I do pray for God’s will to be done. Part of the misunderstanding and the spreading of rumors must surely stem from the way the task force came about in the first place. Right after the welcome, Dr. Mohler went to a microphone, was immediately recognized, the motion stated by as eloquent a man as we have in our convention, and then Southern Baptists voted, essentially, in favor of the Great Commission by 95%. To have voted no would seem to be opposing Jesus. Frankly, it all seemed a bit staged. It was certainly not a mandate of the philosophical framework that led to the creation of the Task Force.

It would be a gross mistake to take that vote in favor of forming a task force as endorsing the restructuring of so-called bloated state conventions, changing the Cooperative Program gift definitions, merging mission boards, moving more to a societal missions method, or
trying to “prove SBC worth” to a younger generation of emerging church Calvinists. Perhaps they are the ones who must answer to the SBC concerning their doctrines, actions and methods.

My hope for the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force includes increased Cooperative Program support by the megachurches benefiting from the suburbanization and “Walmartization” of Baptists. Since they have absorbed our bodies, bucks and baptisms, they must also absorb our debt to missionaries on the field in a manner equivalent percentage-wise to the declining older feeder churches located in the transitional communities from which people are migrating. Unless megachurches match the percentage of the smaller neighborhood churches, every time John and Mary Baptist move to the suburbs and transfer their tithe, the missionaries will receive an invisible cut in funding.

I fully support partnering to achieve the Great Commission, but with respect, rumors are a two way street. The first draft of the Declaration was less than charitable in its assessment of our State Conventions, meaning that the entire process began in conflict. Having begun in controversy and having been structured through an orchestrated process, how could there not be confusion and rumors abounding?

I trust the truth will come out soon enough and any decisions in Orlando will be more thoroughly debated.

1) If at all possible, the GCR group should produce a report sometime after the next few meetings. It has long been my observation that where facts are not given, rumors abound. For example, you have two further posts on rumors and by publishing about them, you help squash them.

2) I pray that as a part of the GCR’s work, you look into the question of increasing education. As you point out in your post about the GCR funneling money to the seminaries, this might be directly beyond the commission’s mandate, but I don’t see anything precluding the group from drawing and commenting on the fact that the abysmal state of Christian lay education limits believers. Of course, I’m of the firm opinion that if we can educate our fellow Christians on the basics of Christian theology and apologetics we will get the results the GCR resolution called for. Whether we want them or not.

Yes, I know the education issue contains a large can of worms, but should we duck the hard things just because they are hard?

Hope your meetings go well.

Louis

You said the committee is hard at work “gathering data, analyzing facts”. How would it be a privacy issue to release the data and facts the committee gathers for the rest of SB to see? I agree that what the committee says about the facts and data should remain in the committee. If “facts are our friends” then allow us all to be acquainted with our friends. :)

Praying for you and the GCRTF.

Blessings,
Tim

I am thankful to God for your work in the SBC and pray that you will continue to be led by Him in your service to the denomination.

Pastor Chadd Pendergraft
Crescent Valley Baptist Church
Tahlequah OK