Missionary Disputes Keith Parks

                                                                                                                                                                         Vol. XV, No. 4, April 2002 

[Introduction: Spearheaded by several CBF leaders, notably Dr. Keith Parks who formerly was president of the SBC’s Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board) and who has left the SBC now heads the CBF mission effort, liberal Baptists have been vigorously attacking Dr. Jerry Rankin, current president of the IMB, for his letter to SBC missionaries asking them to indicate in writing their agreement with the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. The following letter was written by current IMB missionary Rick Kuter taking exception with Dr. Parks’ criticisms. TCP]

It was with great dismay that I read the October 23 Associated Baptist Press [the liberal Baptist press agency] article entitled "Missions no longer SBC 'core,' former missions leader contends." The source quoted was Dr. Keith Parks, a man I have admired and respected.

My wife and I were appointed as SBC missionaries when Dr. Parks was President of the FMB. We have continued to serve with the IMB. It now breaks my heart to see the things my brother, Dr. Parks, said in this recent article. I honestly do not agree with any of his conclusions as stated. They are misrepresentative.

Dr. Parks is quoted in the article as saying, "Everybody's got to be a church planter now." This is totally false. We see more personnel on the mission field with IMB who are NOT in "church planting/evangelism" assignments than we EVER saw when Dr. Parks was President of IMB. In our country of Thailand, we have more doctors, dentists, agriculturalists, prison ministers, and teachers than we ever had before. This is true across the board.

The article quotes Dr. Parks as citing, "A move toward emphasizing short-term personnel over career missionaries." This is a total distortion of what is happening. There has been an increase in volunteers partnering with career missionaries, but it is because career missionaries have been freed up to REQUEST the volunteers that help in their strategy for reaching their unreached people groups! This is also a strategy used by CBF MISSIONARIES!!

There was a time when Dr. Parks would have praised God for these changes and the resulting souls being saved and national churches being advanced.

I KNOW there are missionaries with IMB who complain about the changes that have been made. What else is new?! There are always those who hate any change. Dr. Parks is well aware of the fact that, even among the ranks of missionaries, there are those who complain constantly. They were there complaining about the way HE did things when he was FMB President! They will always be there.

I don't know if my response will have any impact on this situation. I certainly do not intend to hurt Dr. Parks. He has done great things in the Kingdom's work. But he is wrong in the hurtful way he is talking about his brothers in Christ who love their Lord as he does and honestly seek to serve Him as they believe God's Spirit leads. It is not productive to behave in such a manner, even if we have been hurt by others. It is not reconciliatory, it does not glorify God.

I apologize in advance if the things I say hurt Dr. Parks. I pray that God will forgive me if it had been His will for me to keep my mouth shut rather than to speak to this issue at all.

Rick Kuter IMB missionary