March 1, 2000
TOGETHER:
What does a Baptist executive director actually do?
___How would you explain to someone what I do as the executive director for the Baptist General Convention of Texas? Maybe you have wondered about it yourself.
___Recently several religion newswriters in cities across Texas asked me, "Now what is it exactly that you do?" I was tempted to reply: "I wish I knew! I've only been at this job a week and the learning curve is steep."
___ But what I said was this: First, you need to know that I am not the Baptist bishop. Baptists don't have bishops, and they don't want one either! My job is to encourage the churches, the pastors and the members, so that all of us together can do things for God we couldn't do alone.
CHARLES WADE
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
___Said another way: My job is to elicit and combine the human, spiritual and financial resources of our Texas Baptist churches so that together we can better do the work of God in our world. It also is my responsibility, with the help of a wonderful staff, to be accountable to the churches for the way we use the resources trusted to our care.
___"What is it you Baptists really believe?" was another question I was glad to try to answer. How would you go about that in the brief time I had to reply? Here is how I replied:
___There are at least three things we are conservative about--Scripture, evangelism and the commands of God. We really do believe the Bible is the Holy Spirit-inspired word of God. It is true and trustworthy, authoritative in the church and the norm by which we measure all theologies, ideas and plans.
___We really do believe people everywhere need to hear the gospel of God. The good news is that God has made it possible through Jesus Christ that everyone who believes in him can be saved. The grace of God cleanses completely.
___We really do believe that the commands of Scripture are to be obeyed. Tell the truth. Be faithful in marriage. Be pure in all sexual matters. Love your enemies. Refuse to hate. Don't kill. Don't steal. Don't covet. Love God and honor his name. Obey your parents. Honor the day God has given us. Be kind and forgiving. Share the gospel with everyone. Follow Christ. About these things we are conservative.
___But there is one thing about which Baptists are radical.
___We really do believe God can speak to the individual human heart and mind without any religious hierarchy in-between. God can reveal his truth and his will to the ordinary man or woman who will read the Scripture and prayerfully pay attention to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
___We believe as Christians gather in their local church and prayerfully consider the Scriptures, the truths of doctrine will percolate up into the shared convictions of the congregation. God gives spiritually gifted people to the church to preach and teach the Scriptures. As they feed and protect the flock God has trusted to their care, they will give spiritual leadership, but they will not "Lord it over" God's people.
___This is what we mean when we talk about soul liberty and the autonomy of the local church.
___Perhaps that is a good way to describe Texas Baptists--conservative radicals for Jesus. That's the way Baptists have been from the beginning. We still are.
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