9-24-05
Am I a moderate Baptist? That is not such an easy question. Our church
supports missions through an organization that prides itself on being made up of
moderate Baptists, the Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma (CBFO).
We have found ourselves over the last couple of years getting more involved in
this group, participating in more than just giving to their missions program. The
more we participate the more differences I can see.
First of all, I don’t like to be called moderate. It sounds so bland and
passionless. I guess someone can be passionate about being middle of the
road but the picture doesn’t immediately spring to mind. I know the term
moderate was chosen to avoid or counteract the term liberal being applied by
others. And, I also know that there is a lot of passion in this group about the
things which they have chosen to define as making one moderate. Most of
those things don’t really have much to do with being conservative, liberal, or
moderate in any way that I can figure out that would make sense to anyone
outside of the immediate context of those involved. What you call yourself is
important, but groups define themselves by what they believe and what they
do.
The issue of conservative vs. moderate in the Southern Baptist world (or
fundamentalist vs. liberal as they would each assign the other), first arose over
political issues. The theological differences formed the divisions but it was the
desire to control the budget and the direction that made the theologically divided
unable to remain together. As far as I could tell (or can tell by the writings of
those involved) the whole ordeal played itself out politically with no attempt to
resolve the problems Biblically – or even ethically. That should have been a
sign. If God gets the world’s attention through the sign of His people loving one
another in unity, then a group not engaged in that activity cannot be God’s
witness to the world.
Enough history. Am I a moderate Baptist? Well, neither I nor the church I pastor
would accept a woman in a pastoral role. That seems today to be the banner
being carried in front of moderate circles. The banner of female roles in the
church replaced the original chief flag regarding inerrancy of the Bible. That is
not so much discussed today, but not because of any move in belief. I fall on
the fundamental side of that issue as well. So, on the two primary divisions I am
not in the moderate camp.
There are some other issues about which moderates are less monolithic. I
believe God created all things and maintains all things minute to minute. I
believe in predestination and free will, not just free will. I believe abortion is
murder. I believe homosexual acts are sins that require repentance. I do not
believe in worshipping together with others who are worshipping other gods or
in participating in their forms of worship on my own. I know many moderates
would agree with me on some or all of these, but my perception is that many
would not.
It’s not looking so good for me in the moderate camp! I do not feel, however,
that I am in any danger of being ousted over these issues and therein is my
willingness to remain in this camp. The CBFO’s mission statement includes
this: We believe in the inspiration and authority of the Scriptures in matters of
the faith and practice.
So, I am willing to remain in fellowship with churches who earnestly desire to
follow the Bible in their faith and practice and who attempt to put that desire into
action. I believe that we should agonize in prayer and study in order to make
sure that we are keeping ourselves in the middle of this mission to remain true
to Gods’ word. In going through that process, it seems to be an interesting but
obvious fact that we come up with very different results. So, it must be the
process that keeps us together or we will see Christianity split a million ways
instead of the thousands that already exist. When churches or individuals slip
into following other sources of authority – their own intellect, science, political
agendas, or any other – they have moved from Christian to apostate and they
have moved from being a church to something else. If Jesus is not the head
then the organization is not a church, not in the New Testament sense anyway.
In my mind autonomy has always been the distinctive that makes a church
Baptist. The only way to allow for that degree of freedom and still maintain
cooperation is to trust Jesus as the head. Jesus is among the candlesticks and
he removes those he chooses to remove. Removal is not my job. The Bible
insists that local churches carry out discipline under the Lord’s headship, but the
Lord disciplines within the universal church without our help.
As long as the churches and leaders of CBFO are attempting to earnestly follow
that part of their mission quoted above I will accept their term and consider
myself moderate no matter how disparate our conclusions.
I am sure moderates everywhere are greatly relieved.
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