The Memphis Summit and "Action Greensboro"

Three years ago, May 1-2, 2003, civic leaders from around the country gathered in Memphis, Tennessee to discuss the future of their respective cities and to dialogue about ideas and possible solutions to make our nation's cities better culturally, economically, and educationally.

The city of Greensboro, North Carolina sent eleven young professionals to The Memphis Summit in 2003. The report from these eleven participants, entitled Action Greensboro, contained eight relevant questions that arose from the meeting.

This Tuesday I will be joining between thirty and forty Southern Baptists from around the nation as we dialogue about how to make our beloved Southern Baptist Convention better. I would expect that the report coming from this particular Memphis Summit will consist more of recommendations and resolutions rather than questions. However, to keep you fully informed of my thoughts prior to the meeting, I am proposing eight questions that I think might be good for the dialogue all of us, including the Memphis particants, as the questions might help us address pertinent issues and arrive at some concrete solutions.

Action Greensboro:

Question 1: "If the Southern Baptist Convention will prosper by creating the conditions that allow future leaders and their creative ideas to flourish, then what are those conditions, and how are they created?"

Question 2: "How is technology altering our world and our convention, and what are the related policy issues?"

Question 3: What factors can propel the Southern Baptist Convention into a “golden age” of missions, evangelism, and cooperation?

Question 4: "What is the harm, if any, for individual agencies to establish doctrinal standards that push beyond the Baptist Faith and Message 2000?"

Question 5: "What are some creative ways in which more people can be involved in the appointment process for boards and agencies of our convention?"

Question 6: "How can a framework of communication be established that allows employees of our agencies to freely express their ideas and thoughts without fear of intimidation, retaliation or termination?"

Question 7: "What are the implications of (a). former employees of agencies serving as trustees of the very agencies that employeed them?, or (b). sitting trustees vetting future trustees prior to nomination in order to determine their feelings for administration? and (c). trustee accountability to both his fellow trustees and the Southern Baptist Convention?"

Question 8: "What can be done to enhance the Southern Baptist Convention's spirit of cooperation toward all conservative evangelicals?"

I think these are eight good questions for our consideration.

In His Grace,


Wade

The SBC Is Worth Our Finest Efforts

After reading several of the comments on the previous post, I felt it best to clarify a few of things associated with our efforts to turn the SBC toward more of a cooperative spirit.

First, any talk of leaving the SBC is not in the best interests of the kingdom of Christ. Why? The SBC already has a mechanism in place for reaching a world in need of a Savior --- the International Mission Board --- and it would take at least a century for another evangelical missions sending organization to duplicate what the SBC is already doing. There are some who seem to be saying, "If I don't like what the SBC is doing, I'll just leave." I would propose that the SBC is in need of people who will tough out the bad times, be faithful in the rough times, and in general, give their finest efforts to better the SBC.

In marriage counseling I tell couples that once the word divorce enters the vocabulary, it is just a matter of time before it happens. Those who are advocating leaving the SBC lose their effectiveness in being an agent of change for the SBC. Of course, blind loyalty to a denomination is never appropriate, but I am of the opinion that with all our warts and faults, the SBC still has in place one of the greatest organizations to build the Kingdom of Christ in the history of man. Stay in the game, my friends. Threatening to leave the stadium only minimizes your influence.

Second, there is no need to be angry or bitter. Twenty years ago if some conservatives who were the victims of hard ball politics would have just smiled and laughed their way through the tough times, much of what we are seeing happening today in the narrowing of the parameters of cooperation might not have even begun. Instead, many conservatives became angry and bitter at the intimidation and control techniques used by some, and as a result, they are no longer part of the process of change. The Bible is replete with verses that tell us to rejoice in all things. The best antidote to anger and bitterness is a comprehension and acceptance of the providence, sovereignty and goodness of God.

My wife, staff, church and I will tell you that this past winter and spring have been wonderful. I have no offense toward those few who attacked me. In fact, I really like those who dislike me. Further, the more I am around people who did not previously know me, and the more I visit with them, the more I am seeing them grasp the issues that face us. This is NOT about people or personalities. It is about the philosphy of broad involvement, creative missiology, and mutual cooperation. I have faith that when the people of the SBC, including the trustees of our agencies, have full information, the right thing will always be done.

Finally, I have been invited to participate with a group of Southern Baptist men and women from around the nation that will be meeting in Memphis next week to dialogue about what can be done to change the direction of our convention. All these men and women are grateful for our conservative heritage, possess an evangelical and missional zeal, but are concerned that we may be becoming too narrow as a convention by exceeding the BF&M 2000 and excluding wonderful, conservative Southern Baptists from participating and cooperating in our convention efforts to reach the world for Christ.

I laughed when I read someone who wrote this meeting was "secret." I can assure you that I will not be a part of anything "secret." I will blog about the meeting, I will tell you exactly what takes place, and when it is over I have been told we can anticipate a handful of resolutions and recommendations that will be presented to the Convention in Greensboro. Since I have been assured the meeting is to discuss the issues and not personalities or people, I have agreed to participate.

All of us have learned a great deal ove the last twenty-five years. I really believe Greensboro can be a beautiful demonstration of how conservative Christians, who may not cross every "t" the same or dot every "i" the same, can work together for the cause of Christ and His Kingdom. Again, it will require our finest efforts of speaking the truth in a spirit of grace.

I will post again on Monday and then will be traveling to Memphis with my youth pastor Ben Carr.

Have a great weekend and may this Lord's Day be a wonderful day of worship and refreshment!

In His Grace,


Wade

The "Good Ol' Boy System" of Control, Exposed and Condemned by Judge Paul Pressler

I first met Judge Paul Pressler in the mid 80's. I was his driver as he toured Oklahoma and spoke to several pastor groups in preparation for the Southern Baptist Convention. I was a young pastor, concerned with what I was hearing about the liberal drift of the SBC, and I was committed to do my part, however small, to right the ship.

I distinctly remember part of the standard talk given by Pressler to groups of pastors around the state centered on the tight control the liberals had over SBC agencies. I did not know at the time the intimate details of how boards and agencies were being controlled, but I took the word of this man, and frankly, to this day I believe the Judge was telling the truth. Listen to his description of how things were operating in the early 80's at SBC agencies . . .

