Baptistic Theologies, 2009

Summary of the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Christians’ (1913). 19 A.V. Karev, ‘Decision of the All-Union Congress of Evangelical Christians-Baptists on the Report of the Secretary General of the AUCECB, A.V. Karev on Life and Activity of the Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists and of the Financial Report’, Bratski Vestnik , 1966, No. 6, p. 48. A.V. Karev, ‘From my personal encounters with I.V. Kargel’, Bratski Vestnik, 1946, No. 3, pp. 19-20. 28 Baptistic Theologies wrote that the writings of Kargel were some of the first spiritual works that 21 he read and were foundational in his understanding of the Christian faith. Jacob Zhidkov, the President of the AUCECB, 1944-1966, wrote that it was a sermon preached by Ivan Kargel in 1902 which was his point of conversion. Karev, Zhidkov and Bychkov all attended the celebration of Kargel’s eightieth birthday in St. Petersburg. 22 Kargel on the Need of Conversion Conversionism refers to the belief that salvation occurs at a particular moment, often times in a dramatic way, during an experience with God. Conversionism has its origins in the revival movements which swept back and forth across the Atlantic among the English-speaking world during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is opposed to the State Church idea that one is born into Christianity by being born on Christian soil or to a Christian family and by default made a member of the church. Closely related to the ideas of conversionism are the ideas of holiness. Other terms that could be used are sanctification, filled with the Holy Spirit, or abiding in Christ. Each of these carry certain nuances but the result is the classification of Christians into three categories: nominal Christians were Christians in name only and considered to be ‘unsaved’; ‘carnal Christians’ were those who had accepted, through a conversion experience, the message of the gospel personally but who had not yet fully surrendered to God; the third category, those living in the ‘normal Christian life’ under God’s rule. Church membership is not the mark of being a believer, while a tangible moment of repentance is. Ivan Kargel rejected church membership, even membership of an evangelical church, as a sign of true faith. You can belong to one of the existing churches, be baptised and with purpose of heart, take part in the Lord’s Supper, you can be present at every church service and religious assemblies, you can correctly gather in a household prayer circle, you can have great knowledge and praiseworthy experience. But if you do not have the Spirit of Christ, you are not His." 21 R.K., ‘Newly Selected Secretary General of the All-Union Council of the Evangelical Christians- Baptists’, Bratski Vestnik, 1972, No. 2, p. 67. 22 V.M. Kovalkov and M.P. Chernopyatov, ‘Ivan Venyaminovich Kargel', Bratski Vestnik, 1979, No. 6, p. 49. 23 1.M. Randall, Evangelical Experiences, A Study of the Spiritua