December 22, 1999
Forum proposes 'reconciliation covenant'
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___A group seeking peace within the Baptist General Convention of Texas plans to offer a "reconciliation covenant" as a mechanism for drawing the convention together.
___The covenant should be available to Texas Baptists soon after the first of the year, reported Pete Freeman, pastor of First Baptist Church in The Woodlands and chairman of the committee drafting the statement.
___The covenant is the latest initiative from the Reconciliation Forum, a 70-minister multi-partisan group of the reconciliation movement within the BGCT.
___The reconciliation movement started last year, launched primarily by a group of Southeast Texas pastors concerned about what they perceive as BGCT polarization.
___Until this year, most votes at recent BGCT annual sessions have been divided. About one-third have taken stands affirming the so-called "conservative resurgence" in the Southern Baptist Convention. The remaining two-thirds, while not necessarily unanimous against all SBC positions, have affirmed the state convention's autonomy, sometimes countering the SBC.
___A year ago, a group that criticized the BGCT for not walking in step with the national body split from the state convention, forming the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The division galvanized many Texas Baptists' desire for healing within the state.
___The Reconciliation Forum has met four times, most recently during the BGCT annual session last month in El Paso. It also has sponsored a statewide rally and conducted numerous regional dialogue sessions across the state.
___Forum members who met in El Paso focused on the movement's future, Freeman said.
___"The primary matter of discussion centered around the questions: 'Where do we go from here? Do we continue with more meetings, do we cease to exist or do we proceed with the goal of reconciliation in another way?'" he said.
___Based on their observations of recent developments within Texas--including both BGCT actions that might distance the state convention from the Southern Baptist Convention and Southern Baptists of Texas' departure from the BGCT--Forum members concluded political reconciliation is an unrealistic goal, Freeman noted.
___And that reflects the founding pastors' vision, he added.
___"It was never the intention of the original seven members to bring about political reconciliation," he explained.
___"The group met for personal reconciliation purposes only. We need to continue to work for personal relationships on a one-on-one format."
___The proposed reconciliation covenant, a concept approved by Forum members in El Paso, is being designed to lead Texas Baptists toward reconciliation in one-on-one and small-group or associational formats, said Bennie Slack, pastor of First Baptist Church in Gainesville and co-moderator of the Forum.
___"It's going to be totally proactive as far as reconciliation is concerned," Slack predicted. "It's nothing but trying to practice brotherly love."
___"It's something tangible we can do and a commitment we can make. I'm ready to sign it," added D.L. Lowrie, pastor of First Baptist Church in Lubbock and the other co-moderator of the Forum.
___"It doesn't call for political action but personal action--things I see mandated in the New Testament," Lowrie said.
___And that should have a positive impact as it is adopted statewide, he stressed. "If I commit myself to that covenant and live in the spirit of it, it's going to keep me out of destructive behavior and attitudes and make me a positive influence."
___The covenant will provide a stackpole "around which we can agree as Baptists in the midst of this denominational storm," Slack said.
___"It won't be a political statement. It will be a spiritual statement, based on the Bible, that we can offer Texas Baptists."
___The committee selected to draft the reconciliation covenant is comprised of Henry Adrion, retired pastor of First Baptist Church in Texas City; Freeman; James Leo Garrett, distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth; Don Guthrie, pastor of First Baptist Church in San Antonio; Lowrie; Jim Puckett, retired pastor of First Baptist Church in McKinney; and Bubba Stahl, pastor of First Baptist Church in Boerne. Slack is an ex-officio member of the committee.
___The Forum is considering an open call for Texas Baptists who attend the BGCT Evangelism Conference, Jan. 31- Feb. 1 in Fort Worth, to meet separately and affirm the covenant, pray for denominational peace and health, and commit to work for reconciliation, Slack said.
___"We hope the covenant will be an instrument all Baptists would be able to affirm, no matter what their political leanings," Freeman noted.
___"What Baptist in his right mind would oppose personal reconciliation?"
___Reconciliation needs to be achieved immediately, Stahl added.
___"When Jesus comes back, we will not have time to go and apologize to people of whom we have spoken ill."
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