An Interview With Dr. Robert Sloan

Dr. Robert Sloan is the new president of Baylor University. Texas Baptist Committed interviewed him to get his thoughts on events in the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the future of Baylor University and George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

TBC: Baylor has always been an important part of the BGCT. Do you see this continuing in the future?

RBD: Absolutely. Baylor University is a Baptist institution of higher learning. That fast is not only a part of our history, it is also a part of our present. Every constituent group in the Baylor family — the regents, the administration, the staff, the faculty, the students, and the alumni — is committed to the partnership between Baylor and the BGCT. I furthermore personally commit myself as president to our ongoing partnership in Christian education for the sake of missions, evangelism, Christian growth, and the Baptist witness in all of life.

TBC: What is your vision for Truett Seminary?

My vision for Truett Seminary remains the same as my vision for Truett when I was its dean. We are committed to a distinctively Baptist theological education. The founding faculty members of Truett Seminary, the current faculty, and I together believe that Truett Seminary has a unique niche in the marketplace of theological education. We are committed to the centrality of Jesus Christ, to the Scriptures as the Word of God, to the autonomy of the local church, to the necessity of a regenerate church membership, and to the other great Baptist principles of freedom within society and the freedom of the individual conscience. We believe that theological education is best done in a setting where students have the opportunity to grow in Christ, to develop their biblical and theological knowledge, to develop personal skills in relationship with other students and with the faculty, to gain practical experience in ministry while in seminary, to read an discuss the great theological texts in the history of the church, and to learn to communicate with power and persuasion the Word of God to the world and for God’s people.

We believe that if you take care of quality, quantity will take care of itself. Jesus turned the world upside down beginning with only twelve disciples. The earliest preachers of the Gospel were relatively few in number, but they preached a message which had the power to change the face of the earth. We believe that Truett Seminary offers a distinctively Baptist vision for theological education and that we have been called of God to be a model for a kind of theological education which emphasizes personal and biblical integrity, strong visionary and compassionate leadership, and a model for ministry which emphasizes the application of Christian beliefs and values in the real world.

TBC: Since Baylor changed its charter, it cannot be controlled by fundamentalist even if the BGCT should fall to fundamentalist control. Why do you feel so strongly about protecting the BGCT?

RBS: In a sense I would not say that our role is to “protect” the BGCT. Baylor University is certainly not the only voice in the BGCT. Though Baylor historically preceded the Baptist General Convention of Texas, we certainly do not feel any sense of ownership over it. The BGCT belongs to all Texas Baptists. It is the product of our cooperation as churches. In Baptist theology, it is the preaching of the Gospel under the power of the Spirit which produces churches, and churches by their voluntary cooperation with one another — and historically we have done this for the sake of missions and Christian education — which create denominational entities like the BGCT. Because the Baptist General Convention of Texas represents the fruit of our cooperation, and because it represents the great and historic means which Baptists have used to further the preaching of the Gospel and to foster excellence in Christian education, we do feel strongly about protecting this entity which is both the product of our voluntary cooperation and a very significant means whereby we all carry out the Great Commission. The Baptist General Convention of Texas must not fall into the hands of either fundamentalism or liberalism. Mainstream Texas Baptists have always resisted extremist movements and factions. Those who have moved toward theological extremes, whether those extremes are characterized by fundamentalism, the charismatic movement, Calvinism, or liberalism, have never represented the heartbeat of Texas Baptists. It is important to me that the Baptist General Convention be sustained simply because the Baptist General Convention of Texas is the means whereby we carry out the two great tasks explicitly given in the Great Commission — that is, evangelism and education. Those who would seek to divert our attention as a denomination towards various tangents would only produce fighting, factionalism, division within the body of Christ, and an inability to carry out the Great Commission.

TBC: What are your thought on the 1996 budget to be presented at the convention?