"To me, the issue was . . . whether the system was closed to conservative leadership. Would membership on our boards be open to all so that discussions of policy could take place as individuals from different perspectives and with different concerns sat down together and worked out their differences? I realized how closed the liberal, "good ol' boy" system had been." (Page 128, "A Hill on Which To Die," Judge Paul Pressler)

Pressler goes on to say . . .

"The boards were tightly controlled and were not places of free exchange. The tight control of the system showed me that the liberals had a basic fear of the democratic process of Southern Baptists. I came to see each board as a unified force to direct policy and not, as I had hoped, a forum for the presentation and compromise of diverse viewpoints. The nature of the liberal control showed me that they were unwilling to be open" (Ibid, page 128).

There are some who will not like what I'm about to say. I am going to say it anyway.

I like Paul Pressler. He has always been very gracious and kind to me personally. I have admired him on several fronts, not the least of which is the love he expresses both verbally and in his actions for both his wife and children. I also admire his courage and his stand for the sake of principles.

Unfortunately, what Judge Pressler so eloquently expressed as the problems with "the good ol' boy system' of the liberals, may now be the problems of the "good ol' boy system" of another group.

We are all conservatives in the SBC (both the cessationists and the continualists). We are all evangelical(both Calvinists and non-Calvinists). We are all believers in the authority of the Scriptures (those who like the BFM 2000 and those who prefer more historical Baptist Confessions). We are all Great Commission Christians.

We are brothers and sisters who love Christ.

I have heard from a very reliable source that there will be another recommendation forthcoming in the next IMB trustee meeting to censure me --- again. Since nobody in trustee leadership has spoken to me after the recommendation for my removal was rescinded unanimously at the last meeting, I can only assume that some are upset with my blog --- again.

My wife will be with me in New Mexcio for the next trustee meeting. She is a little nervous and anxious about everything, but I have assured her that everything will be fine. I reiterate, I take seriously my charge by the SBC to fulfill my responsibilities as a trustee, working for the good of our convention and the IMB. I will serve the Lord and my fellow Southern Baptists with all my heart and soul. I like all my fellow trustees and enjoy their fellowship. I am hoping what I heard is just a rumor and without substance.

However, if it is true, and I am censured in May for expressing my concerns with the direction we are headed as a Convention, then my prayer is that the words of Judge Pressler will ring loud and clear in Greensboro . . .

"The nature of the liberal (fundamentalist?) control showed me that they were unwilling to be open."

May God help us to be kind and gracious to all our SBC brothers, but to be willing to pay the price to insure we have not substitute one form of control for another.

In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

Censure and Criticism From Fellow Christians Unavoidable?

There is in all of us a desire to be liked by others. Some of us, according to John Piper in his new book Contending For Our All, may think that we can be kind enough to avoid criticism by our Christian friends.

This will not work, especially if we have any public role. You cannot be kind enough and merciful enough that no one will criticize you. The religious leaders called our Master "Beelzebub" and He was the epitome of mercy and grace.

Piper gives Mother Theresa as an another illustration. Whatever you may have thought of her spirituality or theology, you cannot deny Mother Teresa's soft heart and compassion toward the people of this world. Yet, Germain Greer cricticizes Mother Theresa by saying . . .

"At my convent school, the pious nuns who always spoke softly and inclined their heads with a small, patient smile were the ones to fear. They became the mother superiors. Mother Theresa is not content with running a convent; she runs an order of Mother Thersa clones, which operates world-wide. In anyone less holy, this would be seen as an obscene ego trip . . . Mother Teresa epitomizes for me the blinkered charitableness upon which we pride ourselves and for which we expect reward in this world and the next. There is very little on earth that I hate more than I hate that" (quoted in First Things, January 1993, p. 65).

Mother Teresa? Arrogant, egotistic, power-hungry, obscene, worthy of hate?

A life completely devoted to compassion, as Mother Teresa's, does not exempt one from criticism from other professing Christians.

What makes any of us think we should be exempt from it either?

In His Grace,


Wade

Censure and Criticism from Christians

There is in all of us a desire to be liked by others. Some of us, according to John Piper in his new book Contending For Our All, may think that we can be kind enough to avoid criticism by our Christian friends.

This will not work, especially if we have any public role. You cannot be kind enough and merciful enough that no one will criticize you. The religious leaders called our Master "Beelzebub" and He was the epitome of mercy and grace.

Piper gives Mother Theresa as an another illustration. Whatever you may have thought of her spirituality or theology, you cannot deny Mother Teresa's soft heart and compassion toward the people of this world. Yet, Germain Greer cricticizes Mother Theresa by saying . . .

"At my convent school, the pious nuns who always spoke softly and inclined their heads with a small, patient smile were the ones to fear. They became the mother superiors. Mother Theresa is not content with running a convent; she runs an order of Mother Thersa clones, which operates world-wide. In anyone less holy, this would be seen as an obscene ego trip . . . Mother Teresa epitomizes for me the blinkered charitableness upon which we pride ourselves and for which we expect reward in this world and the next. There is very little on earth that I hate more than I hate that" (quoted in First Things, January 1993, p. 65).

Mother Teresa? Arrogant, egotistic, power-hungry, obscene, worthy of hate?

A life completely devoted to compassion, as Mother Teresa's, does not exempt one from criticism from other professing Christians.

What makes any of us think we should be exempt from it either?

In His Grace,


Wade

Why Fundamentalism Must Be Defined in the SBC

Words are meaningless without definitions. Vocabulary is the foundation of all communication, and unless the meaning of words is properly defined, effective communication is impossible. Such is the word "Fundamentalism."

John Piper's newest book Contending for Our All highlights the life of Dr. Gresham Machen, Professor of New Testament at Princeton University in the early part of the last century. Dr. Machen was fired at Princeton, and later stripped of his ordination in the Presbyterian Church USA for "insubordination." It seems he questioned various policies of the Presbyterian USA Mission Board, which led to his censure and eventually the formation of an alternative missions sending agency begun by Machen.

