Welcome

Welcome to DBO. The purpose of this website is to glorify God by providing commentary that will help equip the current generation of believers to transform their families, their churches, and their world.

The theological and philosophical basis upon which I approach familial, ecclesiastical, and societal renewal is grounded on several affirmations: that the Scriptures are the inerrant, infallible, and sole authoritative source of knowledge about God, man, the church, and society; that the modern church of Jesus Christ must return to the five solas of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solo Christo, and Soli Deo Gloria; that evangelical churches have largely become (as the Cambridge Declaration states) dominated by the spirit of this age rather than by the Word of God or by the Spirit of Christ; that these same churches have become too closely linked to political conservatism; that the shapers of tomorrow's church and society must connect with the hard questions of life and not passively avoid them; and that thoughtful writing, that is, writing that engages both the heart and the mind, is needed to address the emergencies of the day.

It is important to note that daveblackonline is not a "Baptist" website (although I am a committed Baptist), nor is it a "theological" website (although it engages theological issues), nor is it a "homeschooling" website (although I believe in homeschooling). This website is simply that of a fallen and sinful human being who seeks to honor and serve the Savior whom he loves. It will attempt to defend the historic doctrines of the faith (not the man-made traditions of any confession or denomination) for however long God in His grace shall allow its doors to remain open. To put it in a nutshell, this website is Christian, and its purpose is to challenge readers to reconsider the central truths of the Bible and of historic Christianity.

 

As a lay-run ministry, the editor recognizes that it is only a very small and limited instrument against the forces of modernism that have attacked the Bride of Christ and the essential doctrines of Christianity. But in its small way it hopes to try to do something to oppose the prevailing madness within our churches and within society today. It joins many other like-minded websites in seeking to reform our nation from the bottom up, and not from the top down. It seeks to help people think and speak (hopefully in that order) more intelligently and biblically about matters of faith and practice that effect the future of the church and of our great nation. I agree with Dr. Martin Luther, the German reformer, who said:

"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. And to be steady on all the battle fields besides is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

Another purpose of this website is to provide ministry resources for anyone who might find them useful. My "Reading Room" currently focuses on issues such as Christian apologetics, constitutional liberty, homeschooling, age-integrated worship (as opposed to the age-segregation espoused by most youth leaders), advice on courtship, marriage, and the family, pro-life matters, and biblical studies (including, of course, New Testament Greek), but I will be expanding these resources to include many other topics of interest. Finally, if you need biographical information about me, including data about my publications and speaking schedule, you'll find it by clicking on my "About Dave," "On the Road," "Book Box," and "Columns and Essays" links.

As you peruse this website, you will notice that it is unapologetically pro-South, in that I have always believed that the Southern cause and the American cause are one and the same: limited government and constitutionally guaranteed liberty, where politicians are "bound by the chains of the Constitution" (Thomas Jefferson). When I say that I love the South, I mean that I love the nation that the Founding Fathers envisioned (i.e., a republic of sovereign states), that I am ashamed of the Leviathan that the federal government has become, and that I am determined to do what I can to call our leaders back to the Constitution they swore an oath to protect and defend. If I am politically active, it's not because I want to "fix" government, but because I want to dismantle its oppressive and unconstitutional nature. If you feel offended by this, I apologize, but there is nothing compassionate about big government. In the words of Congressman Ron Paul of Texas: "If we stuck to the Constitution as written, we would have: no federal meddling in our schools; no Federal Reserve; no U.S. membership in the UN; no gun control; and no foreign aid. We would have no welfare for big corporations, or the 'poor'; no American troops in 100 foreign countries; no NAFTA, GATT, or 'fast-track'; no arrogant federal judges usurping states rights; no attacks on private property; no income tax. We could get rid of most of the cabinet departments, most of the agencies, and most of the budget. The government would be small, frugal, and limited." 

As you read my columns and essays, you will notice that I believe many Americans have forsaken the primacy of the cross of Christ, embracing instead the state as their Savior. They naively follow the example of the churches in Nazi Germany by placing their faith in broken-down human hierarchies, forgetting that such edifices are mere man-made Towers of Babel, be they liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. Politicians of both parties are working tirelessly to undermine the fundamental principles of religious liberty guaranteed to "We the People" in the founding documents of our nation, obsessed by the foolish notion that what they deem to be evil can be cured by the federal government. Indeed, the culture of political correctness has become so institutionalized that most Americans have stopped opposing it.

I believe it is time to stop seeking God in the misguided and erroneous teachings of do-goodism, whether the source is liberalism or conservatism. Jesus Christ is the only answer to the malaise plaguing our families, our churches, and our society. You can idolize man-made institutions with the hope that they will solve the societal ills of our day if you like, but I prefer to stand by the Bible and the life-changing power of the cross.

I am well aware that perfection is not the privilege of man in any of his works, and mine are no exception. I trust, however, that a kind and merciful God may use the essays and links on this website to motivate believers to stand up for the primacy of the Gospel, for the truths of historic Christianity, and for the proper role of civil government, which is never to manage society as if the state were omnipotent, but to allow greater freedoms for individuals, families, and civic institutions so that they can flourish as God designed them to do without unnecessary restraint from secular authority.

Thank you for visiting. If you have any suggestions on how to make this website more helpful, or if you have a prayer request, please feel free to contact me. Meanwhile, please pray regularly that God will be honored through the efforts of this site.