CHARLES WADE IS AN EXCELLENT CHOICE
By Jerold McBride,
Co-Chair TBC

It was an honor to serve on the Baptist General Convention of Texas' search committee for our new executive director.  It was a privilege to serve on the previous search committee that recommended Bill Pinson.  I am thrilled that God led us to Charles Wade. I have known him since he served as a mission pastor of the First Baptist Church in Chickasha, Okla., where I was the pastor.

Charles will bring dynamic leadership to the BGCT.  He will be firm and fair in all he does.  He will strive to keep us all who want to be united working together by challenging us with a vision bigger than the things that divide us.

He will make sure all our churches have the freedom to give cooperatively as they so choose thus protecting local church autonomy.

Charles will respect the beliefs of all Texas Baptists thus honoring the priesthood of all believers.

Our new executive director is a man with a deep commitment to the Bible as the Word of God and our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. He knows and understands the historic commitment true Baptists have to religious liberty and the separation of church and state.  Dr. Wade will lead our state convention to emphasize these biblical values.

In short, Charles Wade is a real Baptist just what Texas Baptists need at this time in our history.

He is also a leader.  No one wonders where Charles stands in relation to what has happened in Baptist life these past 20 years.  He has been a public supporter of historic Baptist principles, Texas Baptists Committed and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.  He has resisted the inroads of fundamentalism. Such leadership qualifies him to lead Texas Baptists. There is no such thing as a neutral leader. Charles will be vocal and strong in standing up for traditional Baptist principles.  He will be fair and respectful to those who disagree with him which is all anyone could ask.

I do not doubt that fundamentalist SBC leadership will criticize him and treat him unfairly.  A campaign to use Charles selection has already been started to encourage BGCT churches to leave and support the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention.

Notice the press release from Baptist Press, the official news service of the SBC, after Charles selection.  You will find the excerpt added to the SBC Baptist Press which was not found in other news sources at the end of my article.  At the conclusion of the news release it says "additional reporting by Herb Hollinger," who is the head of Baptist Press.  What Hollinger added were critical statements Charles had made of the fundamentalist movement and the SBC. What Hollinger added was more information on Charles involvement with CBF.  Why did the SBC leadership add this information?

The answer is they want as many Texas Baptists as possible to be upset by Charles' election and leave the BGCT.  They will seek ways continually to criticize Charles and use his activities to reduce support for the BGCT.  That is simply the way it is in today's Baptist life.  I am confident this will serve only to strengthen Texas Baptists support of the BGCT.  Texas Baptists simply do not welcome outside interference!

How can we move forward?  We can pray for and support Charles Wade while he leads us to a new future beyond the SBC controversy.  We can follow his vision as he challenges us and leads us to become the most effective cooperative mission enterprise in the world.  We can focus on the future and leave the past behind because we will have dynamic leadership showing us the way to unity through our focus on ministry and mission.

It is a new day for Texas Baptists and I believe we have God's man in place to take us to a new level of effectiveness as Texas Baptists.  I am excited and I hope you are too!

October 1999