Dr. Machen also founded Westminster Seminary just a few months before his unexpected death on New Year's Day, 1936 at the young age of 55. He died a hero by the Fundamentalists of his day because of his "insistence on defending great doctrines that had come under particular attack by vigorously defending the truth."

However, Machen did not like being called a "Fundamentalist." Listen to his own words:

"Do you suppose that I do regret my being called by a term that I greatly dislike, a "Fundamentalist?" Most certainly I do. But in the presence of a great common foe (liberalism), I have little time to be attacking my brethren who stand with me in defense of the Word of God." (Stonehouse, J. Gresham Machen, p. 337).

Piper gives seven reasons why Machen never spoke of himself as a Fundamentalist.

To Machen, Fundamentalism meant. . .

(1). The absence of historical perspective;
(2). The lack of appreciation of scholarship;
(3). The substitution of brief, skeletal creeds for the historic confessions;
(4). The lack of concern with precise formulation of Christian doctrine;
(5). The pietistic, perfectionist tendencies (i.e., hang-ups with smoking, drinking alchohol, etc . . );
(6). One-sided otherworldliness (i.e., a lack of effort to transform the culture), and,
(7). A penchant for futuristic chiliasm (or: premillennialism).

Machen was on "the other side" of all seven of these issues, yet God used him greatly to preserve conservative evangelicalism within his beloved Presbyterian denomination. He is the epitome of a conservative evangelical who could not be considered a "Fundamentalist."

May God grant the grace and wisdom needed to see that within our Southern Baptist Convention there are thousands of pastors and people who share the same spirit of Machen --- warmly conservative and fervently evangelical --- but not "Fundamentalists" as defined by Machen.

The SBC is large enough for all of us who are conservative and evangelical to cooperate together. Will our Fundamentalist brethren within the SBC, with whom we sided in the liberal debates of yesteryear, stand willing to cooperate with those of us who disagree with them on periphery issues?

We should know more where we stand as a convention by June 15th.

In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

What Charismatics and Calvinists in the SBC Have in Common

The Southern Baptist Convention is composed of autonomous churches who are subject to the authority of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We coooperate together for the support of missions world wide.

Some Southern Baptist churches teach from the pulpit, and practice within the congregation, all the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the New Testament. These churches are as Southern Baptist as the churches who hold to a cessationist view of the gifts.

Some Southern Baptist churches also freely teach from the pulpit what is commonly called "the doctrines of grace" or what Spurgeon called "Calvinism." These churches are as Southern Baptist, and some would say because of SBC confessional history, even "more" Southern Baptist, than those churches who do not hold to the doctrines of grace.

What do Charismatic or Calvinistic Southern Baptists have in common?

It seems that some would like to propose that a church cannot truly be Southern Baptist if the congregation of believers hold to one or the other view --- not to mention those churches and pastors who hold to both views.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Though my church cannot be considered "charismatic," and though I have never uttered the word "Calvinism" from our pulpit during a message, I teach, and our church holds, to the inspired Word of God. We see the gifts of the Spirit taught in Scripture and we see the grace of God as the preeminent theme of Scripture, culminating in the revelation of His grace in the person of His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.

Our church also holds to the Baptist Faith and Message. We are missions minded and evangelistic. We don't mind serving and cooperating with other Southern Baptists who disagree with us on the practice of the gifts or the doctrine of election. Our convention is big enough for us all.

Due to the influence of C.J. Mahaney, John Piper (who himself does not hold to continualism, but is sympathetic), Sam Storms and other leading evangelicals who are Baptist, Calvistic, and "Charismatic," there is an ever increasing number of young Southern Baptists who are, at the minimum, open to both the doctrines of grace and the continualist view of the gifts. If we don't keep our doors of cooperation open and broad enough to allow entry of all conservative, evangelical Baptist, including these young Charismatic Calvinists, then the SBC will eventually die a slow death as up and coming pastors look for conventions and denominations who are more concerned with exalting Christ and taking the gospel to the nations than they are a narrow view of the gifts and grace.

I think those of us in the SBC concerned about our future had better draw a deep, deep line in the proverbial sand and say, "We must stop narrowing the doctrinal parameters of our convention, particularly when there is a demand to conform to specific interpretations of Scripture on which the BF&M remains silent. The SBC is big enough for us all."

If we don't speak up now on the basis of principle, then Calvinists may one day find themselves in the same position that Southern Baptist continualists are now --- disenfranchised and disowned. I continually take comfort in the fact there is nothing new under the sun. In the late 1800's when English Baptists sought to move away from a grace oriented understanding of salvation and adopt the Arminian view of free will, the erudite C.H. Spurgeon wrote out a prayer with his sharp pen and lid before his fellow Baptists what an Arminian prayer might sound like:

Spurgeon's Rendition of the Arminian's Prayer

Fancy him praying, `Lord, I thank thee I am not like those poor presumptuous Calvinists. Lord, I was born with a glorious free will; I was born with power by which I can turn to thee of myself; I have improved my grace. If everybody had done the same with their grace that I have, they might all have been saved. Lord, I know thou dost not make us willing if we are not willing ourselves. Thou givest grace to everybody; some do not improve it, but I do. There are many that will go to hell as much bought with the blood of Christ as I was; they had as much of the Holy Ghost given to them; they had as good a chance, and were as much blessed as I am. It was not thy grace that made us differ; I know it did a great deal, still I turned the point; I made use of what was given me, and others did not - that is the difference between me and them.'

Let us remain dependent upon the grace of God as we seek to keep our SBC free and open to all conservative evangelicals.

In His Grace,


Wade

UPDATE: Sam Storms emailed me this morning with this comment:

"Excellent entry on the blog today. But Piper is a continualist or continuationist (however one chooses to put it). He believes all gifts of the Spirit are valid and operative in the church today. Check out his excellent series of articles entitled “Compassion, Power, and the Kingdom of God.” They are the transcripts of a sermon series he preached. You can find them at Desiring God and just type in "Compassion, Power, and the Kingdom of God" where it asks for Topic. Or you can go to Spiritual Gifts and it should get you there. Blessings."

Note from Wade: Dr. Storms has just finished filling the pulpit for Dr. Piper in John's absence.

"Too Late" --- The History of Failure

Two interesting events occured last night.

