When I was a Baptist campus minister, I often attended meetings where
speakers said, “Missions is what holds Southern Baptists together.” Missions was proclaimed as the primary
motivator for working together and some would even proclaim that Southern
Baptist missions was “God's Last and Only Hope” (the title of a
book by Bill Leonard) to “save the world.”
Historically,
missions has been a great motivator for Baptists. The Southern Baptist Convention was born out
of disagreement over who could be a denominationally supported missionary;
missions was more important than one’s views on owning slaves. “Save the missionaries” was the rallying call
for the creation of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. In churches where people disagree about everything
from the style of worship to the color of the carpet, missions support has been
a key unifying factor.
I
am not sure this is still the case. When
church members have the freedom to choose where their mission dollars will go,
the choice may tend to divide rather than unite. Which group will provide our mission
speakers? What mission curriculum will
we use? Who will our church partner with
to do mission trips? In recent years,
churches that once gave a tenth of their budgets to cooperative mission
endeavors have both cut that amount and decided to use mission dollars for
projects that the church controls.
Members have taken note and exercise more control over where their contributions
go, often supporting causes with no denominational affiliation.
So
if missions no longer motivate us to work together, what does? Although we say that Baptists agree on soul
competency, priesthood of all believers, separation of church and state, and
Bible freedom, I think we all know this depends on which Baptist you happen to
be talking to at the moment. As one
friend commented recently, “It seems to me that the challenge is that what
identifies us as Baptists . . . doesn’t do a lot for others. Most of those we would like to reach could
care less about these [things].”
Orthodoxy—right belief-- no longer seems to be a motivator.
So
what is the alternative? Perhaps it is
orthopraxy—right practice. On my best
days, I think that Robert Parham of ethicsdaily.com may have the best idea,
calling together “Good will Baptists” who can unite around Luke 4:18-21:
“The Spirit of the
Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
In other words, perhaps we can be motivated to work together by
the mission that Jesus claimed for himself and, by implication, his
church. In using this passage in
connection with the New Baptist Covenant meetings, leaders were trying to find
common ground for all Baptists, but these words are appropriate not just for Baptists
but for all Christians. And that may not
be a bad thing.
So what holds Baptists together? What do you think?
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