VIDEO - Hayward, California, 1999
On May 10th & 11th and then again on the 13th & 14th in 1999 at the Landmark Missionary Baptist Church in Hayward, California, Doctor R. Lawrence Crawford representing Baptists and Don Wilson representing Christians debated four Biblical topics, one proposition per each of the four days. This is the third of the four topics and involved the possibility / impossibility of apostasy ("falling from grace" as in Galatians 5:4) after conversion. Each man spoke twice in the afternoon and then twice again in the evening on each day's differing topics. The debate propositions are listed below.
This is an historic debate since it is the forty-second, and we believe last, of Dr. Crawford's notable career as a Baptist who debates both Christians and denominational representatives. So far as we know, it is also the only one of these 42 polemic battles to be captured on video. A widely recognized and revered preacher among Baptists, he represents 50 years of personal experience as a pre-eminent leader among Baptists and the very best of their debaters.
Don Wilson is equally respected among Churches of Christ for his Bible knowledge and teaching skills though he had fewer years and less experience as a debater than Dr. Crawford. The four propositions are these:
Day 1, May 10th, Propositon #1: "The Bible teaches in conviction and conversion the Holy Spirit exercises a power or influence in addition to the written word." (Click Here)
Dr. R. Lawrence Crawford Affirms
Don Wilson Denies
Day 2, May 11th, Propositon #2: "Baptism as taught in the commission of our Lord is for, in order to have, the remission of sins for the penitent believer." (Click Here)
Don Wilson Affirms
Dr. R. Lawrence Crawford Denies
THIS DEBATE = Day 3, May 13th, Propositon #3: "The Bible teaches it is possible for a child of God (a regenerated saved Christian) to fall away or apostatize so as to be finally lost in hell."
Don Wilson Affirms
Dr. R. Lawrence Crawford Denies
Day 4, May 14th, Propositon #4: "The Bible teaches the New Testament Church was organized by Jesus Christ during His personal ministry before Pentecost and has never ceased to exist." (Click Here)
Dr. R. Lawrence Crawford Affirms
Don Wilson Denies