Editorial for July 14, 2005
By Jim White
I'll tell you the story of a man I'll call Henry because that's his name. He's a crusty old Texan who, despite his rough exterior and years of herding a big rig over the road, has a soft heart. He refers to himself as a heathen because he rejected the church long ago because of the antics of his preacher daddy. Not that it matters, but it does make me feel a little better to note that his papa was not a Baptist. I hope Henry is close to making a decision for Christ because of my concern for his place of residence in the hereafter-and because I don't want to be deprived of his company for eternity.
Recently I had the opportunity to have a three-hour conversation with Henry in a Texas McDonald's. I once heard of a restaurant in Belgium that because of the delicacy of its food and its many courses required three hours to dine. The two establishments have nothing in common. During the course of our talk Henry surprised me by saying, “I wish you'd tell them Baptists to quit knocking their heads together. Tell them an ol' heathen in Texas said so.”
With all due respect to my friend Henry, it's another opinion I worry about more. Henry's point was made with another question. “Why should I want to be a part of what you all are showin' me? If you preachers can't even get along it don't say much for what you're sellin'.” Sometimes I can't stand Henry.
At the Southern Baptist Convention sessions I heard it: concern for the lost. Again at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship assembly I heard it: concern for the lost. Maybe it's time, in addition to listening to preachers, we started listening to the lost. The lost are saying, “Show me what you've got! Give me a reason to want to become one of you!” We have too often answered by saying, “Let us tell you why you don't want to be one of them!” Lord, have mercy.
In our churches we sometimes get wrapped around the axle about things that have no kingdom consequence. We stew over worship style preferences and personality differences. Churches divide into factions and the factions fight. Meanwhile the lost drift further and further out of reach.
Not until reaching the lost is more important to us than running each other down will we have any hope of speaking with integrity and compassion to folks who have been roughed up by life and have little interest in joining a food fight. I certainly don't wish to make light of our differences. They are real and people of conviction feel strongly about them. But I do want to sound an alarm. If we don't straighten up and get our priorities in line with what the Bible teaches, the lost will stay lost. And, one day we will be held accountable. When we stand before Jesus, I doubt he will be impressed with what we professed. Jesus says, “Show me.” “If you love me,” he says, “you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, NIV). Jesus never declared jihad. He did declare that we should love each other as he loves us.
So, if we are going to baptize a million people in the coming year, we're going to have to set things right. Beginning with how we treat each other. I'm not talking about silly-grin, smiley-face fake love. I'm talking the real thing. Henry is watching us. So is Jesus.
Perhaps it's because Baptists have such deep convictions that we dig in our heels at times. Perhaps Baptists have always had a tendency to fling injurious words at one another based on our convictions. Perhaps we use our convictions as a cover for acting inappropriately. Perhaps this is why the very first pamphlet published by the Baptist Sunday School Board was entitled Kind Words. However Baptists have always been, it's time to take seriously what the Bible says about how we are to treat each other. At the macro level in global discussions and at the micro level of deacons' meetings, Baptists need to behave. Obedience to Christ requires it. So does the hope of winning the lost.
Jim White is editor and business manager of the Religious Herald.