Texas Baptists Committed is dedicated to reaching people for Christ through local churches; promoting and defending historic Baptist principles; spreading an understanding of Baptist heritage and distinctives through education; and cooperating with the mission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and its related institutions.

RESPECT AND COOPERATION: LET US TRY AGAIN

Last year in our post-convention newsletter, Bill Bruster wrote a column encouraging Texas Baptists to respect our differences and cooperate on the things we agree upon. He said we could remain united if we practiced Baptist polity and respected each other.

Texas Baptists Committed decided early on to make our Convocation 94 theme “Servant Leadership.” This was chosen because it was noncontroversial and was not negative about fundamentalism. We planned for the 1994 newsletters to focus on the mission of Texas Baptists. We were committed to being positive. We had every intention of ignoring the SBC controversy.

Then Russell Dilday was fired. Then at the 1994 SBC annual meeting the messengers voted to instruct SBC agencies not to accept funds given by local churches to SBC agencies through CBF. We felt we must respond with the truth to these irresponsible (in reference to Dr. Dilday) and unBaptist (in reference to the SBC annual meeting vote) acts.

WE ARE READY TO TRY THE POSITIVE APPROACH ONCE AGAIN!

Mainly we want to focus this newsletter on support of the BGCT and its institutions and programs. We want to emphasize the importance of following God’s leadership as Texas Baptists. We want to encourage respect, fairness, inclusion, ministry, and prayer.

We want to encourage the leaders of the SBC to cooperate. Do not take punitive actions against CBF, state conventions, and local churches. Do not fire people at our seminaries. Treat missionaries fairly. Encourage unity rather than division.

We want to encourage Texas fundamentalist leaders to not further organize and try to take over the BGCT. Do not encourage local churches to be punitive. We respect your right to pick and choose what you support, but do it out of conviction, not punishment.

Let us all focus on moving forward as Texas Baptists. We promise to do that if others do not try to take over the BGCT or start attacking the BGCT and its institutions and ministries. If you do pursue such punitive actions, we will be swift in telling Texas Baptists the truth.

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