First, I laughed out loud when someone sent me this photo. For those of you who don't know me, this is a picture of my face superimposed on my hero's visage --- Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

I do not know who Arkansas RazorBaptist is, but he seems to be pretty sharp guy! Granted, my perspective may be skewed since he said some nice things to say about me :), but hey, anyone is entitled to his opinion. :)

I listened to the audio tape he linked from the book of Philippians and enjoyed it. I usually listen to each and every message I preach the day after I preach it. I can be pretty hard on myself, since I always listen with a critical ear. Last night I listened to the message from Philippians entitled "People, Problems and the Pastor," which I preached over seven years ago, and I found it both relevant and refreshing. The outline had been forgotten by me, and what I was going to say next could not be remembered. I was reminded that someone who exegetes the Word of God never has to worry if he is fresh or relevant. The Word is always both.

Second, last night we celebrated the 25th anniversary of Emmanuel Christian School in Enid, Oklahoma. Our Headmaster, Mr. Paul McDonald, challenged school parents, teachers and students in the area of preparedness for the future. In his exhortation to us all Mr. McDonald went to his own history files and reminded us of this quote by the late military strategist and hero par excellence, General Douglas McArthur.

"The history of failure can almost be summed up in two words: too late.
* Too late in comprehending the purpose of a potential problem.
* Too late in realizing the impending danger.
* Too late in preparedness.
* Too late in uniting all possible means of help.
* Too late in standing with one's friends."
- General Douglas Macarthur

Food for thought for my soul last night in glancing back in time and then focusing on the future.

In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

Healthy Church Life and a Description of Cultic Assemblies

Two Posts for Your Weekend Enjoyment:

Christianity is unique. It's Lord is living and it's law is love. Every other religion has dead founders and the law is usually human effort.

This weekend's post puts a comparison between Spirit filled churches and destructive cultic religions.


Post ONE -------------------------------

Excerpt from "Healthy Assembly Life" by
Jon Zens


After being a Christian for fifteen years, around 1980 I began to struggle with a problem that occurs with tragic frequency in Bible-believing circles. I saw church split after church split. I saw brethren biting and devouring one another. I thought in my heart, “How can the New Testament, which puts so much emphasis on love and unity, become the source for so much division and strife?” Somewhere in the midst of my personal turmoil, the Lord brought me to the two-fold perspective of Paul in Romans 15. It does not, of course, bring an immediate resolution to every possible scenario we will face. However, I strongly believe that to the degree that we can practice this two-fold dimension of assembly life, we will go a long way toward avoiding the ugliness that, unfortunately, has come to mark much that bears the name Christian.


In the context Paul has dealt with the sticky reality that the early church had to face early on – Jews and Gentiles were brought together as a new man, and they were meeting together in the same homes. Paul, of course, did not opt for the easy thing to do, namely, have Jewish believers meet in one place, and the Gentile believers meet somewhere else. The only consistent outworking of the Gospel was for the two radically different ethnic groups to meet together because Jesus on the cross brought the two together, thereby making peace (Ep 2:12-18). This was a volatile situation, and Paul faces it head-on in Romans 14-15.


So after dealing with how Jewish and Gentile saints should show love to one another in areas like foods, drinks and days, Paul comes to the conclusion of the matter in Romans 15:7 – “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Then in verse 14 we discover the flip side of this exhortation to accept each other – “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” In these two verses a tension is revealed that we must all wrestle with: how can we pursue truth together without destroying our fellowship, and how can we pursue fellowship together without avoiding Christ’s truth?


Churches tend to illustrate the pendulum swing – they either pursue truth in an atmosphere without love and caring (which results in witch-hunts), or they emphasize acceptance and love with little interest in Christ’s revealed will (which results in gushy sentimentality). Why do we sever what God has joined together? Why can’t we cultivate and encourage an atmosphere of acceptance in which we will learn to speak the truth to one another in love? Our tendency is to reject other Christians who disagree with our understanding of Scripture in what we regard as crucial issues. Or, there is the tendency to so underscore acceptance that there is no concern for revealed truth. To fully accept one another in the bonds of the Gospel and to instruct one another in an atmosphere of acceptance is a tension we must face and work out.


Growth, according to Paul, can occur only when we speak the truth to one another in love (Ep 4:15 ; Jn 17:17 ). Elliot Johnson rightly observes, “In a sense, Evangelicals have lived with an interpretational truce. While we agree on doctrinal ‘essentials’ we have also agreed to not talk very seriously about issues of disagreement. Yet Paul charted God’s strategy for Christian growth [in Ep 4:12 -13]. In order to reach unity we need some way to talk about our different interpretations and to evaluate these differences” (“Author’s Intention & Biblical Interpretation,” Position Paper given in Chicago at the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy, 1982, pp. 1-2).


The problem in most configurations of believers is that the very rationale for the group’s existence rules out the possibility of certain truths being discussed. The truth is already defined in terms of some predetermined boundaries. I suggest that this kind of behavior is childish and makes a mockery of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel. When we face new issues from the Word are we willing to work together, study together, pray together and even fast together in order to seek the Lord’s mind and come to greater agreement? Most of us are ready to separate from other brethren at the drop of a hat. But it takes a commitment to the truth and to our Christian brothers and sisters to be willing to work matters out.


End POST ONE ---------------------------


POST TWO--------------------------------

Extract from Characteristics of a Cult.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

The leadership induces guilt feelings in members in order to control them.

Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

All The Answers - Provide simple answers to the confusion they, themselves, create.
Support these answers with material produced or “approved” by the group.

Attack Independent Thought - Critical thinking is discouraged as prideful and sinful, blind acceptance encouraged.

Motive Questioning- When sound evidence against the group is presented, members are taught to question the motivation of the presenter. The verifiable (sound documentation) is ignored because of doubts over the unverifiable (presenter’s motives).

Information Control - Group controls what convert may read or hear. They discourage (forbid) contact with ex-members or anything critical of the group. May say it is the same as pornography making it not only sinful and dangerous but shameful as well. Ex-members become feared and avoidance of them becomes a “survival issue.”

Coercion - Disobedience, including even minor disagreement with group doctrine, may result in expulsion and shunning.

