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A Rancher's Rumblings | |
| May 20, 2008 |
| TWO KEY ISSUES: SUPPORTING THE BGCT AND OPPOSING FUNDAMENTALISM |
There is division in BGCT life these days. Personally, I don’t understand it, but I’ve heard it from enough people to know that it’s reality. Why don’t I understand it? Because many of us have worked hard to do things differently than the SBC. Just look at the facts.
TBC has worked closely with the BGCT to encourage the election of officers who represent every facet of Baptist life. During the past 5 years, the following people have served the BGCT as president:
Of these five presidents, three were white, one African-American, and one Hispanic. They represented four distinct geographical areas of our state. Two were pastors, and three were denominational leaders, one of whom became the first woman elected to serve as president of the BGCT.
During those 5 years, the following people served as first vice president of the BGCT:
You’ve probably noticed a trend here. For the past few years, the first vice president has been moving up to run for president. The thinking behind this process was to give people the opportunity to learn “on the job” for a year before becoming president. However, this is not the case this year, as Mike Massar has said that he currently does not plan to run for president this year.
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The second vice presidents during these 5 years have been the following:
These second vice presidents have also been geographically balanced, ethnically balanced, and from churches that have faithfully supported the BGCT. One recent trend that has added to the diversity of leadership has been the move to a one-term presidency. This began with Ken Hall and has continued since, as a personal decision by each president to decline to run for a second term. It is a decision that has allowed for greater diversity of representation in that office and demonstrated the key role that so many ethnic churches play in relating to the BGCT. I pray that it will continue, so that many others can be included in leadership through the years.
I do not believe that Texas Baptists could have had better leadership these past 5 years. TBC endorsed these people because we knew that they loved and supported the BGCT and, especially, because we knew that they opposed Fundamentalist control of the BGCT. Our endorsement never involved any consideration of whether they supported the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship or the Southern Baptist Convention with their national mission dollars. That was – and is – irrelevant. Instead, their support of the BGCT and their opposition to Fundamentalism were the keys to receiving TBC’s endorsement.
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But I hear loudly the cry that TBC is “picking the officers” and that we need an “open” convention. Well, personally, an open convention is fine with me. However, I’ve never felt that the convention was “closed.” It’s just that candidates for any office of any organization rarely spring from “the floor.” They are usually put forward by some individual or group well before the meeting. In BGCT life, TBC has been uniquely positioned to recommend candidates for office, because TBC is made up of people who have taken the time and effort to become informed about, and involved in, BGCT life.
If TBC is to consider refraining from endorsing candidates this year, I need to first address a few issues regarding potential officers.
There seem to be two very powerful fears in play here. Persons who have worked closely with TBC over the past 20 years – and given time, energy, prayers, money, and faithful attendance to the BGCT annual meeting each year – FEAR that, if TBC is not actively involved in endorsing officers for the convention, the convention might elect SBC supporters who would lead the BGCT down the path to Fundamentalist control. They FEAR, too, the election of those who – while not overtly supporting the SBC – might attempt to “work with” the SBC’s Fundamentalist leadership, blindly trusting them while ignoring the historic Fundamentalist commitment to control, not cooperation.
On the other hand, persons who have maintained a strong relationship with the BGCT, but – for historic or personal reasons – have continued to support SBC missions and ministries, FEAR that they are not fully accepted in BGCT life because they do not support CBF and are still funding many SBC ministries (and even institutions).
Well, I think I have come up with a simple, fair way to ease the fears of everyone concerned. Here is my solution.
I recommend that anyone who runs for office in the Baptist General Convention of Texas begin by making clear to Texas Baptists first, that he or she loves and supports the mission, ministry, and institutions of the BGCT; and second, that he or she opposes SBC-style Fundamentalist control. They can give their mission money where they want to give it, but they must publicly commit to firmly opposing Fundamentalism in any form. That is only fair and right. People have a right to know where these candidates stand on Fundamentalism.
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The BGCT should be a “big tent” convention that offers a place at the table for churches that support CBF missions, SBC missions, or both. Support of CBF or SBC is not – and should not be – an issue in the BGCT. We have worked hard to protect local church autonomy and protect every local church’s right to give cooperatively as it chooses, in whatever percentage it chooses.
The reality is that there should be no Fundamentalists remaining in the BGCT. Frankly, if you are a Fundamentalist, there is a convention that was created just for you – the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. That is where you belong, and you should join it with our blessing. You can leave the BGCT, and there will be no hard feelings on our part.
Today’s BGCT should be made up of churches and people who oppose creedalism in any form or fashion, and support freedom for our institutions and ministries, and a shared vision of ministry and mission together as Texas Baptists.
So, if you feel led to run for office in the BGCT, and someone is willing to nominate and support you, I encourage you to run and let the people decide. However, I want to repeat that this encouragement comes with one qualifier attached. As you run, be sure to first clearly affirm to Texas Baptists that you love, support, and believe in the Baptist General Convention of Texas just as she is – a convention focused on including all who want to partner together to spread the Kingdom of God, free from Fundamentalist control.
We cannot afford to pretend that the past 30 years of division in Baptist life did not happen, and we must not revisit, or stumble blindly into, old battles that take our focus away from the work of the Kingdom. So we must know where our officers stand on support of the BGCT and opposition to Fundamentalism.
Supporting CBF or the SBC is not now and never has been the issue; supporting the BGCT as a free and faithful state convention is very much the issue.
Whosoever will serve, step forward.