WHY DON'T THEY JUST HAND THE SBC OVER TO FALWELL?
By Charles C. McLaughlin,
Associate Coordinator

Experiencing the leadership of Jerry Falwell may be new to many Southern Baptists but it is not new to many SBC leaders. Many of them have been on the board of Liberty University, founded by Falwell in 1971.

For example, Dr. Jerry Vines, past SBC president, is the present chairman of the university board. Falwell's leadership behind the SBC scenes has now moved into public view and it has only just begun.

Toby Druin, in his July 15 editorial in The Baptist Standard, predicted Falwell to be president of the SBC in a few years. Whether or not Jerry Falwell becomes president he will influence Southern Baptists significantly. His influence will continue to shape the philosophy and direction of the SBC. His increased presence will also shape tremendously what the American public thinks of you as a Southern Baptist.

How will the presence of Jerry Falwell shape the SBC?

1) Falwell will represent Southern Baptists to the American public. Following the convention in Salt Lake City, he represented the views of Southern Baptists on Larry King's show on CNN. The national media will turn to him as the new spokesman. Do you think he will hesitate to speak for you especially regarding political issues?

This means the nation’s perception of Southern Baptists will be Jerry Falwell. What will he say? How will Southern Baptists be perceived? According to Jim Jones (see article across the page) Falwell said, "Southern Baptists, with 15 million members strong, is a (political) force to be reckoned with."

The more Falwell represents SBC the more Southern Baptists will be seen as agreeing with whatever political bent Falwell pursues. Will Southern Baptists be a "voters block" to be used as pawns in large scale political maneuvering to save our country from the godless heathens with whom we happen to share this country? The SBC will be perceived as a large bat attempting to beat politicians into submission.

2) This change in public identity will result in two phenomena. One, it will create an influx of traditionally independent, previously non-Southern Baptist churches into the convention which according to their understanding will define Southern Baptists even further.

In the July issue of the National Liberty Journal, Falwell says that while his church will continue to support independent Baptist missions and missionaries, "we have also officially thrown our enthusiastic support behind the historic and unprecedented conservative 'revolution' which has taken place within the SBC during the past 20 years. Many of our sister churches have done the same and many more will in the months and years to come."

At the convention he added "Now there is no reason at all for any Bible-believing independent conservative Baptist church not to become a part of the SBC."

As these new leaders emerge what ideas and teaching has helped shape their theology and understanding of what it means to be Baptist? Paul Pressler was asked a similar question in the "Firestorm Chat" (see page 7). He said leaders are being prepared in "many independent institutions" and specifically named Mid-America Seminary, Criswell Bible College and Luther Rice Seminary. Of course, Liberty University will be another praised source of new leadership.

The cooperative relationship between SBC leaders and Falwell should be no surprise. Falwell claimed that a major reason for his coming to Salt Lake City was to vote for his close friend, Paige Patterson.

Southern Baptist seminaries are, according to Falwell, dominated by fundamentalists (see Wingfield's article across the page). How does it feel to have seminaries with Falwell's smiling stamp of approval?

Second, the energy and the direction will be more political- than missions-focused. For those who are traditional mission-minded Baptists, you need to understand that the signs are clear. The shift will be away from voluntary cooperation for the purpose of missions by winning our world to Christ toward cooperation for the purpose of saving our nation.

Consider carefully the words of Skeet Workman, editor of the Plumbline, in her August 98 article, "Back in 1980 God convicted me that He wanted to use Southern Baptists to turn this nation back to God. Our sheer numbers give us authority and a voice to be heard."

The energy of the SBC will be exerted upon saving our nation through political action instead of saving our world through missionary involvement. I am not opposed to Christian involvement or influence in politics to strengthen our nation. But the politics of our nation should not be the overwhelming force that shapes Baptist identity and determines the course of direction. Will raising money for the missionaries become a tool for funding a political agenda supported by SBC leadership, undergirded by Falwell's political expertise?

In 1978, the SBC was emphasizing bold missions thrust. The focus energy of our convention was upon saving our world to Christ. The leadership has changed and 20 years later so has our focus. The SBC is being given to Falwell. I wonder if J. Frank Norris would be proud? Is that the direction that Texas Baptists want to go? That really is up to somebody. If you do not decide then somebody is going to decide for you.

September 1998