Phobias - The idea is planted that anyone who leaves goes into a life of depravity and sin, loses their sanity, dies, or will have children die, etc. Constant rumors of bad things happening to people who leave. No one ever leaves for “legitimate reasons.”

No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as “persecution”.

Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.


End POST TWO-------------------------


The difference is clear, right? May God keep us from characteristics of a cult and develop in us strong desire to speak the truth in love.

Faith in the People Making the Decision

My staff kiddingly accuses me of being the eternal optomist, never seeing the bad side of anything. I plead guilty. I have such a high view of God's Providence and His Goodness that every event of our lives ultimately works for our good and God's glory.

The possible termination of the unnamed missionary couple is an example. I have a great deal of faith in the people who wil be making the decision of whether or not this issue should be brought before the BOT.

It is important to remember five things about this particular situation:

(1). The missionary couple has not made one public statement about their situation. They continue to work through the appropriate processes established by the Interntational Mission Board.

(2). Their pastor, Jason Helmbacher, of Immanuel Baptist Church, Sallisaw, Oklahoma is the one who made this situation public. For those of you who have never met Jason, you need to take the time to get to know him. He is sharp, passionate, gracious, Biblically sound, and the very kind of young leader our SBC needs. Frankly, this missionary couple needs to thank the Lord daily for their gifted shepherd.

(3). The motion to terminate can only be approved by the full board of trustees of the International Mission Board. I have deliberately chosen not to discuss or make public the specifics of this situation, though I have a copy of every pertinent piece of material that serves as the basis for this possible termination, simply to give my fellow trustees the opportunity to review the material first.

(4). There is a very real possiblity that this situation WILL NOT be brought as a recommendation to the Board of Trustees for approval. The administration of the IMB can stop this possible termination on appeal if it deems that course of action best for the IMB. Why? Simply because the issue may be a personnel and personality matter that necessitates reassignment of a missionary or a missionary couple and not necessarily a matter that ought to result in termination.

Please understand, if this is discovered to be a POLICY dispute, then the trustees will have to be involved. According to the bylaws and consititution of the IMB, trustees set official policy and interpret aproved policy. This responsibility to establish policy is given to the full board, not subgroups, and to terminate employees for violating policy is also the sole responsibility of the full Board. IMB officially approved policies include New Directions, the five levels of partnership, the definition of a church, etc . . .. It may be determined by administration that this issue is not a policy dispute. If so, then trustees DO NOT need to be involved in the day to day operations of the IMB including conflict resolution. That is the administration's job. But again, trustees should be involved in policy matters and the holding accountable of all employees to policy.

Everyone must give IMB administration the opportunity to determine if this is a policy issue or something else. That is their job and we trustees must not interfere.

(5). Finally, for all you missionaries around the world who are teaching the people about Jesus Christ --- keep your chin up! Some incredible things are happening within our convention and within the IMB. Stay strong. Remain faithful.

I believe, in the end, the right decision(s) will be made.

In His Grace,


Wade

Spurgeon on Missionaries Teaching Christ to the Natives!

I do not know whether all our missionaries have caught the idea of Christ — “Go ye and teach all nations,” but many of them have, and these have been honored with many conversions.

The more fully they have been simple teachers, not philosophers of the Western philosophy, not eager disputants concerning some English dogma, I say the more plainly they have gone forth as teachers sent from God to teach the world, the more successful have they been.

“Go ye, therefore, and teach.” Some may think, perhaps, there is less difficulty in teaching the learned than in teaching the uncivilized and barbarous. There is the same duty to the one as to the other: “Go and teach.”

“But they brandish the tomahawk.” Teach them, and lie down and sleep in their hut, and they shall marvel at your fearlessness and spare your life.

“But they feed on the blood of their fellows, they make a bloody feast about the cauldron in which a man’s body is the horrible viand.” Teach them and they shall empty their war-kettle, and they shall bury their swords, and bow before you, and acknowledge King Jesus.

“But they are brutalised, they have scarce a language — a few clicking sounds make up all that they can say.” Teach them, and they shall speak the language of Canaan, and sing the songs of heaven.

The fact has been proved, brethren, that there are no nations incapable of being taught, nay, that there are no nations incapable afterwards of teaching others. The Negro slave has perished under the lash, rather than dishonor his Master.

The Esquimaux has climbed his barren steeps, and borne his toil, while he has recollected the burden which Jesus bore. The Hindoo has patiently submitted to the loss of all things, because he loved Christ better than all. Feeble Malagasay women have been prepared to suffer and to die, and have taken joyfully suffering for Christ’s sake. There has been heroism in every land for Christ; men of every color and of every race have died for him; upon his altar has been found the blood of all kindreds that be upon the face of the earth.

Oh! tell me not they cannot be taught. Sirs, they can be taught to die for Christ; and this is more than some of you have learned. They can rehearse the very highest lesson of the Christian religion — that self sacrifice which knows not itself but gives up all for him.

At this day there are Karen missionaries preaching among the Karens with as fervid an eloquence as ever was known by Whitfield, there are Chinese teaching in Borneo, Sumatra, and Australia, with as much earnestness as Morison or Milne first taught in China. There are Hindoo evangelists who are not ashamed to have given up the Brahminical thread, and to eat with the Pariah, and to preach with him the riches of Christ. There have been men found of every class and kind, not only able to be taught, but able to become teachers themselves, and the most mighty teachers too, of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well was that command warranted by future facts, when Christ said, “Go ye, teach all nations.”


Excerpt from "NO. 383
A SERMON DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING,
APRIL 21ST, 1861,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON"

A sermon preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon 145 years ago tomorrow.

Spurgeon on Christ and the Mission of Missionaries

I do not know whether all our missionaries have caught the idea of Christ — “Go ye and teach all nations,” but many of them have, and these have been honored with many conversions.

The more fully they have been simple teachers, not philosophers of the Western philosophy, not eager disputants concerning some English dogma, I say the more plainly they have gone forth as teachers sent from God to teach the world, the more successful have they been.

“Go ye, therefore, and teach.” Some may think, perhaps, there is less difficulty in teaching the learned than in teaching the uncivilized and barbarous. There is the same duty to the one as to the other: “Go and teach.”

