The Fellowship Charts a Course

                                                                                                                                                                            Vol. IV, No. 3, April 1991

We have noted in these pages from time to time statements by prominent members of the Southern Baptist Alliance, Baptists Committed, and The Fellowship: not because The Banner agrees with their views, but because we believe it important that our readers have the opportunity to learn from direct quotes what moderates and liberals are saying to each other. Today's contribution to this effort is taken from the 22 March SBC Today (the liberal newspaper).

The Fellowship's interim steering committee met in Atlanta 7-9 March to "complete work on major proposals for the May convocation," which will be 9-11 May in Atlanta. "The Fellowship planners are expecting up to 10,000 to attend the May convocation." The "program theme for the May convocation will be, ‘Behold, I do a new thing."'

"The interim steering committee adopted a statement of purpose ... which reads: ‘The purpose of The Baptist Fellowship is to enable the people of God to carry out the great commission, under the lordship of Jesus Christ, in a fellowship where every Christian exercises God's gifts and calling." That statement suggests a rather clear response concerning the role of ordained women. It also raises a question regarding other groups, though we will have to seek further guidance about the Fellowship's attitude toward them.

Also approved in March were: (1) a constitution and by-laws for consideration in May including a "permanent coordinating council to conduct business between annual general assemblies," [This would be a counterpart to the SBC Executive Committee.]; (2) "a working document for establishing a Center for World Missions" with a statement of purpose which "includes a commitment to ‘work with nationals in other countries as partners, as well as enabling their representatives to be missioners to us and our congregations from these respective lands.'"; and (3) instructions to Dr. Daniel Vestal to "consult with the Southern Baptist Alliance and Baptist General Association of Virginia about correlation of mutual concerns. SBA has similar purposes as The Fellowship. Last November (the) Virginia association adopted budget proposals which bypass traditional Southern Baptist Cooperative Program channels."

"Vestal said at the end of the meeting, ‘Our intention is not a new convention. That is not our deliberate intention, but I'm not going to be naive or dishonest and say that is not a possibility. But I do see a new association of Baptists that at this point is existing within the Southern Baptist Convention. What will happen in the future, only God knows."'

It was reported that as of the end of February the Baptist Cooperative Missions Program (the liberal competitor to the SBC Cooperative Program) had received about $1 million from 122 churches and that $4 or $5 million is expected by the end of 1991.

In the 8 March SBC Today an editorial stated, "No one knows for sure, but it is our opinion that out of the Fellowship convocation will come the basic structure for a new convention; ... And in the same issue Stan Hastey, executive director of the SBA, wrote "... I do not intend to go back to annual meetings of the (Southern Baptist) convention. While I plan to be in Atlanta May 9-11 for the convocation of the Fellowship, I do not plan to go back to Atlanta in June for the SBC..."

Banner readers are encouraged to come to their own conclusions about the intentions of those groups, most notably the Fellowship, the SBA, and the Baptist General Association of Virginia, which have cast themselves in opposition to the repeatedly voted will of the majority of Southern Baptists. There is an oft heard anecdote that if it swims like a duck, looks like a duck, flies like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. In the Fellowship we now see an organization that looks increasingly like a denomination, sounds increasingly like a denomination, is structured increasingly like a denomination, and acts increasingly like a denomination. Ergo, unless that organization itself can demonstrate convincingly that it is not, others are fully justified in concluding that the Fellowship is becoming a separate denomination.

Footnote: The Banner does not mean the paragraph immediately preceding to be understood as a criticism of the Fellowship. The SBC is not hierarchical; each Baptist church is autonomous; and each Southern Baptist is free to change denominational alignments as he sees fit. If a group of once Southern Baptists wish to leave and join another denomination or establish one of their own, that is their prerogative. No one should say them nay. Conservatives must carefully guard our attitudes and judgments to include regret at the parting of the ways, if it comes to that, but forthright acknowledgment of moderates' right to depart. Moderates and liberals, on the other hand, (Lady MacBeth to the contrary notwithstanding) must stand upon the order (and manner) of their going, if that is indeed what they are about. Valid ends may be corrupted by invalid means. Readers are encouraged to study Baptist events with care and discernment, to use your best spiritual judgment to decide the crucial issues which will face us in June in Atlanta and in November at Salem.

Baptist Press reports the comments of three leading Southern Baptists on the proposed Missions Center. Foreign Mission Board president Keith Parks said he was not surprised the Fellowship has focussed on missions, that the proposed center would be in direct competition with the FMB, that the move indicated continued fragmentation within the denomination, and that it is the "inevitable result" of the denominational controversy. Larry Lewis, president of the Home Mission Board, was "profoundly disappointed" about the commissioning agency. He continued, "I see this as yet another issue that is divisive and will further kindle distrust. ... I see absolutely no need or reason for another missions agency. Both the Home Mission Board and the Foreign Mission Board have fervently sought not to allow partisan politics in the SBC to affect the appointment of missionary personnel."

SBC president, Morris Chapman, said that claims by Fellowship leaders that they are being "driven out" of the SBC are unfounded. He said convention moderates have "absolutely not" been disfranchised, but rather those in the Fellowship have chosen to "disassociate themselves from the denomination. He noted that establishment of a World Missions Center which would commission missionaries would be "in direct competition with the Southern Baptist Home and Foreign Mission Boards." Chapman also disagreed with Keith Park's comment that the missions center was the "inevitable result" of the controversy. Rather, Chapman said, the move is "a calculated giant step away from mainstream Southern Baptists." The Fellowship is "choosing to go their own, separate way," said Chapman, "and their heart's desire is to have their own denomination when it seems to be feasible."

It is vital that we participate in the process. If we don't go, we can't vote. If we don't vote, a different perspective will win. It's simple. It's urgent. It's results will be felt through eternity.