November 17, 1999

EDITORIAL:
Quiet convention, roaring impact
___The big news wasn't the only news--or even the most important news--at the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session last week.
___Almost all the media, from the El Paso newspaper to CNN, proclaimed the BGCT refuted the Southern Baptist Convention's controversial 1998 statement on the relationship between husbands and wives. That's true, but it's year-old news.
___Last year, the BGCT addressed the new SBC Baptist Faith & Message article on the family, which calls for wives to "submit ... graciously to the servant leadership" of their husbands. A 1998 Texas Baptist resolution contradicts the new SBC position. That resolution says males and females both are "created in the image of God" and both share responsibility for caring for their children and being stewards over all creation.
___This year, the BGCT overwhelmingly passed a resolution affirming the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message statement, which obviously does not include the SBC's marital submission material. Understandably, many observers linked the events and concluded the Texas stand contradicts the SBC's wifely submission position. While that interpretation is not inaccurate, it misses the point.
___Texas Baptists in El Paso drew a line in the sand regarding their doctrinal positions. Their vote affirmed the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message, which echoes much older Baptist confessions of faith. These statements were written to define Baptists, of course. They also were written to gather as many Baptists as possible around a common table of faith, fellowship and focus.
___Now, however, the SBC is in the process of rewriting the Baptist Faith & Message in light of the "conservative resurgence" that has transformed the national convention during the past 20 years. Texas Baptists are smart and observant. They see how the SBC rulers have radically changed the convention's structure as well as its approaches to missions, theological education and public policy. They fully expect the committee that is rewriting the Baptist Faith & Message to do the same to the convention's faith statement. They expect significant changes in articles regarding Scripture, God, salvation, the autonomy of the local church and religious liberty. So, Texas Baptists voted to affirm a longstanding statement that beautifully describes their beliefs but also embraces them as free believers before God.
___Not surprisingly, SBC leaders' comments about this BGCT vote illustrate why Texas Baptists have problems with the new SBC.
___SBC President Paige Patterson characterized BGCT messengers in El Paso as not representing Texas Baptists. What hypocritical logic. This annual session was 28 percent larger than the BGCT's last gathering in El Paso, and the motion gained at least 95 percent of the vote. But look at Patterson's past: His SBC political party won elections that were split by less than 5 percentage points, and he called those razor-thin votes mandates for takeover.
___Agency heads Al Mohler and Richard Land followed suit. They claimed messengers "have a problem with the Apostle Paul" for disputing the new SBC's family statement. In so doing, they overlook serious biblical study that affirms Texas Baptists' family resolution. Moreover, they deny other Baptists the right to sober, sensitive interpretation of sacred Scripture. Texas Baptists take the Bible just as seriously--no, more seriously--than Patterson, Land, Mohler and Co. But since we are true Baptists, we also uphold Baptists' distinctive doctrines, soul competency and the priesthood of all believers, which place both the privilege and responsibility for interpreting the Bible on each Christian within the nurturing and faithful context of the local church.
___So, yes, the Baptist Faith & Message vote is newsworthy. But let's place it in context. Messengers also approved the first reading of a constitutional change and ratified creation of five study committees. Each of these actions may have just as much--or considerably more--impact on the BGCT than the Baptist Faith & Message motion.
___Messengers overwhelmingly approved a constitutional change to remove the requirement that BGCT institutional board members live in Texas. This stipulation is the only geographical limit on participation in and affiliation with the state convention.
___Some observers believe this change-- which requires a second vote at next year's annual session to take effect--is the gateway to turning the BGCT into a national convention. At the very least, it opens the door for full BGCT participation by supportive congregations in neighboring states.
___By similarly lopsided votes, messengers approved formation of committees to study:
___ The "basis of associational formation." This committee will look at how the BGCT should relate to associations formed around "ethnic, cultural or affinities" other than traditional geographic boundaries. This committee's work will have ramifications for the possible assimilation of supportive Baptist churches from outside Texas, as well as the formation and relationship to ethnic associations, such as the new Hispanic Baptist association in North Texas.
___ How the BGCT will relate to churches aligned with a competing convention in the state. This study will look at the propriety of providing specialized funds as well as convention services to churches that claim to be "dually aligned" with the BGCT and the 1-year-old Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
___ How Southern Baptist groups provide theological education and conduct missions enterprises. Two committees--one for theological education and the other for missions --will examine the "financial resources, theological positions and philosophies" of seminaries and mission boards. The results of these in-depth studies could have far-reaching consequences for how Texas Baptists choose to fund, participate in and relate to these national organizations, affiliated with both the SBC and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
___ Ways to simplify the convention's cooperative budgeting process. Currently, BGCT-affiliated churches complete a rather complicated form when they mail their Cooperative Program unified budget funds to the state convention. This committee will look to make the form simpler. Some Texas Baptists fear the new process will further erode the BGCT's relationship to the SBC. Some hope it will make the state convention stronger and more productive.
___The El Paso convention will go down as one of the quietest annual sessions in BGCT history. Even old-timers said they cannot recall another time when business did not require at least one ballot vote and an entire slate of new officers was elected by acclamation.
___But these study committees will do their work, and the convention will take a strong, reasoned look at funding, relationships and priorities. Consequently, El Paso may go down as one of the BGCT's most significant gatherings. And the Baptist Faith & Message will be only a part of the impact.
___ --Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com

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