Draper warns of serious challenges confronting SBC_62804

Posted: 6/16/04

Draper warns of serious challenges confronting SBC

By Tony Martin

(Mississippi) Baptist Record

INDIANAPOLIS—LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention has seen many accomplishments recently, but it serves a denomination that faces serious challenges, according to LifeWay President Jimmy Draper.

In a candid address to messengers at the SBC annual meeting, Draper countered reports of expanding programs at the Southern Baptist publishing house with concerns about the denomination's future.

Among LifeWay's accomplishments, Draper said, are the more than 100,000 professions of faith churches saw as a result of Vacation Bible School, the opening of 10 new LifeWay Christian Stores and the production of more short-term Bible studies, such as Extreme Love and Know Fear.

"It's a great privilege to be a part of what God is doing at LifeWay," Draper said. "God has allowed us to present a great new translation of the Bible—the Holman Christian Standard—and we've been able to present copies to all of our seminary students."

But Southern Baptist churches serve in a country where people are confused about God, said Draper, who blended personal comments with video segments. Several "man in the street" video interviews showed the confusion many people have with such familiar themes as sin or life after death.

"A lot of people just don't 'get' God," Draper said. "They don't understand him. As a result, they don't know what sin is or what happens when we die."

Concerning the "culture wars," Draper said, "At Columbine High School, school administrators pried up 90 of the 2,100 ceramic tiles in a school highway which were painted with messages referring back to the massacre there. The offense? The tiles were painted with messages such as 'God is love,' and they were deemed objectionable.

"They're reflecting the culture. The business of the day is situational ethics; the sport of the day is hedonism; and the religion of the day is moral equivalence. Two-thirds of Americans believe Christians, Jews, Muslims and Buddhists are simply praying to the same God by a different name. We're to engage the culture. Are we able to rise to the challenge?"

But challenges don't exist just beyond the church or denomination, he added, citing what he called his two greatest areas of concern.

"One is the decrease in baptisms for the fourth consecutive year," he said. "It reflects a denomination that has lost its focus. More than 10,000 churches didn't baptize a soul. There's a lack of urgency in our churches to baptize. Many people say that a profession of faith is enough. But perhaps our denomination is simply failing to reach people for Christ."

Draper's second concern dealt with demographics.

"Walk around this building and notice how many people you see who are under the age of 40," he said.

"There's not many. There is a lack of denominational involvement and loyalty among young ministers. We haven't shown them the relevancy of being Southern Baptist.

"We battle in many churches over trivial issues like forms of worship or who's in charge. The younger folks may not do it the way you and I do it, but who said our way is the only way to do it?"

Draper also asked how non-Southern Baptists perceive the denomination and its churches.

"How do others view us?" he asked. "We should be proud of our stand on the authority of Scripture, our affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message, our faithfulness to sound doctrine in the face of a cultural backlash. At the same time, many people see Southern Baptists against everything and trusting no one—even each other.

"The struggle for the last 25 years in this convention was for scriptural fidelity, and we won," Draper continued. "Now let's do something with this victory. Let's pass it on to the next generation."

In the final video segment Draper shared, a young pastor named Jeff asked, "Is there a place for us at the table?" referring to the future of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"I don't know about you, but that question hits me in the gut," said Draper. "All they (the young pastors in the video) are asking for is a voice, to help determine the future direction of the Southern Baptist Convention.

"There needs to be a greater connection between them and those of us in positions of leadership, from the associational level to the state convention and on to the Southern Baptist Convention," Draper stated.

Draper concluded his report by asking all the ministers 44 years old and younger to stand. Then, he asked older ministers, 45 and above, to "go and put your arm around these young men, get their names, and pledge to pray for them daily." He closed by praying a blessing over the younger ministers.