“But they brandish the tomahawk.” Teach them, and lie down and sleep in their hut, and they shall marvel at your fearlessness and spare your life.

“But they feed on the blood of their fellows, they make a bloody feast about the cauldron in which a man’s body is the horrible viand.” Teach them and they shall empty their war-kettle, and they shall bury their swords, and bow before you, and acknowledge King Jesus.

“But they are brutalised, they have scarce a language — a few clicking sounds make up all that they can say.” Teach them, and they shall speak the language of Canaan, and sing the songs of heaven.

The fact has been proved, brethren, that there are no nations incapable of being taught, nay, that there are no nations incapable afterwards of teaching others. The Negro slave has perished under the lash, rather than dishonor his Master.

The Esquimaux has climbed his barren steeps, and borne his toil, while he has recollected the burden which Jesus bore. The Hindoo has patiently submitted to the loss of all things, because he loved Christ better than all. Feeble Malagasay women have been prepared to suffer and to die, and have taken joyfully suffering for Christ’s sake. There has been heroism in every land for Christ; men of every color and of every race have died for him; upon his altar has been found the blood of all kindreds that be upon the face of the earth.

Oh! tell me not they cannot be taught. Sirs, they can be taught to die for Christ; and this is more than some of you have learned. They can rehearse the very highest lesson of the Christian religion — that self sacrifice which knows not itself but gives up all for him.

At this day there are Karen missionaries preaching among the Karens with as fervid an eloquence as ever was known by Whitfield, there are Chinese teaching in Borneo, Sumatra, and Australia, with as much earnestness as Morison or Milne first taught in China. There are Hindoo evangelists who are not ashamed to have given up the Brahminical thread, and to eat with the Pariah, and to preach with him the riches of Christ. There have been men found of every class and kind, not only able to be taught, but able to become teachers themselves, and the most mighty teachers too, of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well was that command warranted by future facts, when Christ said, “Go ye, teach all nations.”


Excerpt from "NO. 383
A SERMON DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING,
APRIL 21ST, 1861,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON"

A sermon preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon 145 years ago tomorrow.

The Definition of the Church

At the heart of the issue for all of us within the Southern Baptist Convention who have a heart for missions and church planting is the definition of the "ekklesia," or as it is in English "church." Unfortunately our English word doesn't come close to the meaning of the Greek word. Ekklesia is a compound word which means "called out." The "church" is simply those in the world who have been called out by God's grace to faith in Jesus Christ. If a person considers the church "it" instead of "they" then that person's Biblical thinking about the church is already lost. For a better understanding of "ekklesia" the article by Baptist theologian John Reisinger entitled The Ekklesia would be a great place to start.

The International Mission Board has given an official definition of a church. The following information comes from Board approved policy . To help us consider the church as people rather than "an institution" it might be an interesting exercise to place the phrase "called out people" as a synonym for the word church. Could it be that problems arise when some see the church as an institution and others see "them" as a "called out people?"




CHURCH DEFINITION AND GUIDELINES Approved by the Board of Trustees in January of 2005


Bob Pearle moved that recommendation on Church Definition and Guidelines be approved. This recommendation was approved. (Following the trustee meeting, grammatical changes were made and the following is the corrected copy.)

DEFINITION
The definition of a local church is given in the 2000 edition of the Baptist Faith and Message:

A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

GUIDELINES

We believe that every local church is autonomous under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of His inerrant word. This is as true overseas as it is in the United States. Some churches to which we relate overseas may make decisions in doctrine and practice which we would not choose. Nevertheless, we are accountable to God and to Southern Baptists for the foundation that we lay when we plant churches, for the teaching that we give when we train church leaders, and for the criteria that we use when we count churches. In our church planting and teaching ministries, we will seek to lay a foundation of beliefs and practices that are consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, although local churches overseas may express those beliefs and practices in different ways according to the needs of their cultural settings. Flowing from the definition of a church given above and from the Scriptures from which this definition is derived, we will observe the following guidelines in church planting, leadership training and statistical reporting.

1. A church is intentional about being a church. Members think of themselves as a church. They are committed to one another and to God (associated by covenant) in pursuing all that Scripture requires of a church.

2. A church has an identifiable membership of baptized believers in Jesus Christ.

3. A church practices the baptism of believers only by immersing them in water.

4. A church observes the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis.

5. Under the authority of the local church and its leadership, members may be assigned to carry out the ordinances.

6. A church submits to the inerrant word of God as the ultimate authority for all that it believes and does.

7. A church meets regularly for worship, prayer, the study of God’s word, and fellowship. Members of the church minister to one another’s needs, hold each other accountable, and exercise church discipline as needed. Members encourage one another and build each other up in holiness, maturity in Christ, and love.

8. A church embraces its responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission, both locally and globally, from the beginning of its existence as a church.

9. A church is autonomous and self-governing under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of His Word.

10. A church has identifiable leaders, who are scrutinized and set apart according to the qualifications set forth in Scripture. A church recognizes two Biblical offices of church leadership: pastors/elders/overseers and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

The Official Resolution On Baptist Dissent

The official resolution turned into the Resolutions Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention for consideration at the 2006 SBC in Greensboro, North Carolina.

