A Director of Missions’ Perspective on Doctrinal Diversity

by Steve Loggins, DOM                                                                                                                                     Vol. XV, No. 8, September 2002

     North Jefferson Baptist Association

     Alabama Baptist State Convention

"We need your help!", said the caller - a member of a local church who had just lost their pastor and most of their leadership over a doctrinal dispute. Although it was a Baptist church, it was not a part of any Baptist association. While meeting and talking with the remaining church members, I made it clear that I had no authority over any church, much less a church that was not a part of the association I served. After they expressed an interest in joining the association, I related to them that doctrine formed the basis of cooperation among the sister churches of the association. I further related to them that in order to be a part of the association they must be in agreement with the doctrinal statement of the association or they could not join.

Often, Directors of Missions are called upon to guide churches in conflict. We are also often asked to admit new churches or foster new work. Each and every association is like each and every church; unique and individual. No two associations are completely alike in practice, polity, or makeup. But we do share common doctrinal beliefs. In order for churches to cooperate in missions, evangelism, fellowship, and training - there has to be a common bond. That bond is doctrine. Some have advanced evangelism and missions as the glue that holds Baptists together. However, Mormons have missionaries. Jehovah Witnesses “evangelize.” Would you make the motion to admit them into your Baptist Association? No, the bottom line is that doctrine matters.

 Answers to questions such as: Who is Jesus Christ? What does it mean to be saved? What must a person do to be saved? What is the meaning of Christ’s sufferings on the cross? What are heaven and hell? -- These are doctrinal questions, and they have everything to do with evangelism and missions! If, as some say, missions is the glue - then doctrine is an inseparable element in the mix. For missions without doctrine loses its cohesive effect. In our churches, it used to be that you could say "like faith and practice" and there was validity to the saying. I remember those days. But those days are gone - the practices of our churches are wide and varied - what holds us together is "like faith" - our doctrine; and our mission enterprises which arise from shared beliefs.

For example, within the 40 churches of my own association I find a wide diversity of worship styles (old fashioned gospel singing, contemporary, blended, traditional, cutting edge), leadership patterns (family chapel, committee-led, staff-led, pastor-led, gatekeeper/patriarch/matriarch-led, deacon-led), and visions (world-vision, local vision, introverted, well rounded, none). The only things these churches have in common are doctrinal beliefs and the joint mission endeavors that result from those convictions.

Most all Baptist churches understand the distinctives of our faith, or at least they think they do. Our people desperately need doctrinal instruction, and yet sometimes we are prone to get caught up with programs and ministry and neglect it. Every generation must re-examine the faith to see if, indeed, they share the "faith of our fathers". Our churches tend to leave this examination to the local association, or the state convention, or the SBC. Church members often don't examine "the faith" for themselves - trusting in others to do it for them. In fact, I have found that an abysmally small percentage of Baptists know how to express their faith in a logical or doctrinal way. If someone else (their pastor, for example) says it, they will be quick to say, "That's what I believe, too", but if you ask them to tell you why or to cite a Biblical reference to support their belief, many will stutter and stammer and not be able to articulate why they believe what they believe. In fact, many beliefs come from popular hymns and songs rather than the Bible. This is an indicator as to where part of the danger lies; a belief system based upon something other than the Bible.

In every generation, we must measure our doctrine by the plumb line of the Word of God. We can not, we must not, let what we think substitute for what God says. When we elevate reason over revelation, we set ourselves up as the judge of Scripture - what is and is not authoritative. This cannot be. The Scriptures must be the judge over our reason. If something is apparently not correct, then it is our fallen reason and logic that is at fault - or our limited knowledge of the truth - not the revelation of God.

The Bible is God's revelation of Himself and His plan to us - He did not make mistakes. The Bible is trustworthy because the God we serve is trustworthy. Much of the call for “Baptist unity in doctrinal diversity” is nothing more than a smoke screen for people to justify what they already believe - a belief not based upon the revelation of God, but rather their own opinion and life experience. This is a flawed process. Most of the time, good Christian people are looking for an excuse to “lower the bar” or justify their sin. Churches must lift up God's standard for their members to see and live by.

While a church can choose to cooperate at any level of the Convention, the association is the only organization in Southern Baptist life that a church “joins”. The state and national conventions are not “joined” by a church but are comprised of elected messengers from a church working in "friendly cooperation" with the convention through giving to the cooperative program. But on the local level, it is different - a church joins with other churches in a given area in an organic bond to work together for the cause of Christ. Therefore, the association is the first place where doctrinal standards must be expressed, agreed upon, and enforced. While we can refuse to seat messengers of churches who are not in "friendly cooperation" with the convention, only at the associational level can a church be disfellowshipped or "cast out", so it is important that churches in a given association agree doctrinally.

A century ago, the association set the doctrinal norm; but of late, it has worked backward from the national level to the state level and finally to the associational level. The doctrinal standard is now set nationally rather than locally. And that was necessary because of the failure of our national entities, institutions, and schools to maintain sound doctrine for a number of years - reminding us that the creeping disease of liberalism must be fought in every generation.

Some associations have “opted out” on the revised Baptist Faith and Message of 2000 as a doctrinal standard. They do so, citing diversity and an unwillingness to foster controversy as reasons to stick with whatever statement of faith they already have. I have heard many say, “If it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it!” This is a short-sighted and limited approach. In fact, the 1963 Bqptist Faith and Message is not “broke” - it is just incapable of sustaining Baptist unity in a changing world. The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message is not a perfect document - the committee said so in its report: "we do not regard them as complete statements of our faith, having any quality of finality or infallibility", but it does speak to the changing moral climate in which the church must now minister. It reaffirms our Baptist distinctives and goes on to address moral and social problems that our forefathers never had to consider. Every generation must look at their beliefs through the microscope of Scripture to see if their beliefs measure up to God’s standard. I believe the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message meets the litmus test of Scripture; not, is the litmus test of Scripture, as some would call it. Associations who bury their head in the sand concerning the changes taking place in and around them run the risk of becoming irrelevant in the eyes of their church leaders. Admittedly, not every association is ready to move ahead, and each Director of Missions must feel the pulse of the association in which he serves and be ready to move when that association is ready to move. But he can, and should, also serve as a catalyst for positive change in the association. For most associations, the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message is a positive change and all Directors of Missions should, at the very least, seriously consider looking at the issues dealt with in the latest doctrinal statement Baptists have adopted.