Wade’s Way
By Robert Newell
Pastor, Memorial Baptist Church, Houston

I have enthusiastically supported the Effectiveness and Efficiency process, as well as its report and its recommendations. Among the many benefits of the report’s admittedly preliminary conclusions, we Texas Baptists signaled clearly that both our state convention and our individual churches are capable and free to determine the shape of the Lord’s ministry among us.

Let’s learn again an important lesson in Baptist polity; Baptist churches, associations, and conventions are independent of each other—not “connected,” as some other denominational groups—and free, both to cooperate voluntarily with each other, and to disagree—yea, even to distance themselves from each other—if and when, for reasons of conscience, they must!

In Austin, we indicated, in unmistakable terms, that our cooperative efforts will be led by a Holy Spirit-directed consensus, derived from all parts of the Texas Baptist family; under God, we will not be dictated to by “big brother” power-brokers from the national Baptist offices, whose vested financial interests and insecure grasp of political power cause them to attempt to proscribe for us the management of the Lord’s business among us. We have heeded the words of Kahil Gibran: “Let there be spaces in your togetherness!”

We also announced, loudly and clearly, that Texas Baptists are willing to explore new paradigms of ministry. We acknowledged several realities which must shape our contemporary response to the call to follow Jesus: cultural diversity, increasing secularization of Texas culture, a declining missions-sending base, a shifting national denominational posture, improved world-wide travel and technology. These and other factors demand that we strap on a renewed willingness to find innovative approaches, while remaining true to the changeless Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What impressed me most, however, about the recent gathering of Baptists in Austin was not the forthright stand against the powerful and none-too-subtle influence of out-of-state Baptist forces; it was not the potential for programmatic innovation, creativity, and renewal which we unleashed among our denomination’s planners. What I was most taken with was the manner in which we Baptists went about making decisions. It is the extraordinarily fair, respectful, and courteous modus operandi which prevailed in the meeting which I want to share with you! Let’s be honest; our denomination, at least in its national gatherings in the ‘80s and ‘90s, has been noted for extremely unChrist-like treatment of dissidents. How ironic that a denomination birthed in the right to dissent should restrict open discussion, open access, and difference of opinion—from within its own ranks! And yet, in recent years, our national gatherings have done just that!

The Austin meeting of Texas Baptists, on the other hand, was what Baptist meetings should be like. Laboriously, meticulously, and at times tiringly, the moderator of our business sessions allowed opposing viewpoints to be heard. Charles Wade, the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Arlington and President of our Baptist General Convention of Texas, demonstrated the love of Christ and the fairness of Baptists as both should be shown. He refrained from unfairly personalizing issues, maintained a “second-mile” spirit, and demonstrated the respect which one soul owes to another, made in God’s image, competent to discern God’s leadership, and required to stand for their own convictions.

I am told that President Wade made parliamentarians available, in advance, to those who had indicated that they would oppose him and the Effectiveness and Efficiency report, to insure that their motions would not be ruled out of order, in ignorance of Robert’s Rules. When some of the dissenting messengers charged that Wade and the two convention parliamentarians were not assessing the votes correctly, in that cavernous meeting hall, Dr. Wade graciously invited any who would, to come and stand on the podium, to assist with the difficult task of discerning numbers!

When a disgruntled brother Baptist indicated that, because of the way the votes were going, he and “his” would be forced to take their losses and leave the state convention permanently, Wade genuinely, sincerely, and publicly, entreated him not to do so. Our conservative-in-theology and moderate-indenominational- politics convention President was extremely liberal in his compassion and generously radical in his trust, insisting that there was ample room for disagreement without disowning, in light of the larger, Gospel agreements that bind us together.

No Baptist with an open heart and mind could witness the grace of Charles Wade and the Christlike demeanor with which he moderated that difficult meeting and continue to insist that the light of Christ’s presence has departed our state convention. On the contrary, Wade’s way of doing Baptist meetings, like his way of doing local church in Arlington, is evidence that God’s blessing remains upon the Baptists of Texas. Despite all of our obvious shortcomings, Wade’s way—honest, yet respectful difference without dissension, disagreement without disunity— is what soul competency, the priesthood of all believers, and the autonomy of Baptist institutions is all about.

It would be a prideful overstatement to insist that Wade’s way is God’s way; but it is not too much to say that Wade’s way is the Baptist way, at its best!

December 1997