ON BAPTIST DISSENT

A resolution to be offered at the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention by Benjamin S. Cole, Pastor, Parkview Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas


WHEREAS, The Christian gospel is a call unto the individual conscience to reject popular, worldly wisdom and majoritarian doctrine to embrace the exclusive promise of salvation made possible only through the completed work of Jesus Christ, who himself obeyed God rather than men for the sake of the Kingdom (Matthew 7:13-14; Acts 5:29; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Hebrews 13:13); and

WHEREAS, Every tributary of Baptist identity includes an era of dissent from institutions, policies, political oppressions, and systems of belief that violate the individual conscience; and

WHEREAS, Both our Anabaptist and English Separatist forefather knew the power of the dissent to shield the soul from compromise on matters essential to faith, church polity, and the ordinances, often suffering ostracism, exile, and even death for their principled refusal to compromise their unpopular and inviolable convictions, among others, that the church was free from governmental control, that the ordinance of baptism was observed only be regenerate church members, and that the individual conscience was created by God to serve Him without the encumbrance of unbiblical impositions of tradition; and

WHEREAS, Baptists in the early American colonies were most influential in protecting the liberty of conscience, the freedom of religion, and the freedoms of press, assembly, and speech by which men are guaranteed the inalienable right to publish, worship, and speak as their consciences so compel them; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention, organized in 1845, has been a consistent and prophetic voice upholding these liberties for all people, especially religious minorities, when their essential and inalienable liberties have been abridged, compromised, or threatened by majoritarian coercive action; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has resolved in years past to denounce any attempt to impede any religious conviction and activity as “the essence of oppression and tyranny” (Concerning the Persecution of Religion in Russia, 1931), to uphold the privilege of conscientious objection in matters of national defense (Concerning Conscientious Objectors, 1946, 1969), to urge its agencies and churches to “make known our Baptist aversion to any effort . . . to lay the weight of a feather upon the conscience of any man in the realm of religion by privilege or penalty” (On Religious Liberty, 1957), to “confront any and all problems” associated with limitations on religious liberty (On Human Freedom, 1963), to encourage “the free interchange of ideas and the registering of dissent when it is done in an orderly manner” (On Extremism, 1970), to promote the right to engage in religious broadcast when such rights are threatened (On Religious Broadcasting and Religious Freedom, 1975), and to affirm the “inalienable right to religious freedom for all peoples of the world” (On The Right of Religious Freedom for All Human Beings, 1992); and

WHEREAS, Many portions of the world where religious liberty, freedom of conscience, and the privilege of principled dissent are not afforded to religious minorities continue to look to Southern Baptists as a beacon of religious liberty shedding light on their oppression and giving voice to their encumbered conscience;

Therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in annual session in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 13-14, 2006, recognizes the rich heritage of principled dissent that has distinguished our witness as Baptists; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we express our sincere desire to see all people of the world share in the freedoms of conscience, speech, press, and assembly that we have enjoyed ourselves; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we recognize the weakness, even in political and religious democracies, that majorities are not always right, and that it is necessary for the voice of dissent – the minority voice, to be welcomed and heard if the dangers of authoritarian confessionalism or tyrannical governance are to be withstood both in our denomination and the world; and

Be it further RESOLVED, That we regard all attempts to silence principled dissent by fellow Baptists within our denomination, or of any religious minority, as a compromise of our cherished Baptist witness and an egregious disservice to the Kingdom of God; and

Be it further RESOLVED, that we affirm dissenters both within our denomination and without who raise objection to articles of our confession, policies of our institutions, and governance of our agencies when that dissent has been voiced in a manner consistent with the teaching of Jesus Christ; and

Be it finally RESOLVED, that we wish to continue the tradition of welcoming principled dissent and protecting religious speech as the bedrock upon which a diverse people, such as Southern Baptists, may continue to cooperate for the greater good of evangelism and missions to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation of the world.

New Directions from Minutes of April 1997

All emphasis my own:


I. Rationale for New Directions

A. God is accelerating the redemption of all the lost peoples of the world. We are in the midst of the greatest mission opportunity in history. We must make whatever changes necessary to keep pace with what God is doing to complete the unfinished task.

B. At this unprecedented moment in Christian history, our missionary advance does not seem to be keeping pace with the opportunities or with what God is doing through others.

C. Our organization and culture must be flexible, responsive, change-oriented and innovative to meet the challenge of continuous rapid change.

D. To facilitate the ownership and responsibility of each missionary to maximize his or her potential and to fulfill his or her God given call.

E. To provide administration and leadership that will function efficiently, eliminate overlap and create synergistic effectiveness.

II. Recommendations to Trustees

As we consider afresh our vision to lead Southern Baptists to be on mission with God and to bring all the peoples of the world to saving faith in Jesus Christ, we recommend the following:

A. That the International Mission Board reconfigure its work into 14 geographic regions overseas (as attached). By balancing the number of personnel, each region will be positioned for growth and kingdom impact. Regions will utilize the unreached people group methodology with CSI type components as appropriate.

B. That new leadership profiles and job descriptions (as attached) be adopted for all new regional leadership positions. The Regional Leader will give primary focus to strategic leadership; administrative tasks will be handled by the Field Administrative Associate; and the Field Strategy Associate will lead in strategy planning and implementation. All of these positions will be with missionary status.

C. That a new position be created in the Office of Overseas Operations for an Associate Vice President for Strategy Coordination and Mobilization as defined by the attached job description.

D. That Regional Leaders will lead missions/field units to focus on bringing all peoples of the world to saving faith in Jesus Christ; to be reflected in the way they work; the way they are organized and the way they are accountable.

E. That current area leadership which includes Area Directors, Associate Area Directors and Field Associate Area Directors continue to function in their present assignment until the new organization is put in place. We anticipate organizational changes to begin July 1, 1997.

F. That the trustee's Overseas Organization and Administration Task Force serve as the search committee for election of the Regional Leaders and interview prospective candidates for Associate Regional Leaders, Field Administrative Associates, and Field Strategy Associates.

G. That the trustee's Overseas Organization and Administration Task Force study and make future recommendations for structuring trustee organization.

SUMMARY OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

REGIONAL LEADER

1. Leads Regional Leadership Team in strategic planning.(planning, organizing implementing, evaluating, and celebrating)

2. Leads regional personnel to embrace the shared vision to bring all peoples of the world to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

3. Participates in the formulation, evaluation and prioritization of global directions.

4. Communicates International Mission Board direction to the field and field strategies and concerns to the International Mission Board staff and trustees.

5. Mobilizes prayer, personnel and appropriate funding to accelerate the planting and development of indigenous churches through evangelism, discipleship and leadership training. Networks with Baptist Partners and Great Commission Christian entities to fulfill kingdom objectives.

6. Selects, develops, and trains Regional Leadership Team members, regional support staff, mission and field unit leaders. Coordinates the supervision of regional support staff.

7. Gives final approval for budget allocation and deployment of personnel.

8. Provides encouragement and inspiration to field personnel and ministers to them in times of crisis.

FIELD ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE

1. Manages operation of overseas regional office.

2. Provides information and support to the Regional Leadership Team and channels communication to the International Mission Board.

