I believe that a church should provide a seminary-like experience for lay members who want more intensive theological study. I was able to put this concept in place in three of the churches that God allowed me to serve as pastor. In one setting, we even offered Hebrew and Greek classes for laypersons.

During the next weeks, I want to share with you a series of doctrinal/theological studies written for the classes in my earlier pastorates. I recently edited the doctrinal studies to teach in Haiti. This month, the Florida Baptist Convention and New Orleans Theological Seminary will begin providing theological education classes for the pastors of the Baptist churches in Haiti. We are excited about this new venture and working in cooperation with the seminary.

Dr. Tommy Green, president of the Florida Baptist State Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church of Brandon, is teaching the first class this month, Introduction to the New Testament. Please remember to pray God’s blessings on this new avenue, especially for the persons who teach, translate and study.

The Florida Baptist Convention now includes approximately 500 churches in Haiti which were started under our leadership and oversight. Theological education for the pastors is a must for the development of the churches. It is not only a new venture, it is a faith venture. God has so many details to work out in our hearts and planning. It is an exciting time to be a Florida Baptist!

In the articles I will discuss:

• The Doctrine of God
• The Doctrine of Man
• The Doctrine of Sin
• The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit
• The Doctrine of Atonement
• The Doctrine of the Church
• The Doctrine of the Christian Life

My prayer is that the articles will be helpful to you and perhaps a resource for future reference.

Any time I write, it is always impressed upon my mind to write to Baptists, not for Baptists. These materials were first initiated in my heart at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. It has been my joy through the years to add, subtract, refine and condense. These are not full, systematic, theological discussions. They are however, basic to all we believe and hold as truth that would form the framework of systematic theological discussions.

This is the first in an ongoing series on doctrinal/theological studies written by John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention.