The R&R Fellowship in 2008

At our last meeting, several important things took place. We realized that our group was growing too large to be useful for personal accountability, and so we are encouraging all of us to have those men to whom we are accountable, but we are not looking at the R&R as such a group. Rather, the R&R exists to promote revival and reformation in the local churches of our region of North Carolina. Here is how we have decided to try and do this in 2008:

1. We are intending to hold a monthly theology breakfast at Sister's Restaurant on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7am. This breakfast is open to any interested pastors and laymen who want to hear and consider a presentation on an important theological subject. At each breakfast a R&R Member (or a guest with similar convictions) will bring a 30-35 minute talk on the subject and then will take questions. By 7:45 the presentation will be over and people will be free to discuss the subject with others at their table and to leave as they need to. This is the kind of breakfast they we hope many pastors will be interested in attending, and perhaps many laymen as well.

Here is the topic schedule:

January: “Does Regeneration Precede Faith and Does it Matter?”
February: “The Theological Systems Compared”
March: “Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?”
April: “Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in the Home and Church”
May: “The Necessity of Sanctification for Salvation”
June: “The Importance of Regenerate Church Membership”
July: “Genuine Evangelism: Considering Some Dos and Don’ts”
August: “Who Chooses Whom: The Doctrine of Election Considered”
September: “The Power of the Cross: Understanding Substitutionary Atonement”
October: “Church Government – What Does the Bible Teach?”
November: “The Various Eschatological Views Simply Explained”

2. We are hoping to find more opportunities for us to work together to put on conferences where men who share our theological convictions can come and share on important subjects. The Sam Storms conference on the Holy Spirit is hopefully just the first of many to come.

On another note, we elected four officers to lead our group. Randy A. is our President, meaning that it is his job to obtain speakers for each of the the theology breakfasts. His only criterion is that the speaker be a member of our fellowship or a guest who is in substantial agreement with the 1689 Confession. I have become the Vice President, meaning I jump in if Randy gets hit by a truck or a falling meteorite and dies. Jim is our treasurer, just in case we need someone to hold money in the midst of putting together conferences. Jason is our Moderator, meaning he gets to welcome everyone and moderate during the Q&A at the breakfasts.

As of right now, the R&R Fellowship is

Randy Alston

Justin Childers

Mike Edwards

Jason Gault

Justin Nale

Chad Tucker

Jim Upchurch

Allen Williams

The fellowship is open to any who hold a pastoral position in a Baptist church in our local area who is in substantial agreement with the 1689 Confession.

If anyone has any questions or issues that need to be addressed, you can email them to President Alston. Also, if you see a topic that you would particularly like to speak on, let him know.

We'll get fliers for the breakfasts made up and ready to distribute by the beginning of the new year.