May 8, 2000
Affirm, protect Baptist
principles & heritage, trio urges
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___ATLANTA--Baptists must hold tightly to their principles and heritage if they wish to preserve their identity and integrity, a trio of pastors told the Network of Mainstream Baptists April 25.
___"Being a Baptist is still important. What Baptists contributed to the faith of the church is still important," declared Brian Harbour, pastor of First Baptist Church in Richardson.
___Several principles and doctrines characterize Baptists, Harbour said, noting Fischer Humphries, theology professor at Samford University's Beeson School of Theology, delineates eight Baptist distinctives.
___"The Baptist 'distinctive' is how we bring these elements together," Harbour said.
___He echoed Humphries in proclaiming, "The loss of the principle of the separation of church and state is the greatest tragedy in the Southern Baptist Convention."
___"Many people say this idea of separation is not only irrelevant but also irreverent," he lamented, quoting a former SBC leader who once called the separation of church and state "a figment of some infidel's imagination."
___But faithful Baptists must resist the impulse to turn away from the historic notion of the separation of church and state, Harbour said, listing three reasons.
___"First is the nature of faith," he explained. "In order for faith to be genuine, it must be freely chosen." He cited colonial Baptist leader Roger Williams, who labeled the coercion of conscience "soul rape."
___The second reason to resist erosion of the principle of separation is "the nature of government under the control of religion," he said. Such a scenario is "not a pretty sight" and leads to religious persecution.
___"The nature of the world we live in today" is the third reason to preserve a healthy relationship between church and state, he added.
___Theocracy--a religious government--worked in ancient Israel because of its small size and its religious and ethnic unity, Harbour observed. But the diversity of the United States demands a more pluralistic government, he said, noting the United States is home to more Jews than Israel, more Irish than Ireland and more blacks than all other countries except Nigeria.
___"The question is: If religion is to be in charge of government, whose religion? Methodist or Muslim, Baptist or Buddhist, Jerry Falwell or Keith Parks?" he asked. "When government gets involved in religion, it will deny rights."
___Despite current trends, Baptists and others of goodwill must not give up, Harbour said, urging four actions.
___"Recall the example and teachings of Jesus," he began. "Jesus won, not by gaining control but by giving of himself. Jesus was the one who said, 'You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'"
___Next, Baptists must remember their history, which was created by people such as Roger Williams, who founded Rhode Island so that people might have religious liberty, he added. "One would have to totally rewrite Baptist history to deny this part of our heritage," he said.
___Third, "grasp the big picture," Harbour suggested. "The use of power for our cause now can legitimate the use of power against our cause at a later time."
___Religious principles must be sufficient to be applied equally across time, he noted, pointing to the issue of school prayer. Baptists or Protestants who favor school prayer now that they are in the majority must ask themselves how they will feel about the issue when they are not in control and unable to dictate the type or prayer that is prayed.
___Finally, Baptists "need to think," he stressed. "We must not allow slogans and catch-phrases, like 'family values' and 'put God back in school' to shut down our thinking. We must continue as Baptists to use our heads."
___Baptists also must not allow their familiarity with Christianity and Scripture to blunt their perceptions of Christ's mandate, added Bob Baker, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Lexington, Ky.
___As a way of helping Christians keep their perceptions sharp, he echoed devotional writer Fred Bauer's list of things Jesus did not say.
___"Jesus never said, 'The wages of sin are fame and fortune,'" Baker pointed out. "Bending or breaking the rules can offer handsome dividends, but we are cautioned not to be deceived by outward appearances. ...
___"Many Christians have difficulty understanding God's sense of justice, but we can be assured accounts will be balanced someday."
___Second, Jesus did not say, "The first shall always be first and the last shall be last, so look out for No. 1," Baker admonished.
___In fact, Jesus modeled and taught just the opposite, that anyone who wishes to be a leader should serve others, he reminded.
___"Periodically, we need to take a fresh look at the 'be a servant' directive of Jesus," he said. "God's favor is not won by being strongest or best, but by being the hands, arms, voices, feet ... and servant of all."
___Third, "an eye for an eye and a punch for a punch" was not one of Jesus' teachings, Baker said, conceding, "Sometimes I wish he said that; the law of retaliation and revenge is attractive."
___Instead, Jesus said, "Turn the other cheek. ... Love your enemies. ... Pray for those who persecute you," Baker noted. When Christians turn away from Jesus' teachings, they "find revenge is not as sweet and in fact more painful than you imagined."
___"Jesus didn't advocate society without laws, but he said to be careful, to control your emotions, to keep your head," he said.
___And above all, Jesus showed Christians how to respond to others by mounting the cross, where he sacrificed his life to give all humanity the opportunity for eternal life, Baker observed. "Look to the cross."
___A model church must be a WISE church, advised Duane Brooks, pastor of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, offering those letters as hints for the type of church it needs to be. A WISE church, Brooks said, excels in:
___Worship that is pleasing to God. Such worship creates a sense of anticipation and a feeling of adoration for God, he noted. "The best thing is to be caught in adoration."
___In meaningful worship, the church members are not the spectators, but rather are the participants who perform for God, the audience of the worship, he said.
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___"We've got undiscipled disciples," he acknowledged, observing American churches today. "No wonder every ill wind blows members away."
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___Sharing churches "have things in common," he said. "They share their lives, their time, their treasures."
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___"When worship, instruction and sharing are present, evangelism is inevitable," he declared, noting the "attraction is irresistible" when unbelievers see the life of Christ at work in a caring, Christ-centered church.
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