Virginia Conservatives should seek ways to reconcile and cooperate with the BGAV

by Dr. Gary L. Hollingsworth                                                                   Vol. VIII, No. 9, October 1995

     Pastor, FBC, Alexandria

When I began in ministry nearly 20 years ago I received some good advice: "Be careful getting involved in domestic squabbles when you may not know all sides of the situation." That advice has served me well in more than a few counseling situations. As a relative newcomer to the state of Virginia (I came in March of 1993), I have tried to apply that advice to our convention situation. Before moving here, I was told by a number of friends that the state convention was deeply divided and that convention "politics" would be hard to avoid. I have found neither of those prophecies quite as true as I had feared.

After serving last year on the `Council on Cooperation,' I discovered there was more collegiality than I had first expected. Differences of opinion and personal convictions ran deep, but I did not discover people who didn't have anything in common. I use this experience to come to my current view regarding the formation of a new state convention.

I am opposed to forming a new state convention because, in a day of skepticism regarding denominationalism, I fear a new convention would be regarded only as a new layer of bureaucracy. While our national convention is seeking to "downsize", it would appear we would be creating another denominational mouth to feed. Related to this is the whole notion of creating competing ministries. Will there be competing children's homes? Retirement centers? Social ministry outposts? I have yet to see how a new convention would look substantially different from the existing one, other than those involved would have more theological and ideological homogeneity.

A third reason I am opposed to the formation of a new state convention has to do with cooperation. While I may not agree with every single thing any convention does, that does not mean there are not SOME things which I can support. The real battleground, should a new convention emerge, will be the local church. Breaking fellowship across a denomination is one thing; I may only see those people once or twice a year. But breaking fellowship in local churches over these issues may cause more damage in the long run than the good which may be produced. The solution, as I see it, is for the existing state convention to provide additional opportunities and more flexibility for those who have felt disenfranchised. It seems that affording some of the same options at the state level (in regards to budgeting options) as are given at the national level would provide such flexibility.

Finally, I would pray Virginia Baptists could model for other state conventions a scriptural way of reconciliation and cooperation. A new century and new generations of Baptists will be affected by decisions made today. Such weighty decisions should not be made in haste, and only with prayer and a firm reliance upon direct leadership of the Holy Spirit. As for me, and as for now, I believe there is work yet to be done through the Virginia Baptist General Association. I still believe we can do more for the Kingdom united than divided.