Marty! You’ve given me hope for the future of the denomination that I finally had to leave. God bless you my brother. You’ll never know what a difference you’ve made in my life. I’m no longer just a pissed off ex-Baptist. I’m now more committed than ever to helping those who have been hurt by Christians.
I love you brother!
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posted by: Marty Duren (reply)
post date: 07.03.05 (2:00 pm)
Thanks Mark. God will use you now like you could never have imagined. Any good that came from me really came from Him. God bless.
posted by: Anon (reply)
post date: 01.07.07 (10:48 pm)
Why then does Marty rip up preachers that he knows nothing about?
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A Blog About Baptists and Their Theology
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