Over the past couple of weeks, Dr. Frank Page, current president of the SBC, has been saying some really encouraging things, and I would like to point two of them out. The first quote is from an article entitled “Evangelism with Integrity” in which Page emphasizes a more biblical and less pragmatic view of evangelism. He writes:
“All of us must be saddened by the fact that Southern Baptists claim more than 16 million members. One preacher once told me that the FBI could not find 5 million of them! I happen to agree with him. It is time to emphasize evangelism with integrity. No longer should we use manipulative methods that may bring about larger numbers when those persons’ commitment to Christ is little or none. I cannot judge a person’s heart. However, I do believe that the Scripture calls for a change when salvation occurs.”
Amen to that. We have more “baptized pagans” who have subscribed to a moralism that wears off in less than 90 days. Integrity in evangelism begins when we recognize the sovereignty of Spirit and His work of regeneration to bring the promises of the new covenant to reality in sinner’s hearts.
The second article, entitled “God Commands Humility” addresses the denominational triumphalism which has been the ethos for so many years in the SBC. He asserts:
“I believe that we have become an arrogant people. I believe that we have often elevated those who are strongly lacking in the spirit of humility. I do not believe that God can bring renewal and revival in this kind of setting. We have truly elevated ourselves to the point where we feel we are the best, the brightest, the greatest in the world.”
Over the weekend someone asked me if I thought the Southern Baptist Convention was Christianity’s last best hope. Such an idea reminds me of what Dr. Timothy George said at the Baptist ID Conference when he referred to “baptistcentricity.” George reminded those in attendance that all we are is a bunch of donkeys. The truth is God does not need the SBC. He will build His Church and advance His Kingdom with our without the SBC. Yet history shows and hope distills the conviction that God has and will continue to use the SBC so long as we recognize that we are not a special breed of Christians. We are not even a special breed of donkeys. And if we think we are, we will find the King of Glory having dismounted long before we see the City gates.
Last summer, I wrote this in conclusion to a long article:
“I long for the day when Baptist Press’ First Person articles are confessions about our triumphalistic attitudes and denominational arrogance wherein we publicly repent of our pride. I long for the day when we point the fingers at ourselves and face the music by making resolutions on our need for reformation and revival. I long for the day when we forge new partnerships for the sake of the gospel and cooperate together for the glory of Christ.”
Well, I don’t know if that day is coming, but I am grateful for what Dr. Page has recently said. May our posture express prayerful dependence and our passion demonstrate gospel-centered lives that treasure Jesus Christ.
For additional reading, check out “Denominational Idolatry Reproved” by C. D. Mallary, the founding president of the Foreign Mission Board of the SBC. The article was written on April 22, 1859.
Hi,
I regularly run into the “baptized pagans.” I’d rather witness to a Jehovah’s Witness than someone who thinks they’re a Christian. When I run into these “Christians” they’re often already drunk, so that limits the rationality of the conversation, anyway.
However, I certainly don’t believe Southern Baptists are the only ones to blame. I’d say it’s pretty much every denomination, and the whole outlook on evangelism in America. We tell people to get saved for happiness or whatever, and if we’re lucky, only briefly touch on the only real motivation for salvation which is righteousness.
Thanks,
Bill
II Chronicles 7: 14 says this, “And (if) My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
Does Page really have to dredge this up. It is given after the contruction of Solomon’s temple. Bear in mind he has already witnessed the cloud of God’s presence several times. God does bless him, but it is not because of anything that Solomon has done right. It is not because Solomon is humble. If he was humble he would have listened to “The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud.” Despite his father’s stiff neck concerning the temple, and Solomon’s equally stiff neck, God blessed them anyway. How humbling. We also must realize that Solomon is a single intercessor, even though the congregaion sought the Lord. Solomon like David was a single priest before the Lord, not after the Law. The pattern of the single intercessor is revelatory, and begins with righteous Abel extends through Noah, is found in Abraham, it is spoken of to Job by Elihu.
