Thanks for editorial
Thank you, Jim White, for your editorial on this year’s Baptist General Association of Virginia meeting. You put into words a description of Fred Craddock’s preaching when I have been unable to do so. I’ve tried to tell my friends who were not there just how powerful it was but the best I could do was just to say that I began weeping soon after he started and didn’t dry my eyes until he finished. He touched something deep in my soul each time that I heard him bring God’s message. How often does that happen in a convention setting?
Like so many attendees, I think this was one of our best meetings in a long time. Everything throughout the two-day event was done so well. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Don Davidson, Alexandria
Value of the BWA
Here is an example of the value of our Baptist General Association of Virginia having membership in the Baptist World Alliance.
Recently our minister of music, who is from Ukraine, told our church about the need for her mother, now living in Belgium, to have surgery for cancer. We provided the needed funds for her to fly to Belgium to be with her mother for the surgery.
When she returned after two weeks, she told me that there were no family members available in Belgium to assist her mother in her time of recuperation. She asked if I knew of any Baptists in Belgium who might help her mother.
I called the Baptist World Alliance office in Washington, which gave me the name, address, phone number and email address of the general secretary of the Union of Baptists in Belgium. Within a day he had returned her call, promising to try to find someone in Ghent, Belgium, to assist her mother. Needless to say, our minister of music was thrilled with this loving response.
With Virginia Baptists a part of this larger organization of Baptists throughout the world, our network of ministry is greatly enhanced.
Terry Welborn, Manakin-Sabot
Going in the wrong direction
I read with interest your report of the Baptist General Association of Virginia annual meeting. May I give you another point of view?
The president of the Baptist World Alliance and the [Korean] children’s chorus were featured. Warm words were exchanged. Knowing that the Southern Baptist Convention had withdrawn support for that organization, those actions had all the appearance of defiance of the SBC.
The representatives of two churches in Georgia were welcomed into the BGAV. From your earlier reports they were joining because the BGAV is more representative of their views than either the Georgia Baptist Convention or the SBC. Will they always be willing to support the ministry in Virginia and ignore the needs in their home state? If that occurs, they will be deserting their home state. Is this really healthy?
If the trend of admitting churches from other states continues, should we change the name of the BGAV and drop the name Virginia?
These actions drive another wedge between the SBC and the BGAV.
Then there was the budget. The income of the BGAV is diminishing. This ought to convey an unwanted message.
When you look at the giving tracks you see that the BGAV has no direction. It appears that the BGAV will funnel money to any organization that the churches indicate in order for the BGAV to get its cut. That sounds awful but it has all the signs that the BGAV is willing to support movements no matter what they profess. The Averett situation is an exception. Perhaps things would change if the association would make up its mind what it wants to stand for and budget accordingly.
You report that attendance was way down. That and the lack of financial support send a clear message.
Is the BGAV entering the mainstream? Are we joining the liberal branch of Christianity? Is the BGAV on the threshold of establishing an organization outside of the SBC? Frankly, I’d like to see the BGAV be frank about its purpose and to state its course. Or will the BGAV go on trying to please everyone, no matter what they profess?
Edgar W. Brown, Palmyra