RBS: I support it wholeheartedly. I think it is an innovative and creative step toward some important decisions which we need to make as Texas Baptists regarding our autonomy as a convention, our integrity as historic Baptists, and our unwavering commitment to the Great Commission.

TBC: None of the candidates endorsed by Texas Baptists Committed are graduates of Baylor. What are your thoughts on their leadership of the BGCT?

RBS: Graduation from any of our fine Baptist schools is not in itself a qualification for leadership in the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As much as I love Baylor, and wish that every young person in the state of Texas could be a Baylor student, I would not even begin to suggest that we have a monopoly on Christian education in this state. It seems to me that the most important qualifications for leadership in the Baptist General Convention of Texas should involve, first, commitment to Christ; second, a transparent life-style of Christian service, love and integrity; third, sincere and committed membership in a local Texas Baptist church; fourth, a demonstrated life of servant leadership; and fifth, a commitment to the central, historic purpose of the Baptist General Convention of Texas — namely, sharing the Gospel with the lost and Christian higher education. I am happy to support anyone who has these qualifications and is committed to the historic Baptist principles I have mentioned here and elsewhere in this interview.

As for the candidates endorsed by Texas Baptist Committed, I know two of them in a very personal way and have come to appreciate the third candidate based upon the recommendation of others whom I trust. Charles Wade, who will be nominated for president by Russell Dilday, is not only a personal friend, but also a widely respected Texas Baptist pastor whose commitment to evangelism, Baptist principles, and Christian higher education is well documented. I know Charles to be a person of integrity and Christian commitment. I will personally be casting my vote for Dr. Wade for president. Ophelia Humphrey, the nominee for first vice-president, is also very well known to me from my time as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Amarillo. Mrs. Humphrey was already known to me because of the reputation she and her husband C.J. have had for many years as a couple committed to missions. My personal acquaintance with Mrs. Humphrey during my months as her interim pastor convinced me that she is not only a person of sincere commitment to evangelism and missions, but also to her local church, to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, and to the importance of godly living. Mrs. Humphrey is a wonderful example of Christian commitment and devotion. I personally look forward to casting my vote for her as first vice-president. The nominee for second vice-president, Mr. Noah Rodriguez, is known to me more by his reputation than personally, though he and I have had occasion to visit briefly. I respect greatly the testimony of Mauriece Johnston who is personally known to me and who will nominate Mr. Rodriguez. Furthermore, I am well acquainted with the Baptist causes to which Mr. Rodriguez has devoted so much of his life. I believe you can judge a tree by its fruit, which in Mr. Rodriguez’ case means that his many years of service in Baptist causes give me great confidence that he would be an outstanding servant leader for our convention, and I plan to support him enthusiastically.

TBC: Dr. Sloan, what are your hopes for the Baptist General Convention of Texas?

RBS: David, I am convinced that the Baptist General Convention of Texas has a great future. I am also convinced that we are facing some significant days of decision for us as a convention. These are unusual days for us as Texas Baptists. There is a great deal about which we must think, converse, pray, and decide. But I am persuaded that our best days are still before us. In spite of the controversy of recent years in the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baptist General Convention of Texas has retained its autonomy and its strength as a convention. As a state convention we can and must engage in world mission, home missions and state missions. As a state convention we must continue to support Christian higher education, and we must now also, consistent with the pioneering faith of our Baptist forebears, make serious new commitments to theological education. The disappointments and rancor of previous years can and will, I believe, be used by God to produce for us in the future wonderful new days of opportunity with respect to missions, Christian growth, the starting of new churches, Christian education, and the various kinds of Christian benevolence which Baptist have historically done. But we must act with courage. These are not days for the fainthearted. We will have to press ahead in faith; but, as Texas Baptists, if we will stick together, if we will stick to our historic purposes as a convention, we can be used of God in mighty ways in the twenty-first century. I am convinced that, by God’s grace, through we may appear weak by the world’s standards, we are strong in Christ and can with confidence believe that He has called us and will continue to bless us and enable us as His servants.

October 1995