Specific, Immediate Concerns Facing TBC, Texas Convention
by Herbert Reynolds
President, Baylor University
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Herbert Reynolds was keynote speaker at the June 3-4 convocation of Texas Baptist Committed, speaking on the specific issues facing Texas Baptists Committed and the BGCT. We have excerpted his “four key issues” and present them as he delivered them in San Antonio.)
As I see it, we are faced with four key issues to which we must devote our attention and energies as we seek to be good stewards to day and for the future.
FIRST
First, there is the issue of congregational autonomy within the context of associations and conventions, and the freedom which our Texas Baptist people must continue to enjoy within their own worship and service settings. This is one of our foremost principles and strengths and we must strive to preserve and perpetuate the right on one Baptist congregation to differ from another, particularly in matters which are not essential to the faith.
SECOND
Second, we must make it clear that Texas Baptists Committed as an organization embraces the Baptist Faith and Message Statement of 1963 as regards those matters which are crucial to our identity as Baptist Christians. This should prove conducive to the broadest cohesiveness and fellowship.
We must not allow ourselves to be drawn to Specific, Immediate Concerns Facing TBC, Texas Convention the right or to the left of any significant degree; rather, we must position ourselves in the center of the life and teachings of Christ.
THIRD
Third, we must maintain, enhance and concentrate on our ministries in evangelism, missions, education, and human services believing that each of these is critical to the fulfillment of Christ’s teachings in Matthew 22, Matthew 25 and Matthew 28, which encompasses the two greatest commandments, the separation of the sheep and the goats as regards doing for others, and the mandate of the Great Commission.
A few years ago, George Marsden, a well known Christian author, made the very discerning statement, “If religious groups want to have short-term impact, they should concentrate on the practical; if they want to have long-term influence as well, they must also invest resources in building centers for constructive Christian intellectual life. The two are not mutually exclusive.
“The Puritans were second to none in practical piety and in practical culture-building. Intellectual centers without such practical spirituality would be arid and of little use. But without true intellectual centers, religious movements may burn brightly for a time, only to fade too often into obscurity.”
Let’s work within our Texas Baptist system to convince our convention staff and our co-laborers on the budget committee, the administrative committee and the Executive Board of the need for a renewed emphasis on evangelism, missions, education and human services - with the persuasive argument that we must have well prepared leadership in the pew and in the pulpit if we are to function effectively as Baptists who seek to be an enlightened self governing people under God.
FOURTH
Fourth, and last, I offer a statement that is like hauling coal to Newcastle in light of the publicity that the issue has already received and the positive response of many of you to it, i.e. let us strive diligently to make a strong case between now and our October 31 - Nov. 1 convention in Amarillo for not sending funds outside the BGCT to any convention, fellowship, alliance, agency or group unless the funds have been so designated by the particular church family involved.
This will send a powerful message to the SBC Executive Committee, in particular, and it will allow Texas Baptists to get on with the work of the Kingdom devoid of undue political preoccupations.
With all the opportunities that exist from the bottom tip of South America through the upper reaches of Alaska, we have tens of millions of lost people to witness to through the Gospel, education and human services, where the resources of our convention could be put to optimal use.
September 1994