Regarding the Demand for Missionaries to Sign the BFM 2000
By R. Keith Parks

Never before has suspicion of heresy been leveled at the corps of veteran missionaries serving faithfully around the world. Never before have missionaries been required to sign a creed.

This current demand reflects the change that has occurred in the SBC. It is the theology of the present leadership that fails to reflect our Baptist beliefs, not that of the missionaries. This demand for a creed is heresy in itself, from the standpoint of the Bible, as well as Baptist heritage. It is demeaning to missionaries who have already stated and demonstrated their doctrinal acceptability.

This current demand is different from what was expected of missionaries in the past. My wife and I went through the former process. During the 38 years I was a missionary or home office employee of the Foreign Mission Board, I was involved in the personnel screening process.

Part of the time I worked directly in the candidate process as candidate consultant; part of the time I was responsible for helping determine policy and monitor this process.

This most recent demand for missionaries to sign the 2000 BFM is a drastic and unacceptable change.

Louis Cobbs directed this process for many years. He wrote of his dismay regarding these changes in a letter to the Editor of The Baptist Standard published on February 18, 2002. (see page 17)

Scores of missionaries appointed under the earlier process are so convinced of the difference that they are struggling with the decision to sign or resign.

Previously persons seeking missionary appointment were examined for doctrinal beliefs to determine if they represented basic beliefs of Baptists in general. THEY WERE REQUESTED TO STATE WHAT THEY BELIEVED IN THEIR OWN WORDS. Staff and board members reviewed their statements and raised questions if needed. They were also asked if they were in general agreement with the Baptist Faith and Message. Occasionally someone would state disagreements with parts of it, but I do not remember anyone’s being denied appointment because of differences of interpretation.

I personally stated that I could never sign anything except a Bible as my statement of faith. Nor did I expect or desire missionaries to sign a statement about the Bible written by fallible human beings.

We expected missionaries to have strong biblical doctrinal beliefs. And they did!!!! Missionaries are heard in many forums and are under careful scrutiny. During my nearly 13 years as president only 10 missionaries were charged with heresy. (This was during a time when many were trying desperately to discredit the staff at the FMB.) Trustees and staff were involved in a careful examination of each accusation.

Two persons had drifted from acceptable Baptist doctrine: one of these could not affirm the uniqueness of Christ as the only Savior; the other had over-identified with his Catholic environment and was praying to saints. Both of them had to be terminated.

These were the only accusations regarding the doctrinal integrity of missionaries or staff (including myself) as far as I know. We were working with nearly 3000 missionaries, most of them career. The former system was reliable as well as Baptistic.

April 2002