August 14, 2000

EDITORIAL:
Lessons from Paul and Barnabas
___We've been poring over Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" in our Tuesday morning men's Bible study at church. Jesus passionately prayed for himself, his inner circle and all Christians who would follow (John 17).
___Poignant for Baptists is his plea: "May they all be one, ... so that the world may believe you sent Me" (17:21).
___Jesus' petition speaks to a denomination torn by two decades of discord. How our division must break the Savior's heart, not to mention how it must drive others from faith.
___The pages of our recent history are stained with conflict. During the 1980s, so-called conservatives and moderates battled for control of the Southern Baptist Convention. The conservatives won in 1990 and quickly consolidated power. So, some moderates pulled aside to form the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, sort of a shadow convention. Meanwhile, the battle moved to selected state Baptist conventions, including Texas.
___Here, moderates maintained control. So, some conservatives pulled away and formed the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention to mirror the national convention's political/theological image. Now, for a variety of reasons, a breach is expanding between the BGCT and the SBC, with some Texas Baptists wanting to channel less money to the SBC.
___As we read the Lord's prayer for Christian unity, we take only token comfort in realizing division has plagued the church from the beginning. The Acts of the Apostles records a split between the first missionaries. Paul and Barnabas "had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company" (15:39). However, close observation of the Scriptures reveals some valuable lessons:
___ They agreed to disagree and moved on as God led and blessed. Paul and Barnabas argued because Paul did not want to include Mark, Barnabas' cousin who had deserted them on a previous missionary journey, on their next venture. Scripture does not record the results of Barnabas' missionary activity, but we know Paul continued the ministry that propelled the gospel across Europe and into history. Even though they were not of one mind, they remained true to one purpose-- spreading the saving message of Jesus, and God honored their efforts. So, rather than stay together and fight, they each could focus positively on God's work without distraction. They acknowledged their division, but they chose their paths and got back to work.
___Barring a miracle, Baptists will continue to be divided. At the national level, the Fellowship has a staff and missionaries to support and is not likely to forsake them for the sake of reuniting with the SBC. At the state level, Southern Baptists of Texas has a staff to support and is unlikely to leave them to reunite with the BGCT. On both levels, the controlling conventions are unlikely to yield power to their adversaries, for fear of losing political control.
___Still, God is a God of redemption. God can redeem the efforts of all the Baptist factions. God wants to do so, particularly if all of us will focus on the positive purpose God has designed for us.
___That means getting busy and moving forward. Some want to continue the fight for the thrill of adrenaline. Others want to dither for the angst of disagreement. And some want to sit and long for the good old days. Fighting for thrill is sinful. Dithering is wasteful. And longing for the past is unproductive. So we must, like Paul and Barnabas, make difficult but loving and purposeful decisions, and advance
___ They refused to continue the fight. After the split with Paul, Barnabas is mentioned only five times in Scripture, all by Paul. Four references are positive, and the only negative words allude to an incident that happened before the split. We have no record of Barnabas ever criticizing Paul and his ministry.
___This is an important lesson. Baptists with differences can move along without maligning each other. This does not mean we are dishonest; it does not mean we do not acknowledge differences. In fact, articulating our positions clearly and positively is vital for Baptists. It is the only way we can make healthy decisions in our churches, where this issue ultimately will be resolved. But it does mean we refuse to lie about each other; it means we decline to denigrate each other.
___ Eventually, they enjoyed some form of reconciliation, if not agreement. At the end of Colossians, Paul notes that "Mark, the cousin of Barnabas," is with him (4:10). In time, the source of "sharp disagreement" had "proved a comfort" to Paul (4:11).
___Who can predict the wonder of God's grace? Perhaps one day all Baptists will comfort and strengthen one another.
___In the meantime, let us follow the example of Paul and Barnabas--choosing positive paths, moving forward for the cause of Christ and refusing to hurt one another with malicious words.
___ Marv Knox
E-mail the editor at marvknox@baptiststandard.com


Send this story to a friend

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!