This commandment relflects the renewal of the Sinai covenant. Just like it, it is a curse not a blessing. It is the same covenant made through Joshua and Moses to the people, who did not want a face to face relationship with God. The result, we know, was prophesied long before through Moses that this people would again go into captivity, no matter what they thought they could do to please God, his judgement was set. David has already received the curse on the people for his disobedience, and Solomon would follow his father’s footsteps and worse incurring the wrath of God upon the people further for what David had done. Far from being a promise, this is God’s condemnation of a sinful people because they would never as individuals or collectively turn and repent on their own. It would be the prophets who came later who would fill the role of the single intercessor and that in full knowledge of the fulfillment of the times. Characters like Daniel would stand in the gap for the people. But,
Daniel like all of us was sinful. He could therefore only be the anti-type of the intercessor to come, and only by revelation could he successfully pray. But, when Christ came, the one who prays for us continually now intercedes directly before the throne of God. One intercessor and his prayers are always answered. Page needs to find out, if God is planning revival befor he proclaims a formulistic ritual practice to evoke the hand of God. This isn’t magic we are using, is it?
The point is, that revival will come, not when we all repent and seek the Lord. It will come when he sends the single intercessor to intercede on our behalf. Land uses this Scripture and all dyed in the wool revivalists have. It is a wrong application of it and makes emotional appeal the standard of biblical teaching. We no longer can trust the leadership of the SBC because of these types of unethical uses of the Word of God. They make for good political speeches, but they do not edify. Manufacturing revival using technique is Finnyesque, it is not Christian.
When the leadership of the SBC begins to act with integrity, honestly dealing with the texts and stops profiteering from them as Baalims, then they will have “humbled” themselves. Humility is knowing yourself. And who we are is utterly depraved, incappable of uttering any word of intercession with knowledge. Page, Patterson, Vines and the list goes on and on deny the essential depravity due to origional sin, because they denies the doctrines of grace. To be humble is to know that our “collective” prayers will never spark revival. The quantum prayer won’t do it. It only takes one who has come undone to be made ready by the burning coals of God’s altar to bring revival. The odd thing is, none of us knows because the Spirit prays through us with utterings we do not understand. We need truth, not myth, to move into greater harvest. Let Page abandon his self-centered Christianity, abandon the survivalist mentality that says the SBC is crucial. Adopt Paul’s attitude which says I wish that I was accursed for my brethren’s sake, then we may see revival. Who cares that the SBC survives? What is the push? Why force evangelism? Why guilt untrained laymen to do the work of evangelist? Did the Lord not say, “Look the harvest is ready. Pray therefore that the Father would send more harvesters into the harvest!” What we need are trained mature singlular men proclaiming the truth to a dying world. We do not need laymen, we need ministers raised up by our churches according to the pattern given to Paul. How will that happen though when the “Kingdom” principles dictate that everyone is an evangelist, and everyone an intecessor? Send for the Elders, let them pray, for the fervent prayer of a righteous man profits much. In a sea of blind priests, where everyone is a priest, no one is a priest. and no one knows where they are going, they all fall into the pit together.
Christ is our single intercessor and he appointed some, not all, to be ministers. It is not the people to who God manifests his glory, But, Solomon was visited face to face by the Lord, as were all the prophets of old. It is some, not all, the pattern remains true. The model of the priesthood of the layman has taken where we should not be. It is his choosen few, who make or break the Church. Not priests as lords, that is what it has become, but priests that are shephard’s leading their sheep out of the world.
The whole point is we, cannot humble ourselves, turn, and seek. It is He and he alone who can and has. When Page and the others quit playing games with the name of the Lord, perhaps again he will visit his people, When Page acknowledges the absolute sovereignty of God, and denounces his free-will, perhaps then. As long as he refuses to humble himself and clings to self-determination, the best that we might expect are more false conversions. We could learn alot from the single intercessor who said, “If there was anyother way, never the less it is your will, (not mine), that will be done.” Or, if you prefer, “Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Cooperative effort has become the catch all excuse for failure. “If we could all just get along,” needs to be replace with, “if we could all just know the truth. Gives us unity in the faith, give us doctrine and quit the mealy mouthing of sappy sentimentalism of “love.” Love speaks the truth to his brother, and listens to appeals to reason. “Come let us reason….” Under the blood of Christ we are all the same, there are no spiritual giants, just filthy rages. The Scripture tells us what we are to be doing, not what needs to be done. So, drop the pretending and just do it. The plan was formulated and layed out plainly for anyone to read, if they would just take the time. No more programs, no more gimmicks, just good full blown discipleship. Revival will be born from the knowledge of Christ as a natural fruit of fellowship in the Spirit, it will come when God determines, and it may not come until he returns. But, nevertheless, he tells us to occupy, until he returns. Decipleship first, then evangelism is the pattern that Christ set. It can be done no other way.
Gond article. What would u say is d role of humilty in evangelism?