(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
We believe theological and missiological method must be tethered to the doctrine of Christ. It is said that a Hindu once asked Dr. E. Stanley Jones, ‘What has Christianity to offer that our religion has not?’ He replied, ‘Jesus Christ.’” Indeed, Jesus Christ is central to Christian belief and practice, and he is the driving force in our missiology. He stands at the center of the universe, at the center … [Read More]
Worship for the Twenty-First Century: The Way Forward, Part 1
When you come to the book of the Revelation, you find in chapters 4 and 5 a single vision of two parts. In chapter 4 the focus is upon the worship of God the Father, the Creator. In chapter 5 the focus is upon God the Son, the Redeemer. We are taught both by creation and redemption that God has the right to do with this world as He chooses, and that such a God … [Read More]
Aspect 5(a): A Mission Driven by Biblical Theology (Revelation, God)
(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
For three decades now, the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention have united over their belief in the inspiration, inerrancy and sufficiency of Holy Scripture.[1] Unlike those (such as Schleiermacher or Freud) who see Scripture as a human construction void of any revelation, and unlike those (such as Barth or Lindbeck) who see Scripture merely as a witness to divine revelation, we confess that the Christian Scriptures are the very … [Read More]
Messenger Insight Vidcast with Nathan Finn
In addition to the previously mentioned podcasts, Doug Baker of the Baptist Messenger is conducting short vidcast interviews with Southern Baptist pastors, thinkers, and other leaders. One of the first vidcasts is with our own Nathan Finn, who along with Alvin Reid was in Oklahoma last weekend for a conference. The topics discussed include the Conservative Resurgence, the GCR, competing visions among Southern Baptists, the Cooperative Program, and ethnic diversity in the SBC. The vidcast, which … [Read More]
Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional: Alvin Reid’s New Evangelism Handbook
Alvin Reid has gone and committed another act of literature, one which (as Roy Fish says in the Afterword) is well worth reading and which contains concepts worth putting into action. Evangelism Handbook: Biblical, Spiritual, Intentional, Missional is a comprehensive treatment of the various facets of getting the gospel to our neighbors (and to the nations).
In the first part, he treats foundational matters, giving a biblical theology of evangelism and an expose of lessons we … [Read More]
Doug Baker on the SBC’s Ominous Future
Doug Baker has written a very insightful editorial about what’s at stake for Southern Baptists in the current debates about the GCR and related issues:
“Were the moderates right?” The sheer posing of such a question sent a collective gasp across Alumni Chapel. During a recent panel discussion when Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler, Jr., uttered these words in a place where moderates once dominated one of the world’s largest seminaries, it was not as … [Read More]
Aspect 4(b): A Mission Focused on This Nation (Multi-Faceted, All-Encompassing, Church-Centered)
(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
Our mission must be multi-faceted:
In addition to proclaiming the gospel from inside of the four walls of a church building and in addition to community outreach programs and door-to-door visitations, we must continually remind ourselves and our congregations that everything we do matters to God. Drawing upon Martin Luther’s concept of vocatio, we must teach that every believer has the privilege and responsibility of bringing glory to God in each … [Read More]
Aspect 4(a): A Mission Focused on This Nation (Confront the Brutal Facts)
(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
Our convention must confront the brutal facts:
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus commands us to make disciples of all nations. This includes our own nation-the United States of America-and yet the truth is that we are failing to meet the challenge. While the population of our nation increases, the population of our churches has not kept pace. While the United States becomes increasingly diverse, the Southern Baptist Convention remains a mostly middle-class, … [Read More]
Alvin Reid’s & Nathan Finn’s Weekend
Thank you for having been about to ask Alvin Reid’s and Nathan Finn’s weekend. I’ll be happy to inform you. Alvin and Nathan traveled to Oklahoma this past weekend to speak at the annual meeting of the Northwestern Baptist Association in Woodward, OK. Nathan finn provided a brief overview of SBC history, explaining how we arrived at this moment. Alvin Reid preached from Acts 2:41-47, on the priorities of a healthy church.
The theme of the … [Read More]
Aspect 3(b): A Mission Focused on the Nations (Five Clear Challenges)
(By: Danny Akin & Bruce Ashford)
Five Clear Challenges:
As we fulfill our mission to the nations, we face many decisions, including the five following challenges. With a limited number of missionaries, to which parts of the globe do we send missionaries? It is our conviction that the majority of international missionaries should be sent to unreached and unengaged people groups, those who have little or no access to the gospel. As we mentioned above, there are … [Read More]