3. Is responsible for regional financial administration.

4. Interprets policies, procedures and authorizes exceptions to policy when appropriate.

5. Processes all personnel requests as approved by the Field Strategy
Associate.

6. Works directly with mission/field units to provide support for field personnel.

7. Provides reports requested by the International Mission Board.

8. Represents the Regional Leader when requested.

FIELD STRATEGY ASSOCIATE

1. Leads mission/field units in strategic planning, monitors implementation and evaluation.

2. Implements and maintains an accountability process in the region.

3. Plans and directs regional conferences.

4. Participates in mission/field unit meetings as appropriate.

5. Provides training for field personnel and Baptist Partners.

6. Supervise regional support staff as assigned by the Regional Leader.

7. Provides leadership and coordination for strategic church growth studies.

8. Supervise the Communication Resource Specialist to enhance cross-cultural communication competence.

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGY COORDINATION AND MOBILIZATION

1. Nurture and kindle a passion to lead all peoples to saving faith in Jesus Christ and fulfill the vision, mission and basic principles of the International Mission Board.

2. Coordinate the overseas strategies of the International Mission Board, working with Regional Leaders and Regional Strategy Associates with a dual focus on the challenges of the Last Frontier and reaping the harvest.

3. Mobilize SBC churches and entities to be involved in missions; assist all regions in training their personnel to mobilize prayer networks, personnel, and appropriate funding for their field.

4. Supervise the setting up and maintenance of all platforms used by International Mission Board.

5. Coordinate training in Unreached People Group methodology for all International Mission Board personnel.

6. Represents the International Mission Board to the Global Education Consortium of Southern Baptist colleges and universities and to other similar groups.

7. Network with other Great Commission Christian groups and work with the regional leadership to involve Great Commission Christians in establishing the Kingdom of God.

8. Identify restricted countries and people groups which will potentially open to some degree of missionary involvement and design a strategy for rapid deployment teams and involve appropriate Regional Leadership in reaching them.

April/May: Focus on the IMB -- May/June --- Focus on the SBC

Over the next several days I will be giving to you some very important information regarding previous International Mission Board approved policies that are at the heart of a potential firing of a missionary couple who have dedicated eight years of their lives to work with an extremely difficult people group in an equally hazardous environment.

I received word today from the missionary couple themselves that a recommendation will be forthcoming to the trustees of the IMB at this May meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico that this missionary couple be terminated effective May 31st. I have received no privileged information regarding these events from the IMB, and all I know about the circumstances of this potential firing is what I have read in the media, the information I have received from the couple themselves, and several conversations with IMB administration. I believe every missionary (and trustee) should abide by Board approved policy, and if there is truly a "refusal to comply with Board and regional policy concerning cooperative relationships with other organizations and expectations regarding your church planting model," then obviously, the missionary couple should be terminated.

I have been made aware, however, by the pastor of this couple, several missionaries who know the couple, and the missionary couple themselves that they believe they ARE abiding by IMB policy.

Unless this decision to terminate is stopped by IMB administration between now and the May 23 BOT meeting, the trustees will either have to approve the termination or vote it down. There is no reason why we should consider this termination as "insignificant" or treat it any other way than we would treat the potential termination of the President of one of our SBC agencies. There is no reason that we as trustees should not be fully informed of this situation PRIOR to our vote.

I believe these missionaries, and the other 5,300 in the Southern Baptist fold, are the true heroes of our denomination. Since this couple has refused to resign, and since they are not guilty of any moral indescretion, doctrinal heresy, or any other behavior that impugns the character of the SBC, and since they do not believe they are violating any Board approved IMB policy, then I believe this couple should be given the dignity and grace of a trustee board fully preparing themselves with all relevant information of the situation, and they should be protected from any hasty, rash decisions that bring into reproach their character or commitment to the SBC and the IMB.

What is the truth? I think it can, and will, be discovered. However, for that to occur we must not be afraid to address all relevant questions, and we must not try to stop people from receiving answers to their questions, no matter how tough the questions may be.

Frankly, I was in a similar position just a few weeks ago. I believed I was following my conscience and abiding by every policy of the IMB. In fact, I was adamant that if I could be shown WHERE I was violating policy, I would immediately cease my blog. As you know, I adamantly insisted I was following every IMB approved policy, and though I maybe wrote some things with which others did not agree, I continued doing what I felt God called me to do because I believed it was best for the IMB, our Convention, and Christ's kingdom at large. Of course, at our last meeting, IMB policy regarding trustee responsibilities was changed to prevent any dissent of Board approved policies. I have chosen to abide by the new policy. If I feel at some point I cannot abide by this new policy, I will resign.

Let's take all these issues very seriously. In the coming few days I will give to you on my blog all the Board approved policies regarding a definition of a church, the New Directions implemented by our Board in the last decade, and the five levels of partnership approved by the Board.

I will not disclose personal information regarding this case until all trustees have been made aware of correspondence, giving them the opportunity to see the documents first.

However, all the information I will post in the next few days will be information available to Baptists via other media and press releases. In other words, it is public information and available to all.

Let's be sure and do our work well. And for the sake of the kingdom, let's not jump to rash, hasty conclusions.

Finally, remember that an official appeal has been filed, and it is possible that the vote for termination will never reach the BOT in May.

Regardless, the next four days of posts will inform all Southern Baptists about Board approved policy at the International Mission Board.

That is a healthy thing for us all --- fully informed Baptists.

In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

SBC People MUST Be Involved for the Future of the SBC

I am sometimes baffled at how issues within the Southern Baptist Convention can so quickly become personal. When I began this blog four months ago I committed myself to focus on issues that concerned me, and never to speak negatively of any individual. Even when others took offense at what I wrote, and as a result, sought to strike back at me in a very personal way, I determined to maintain the high ground and continue to write only about principles.

However, what I can't understand right now are those who seem to think the SBC will change without involving oneself in the dynamics of convention operations and procedures. The idea that the convention can magically "change course" without offering some tangible, pertinent motions or resolutions, is really a bizarre notion. In fact, those who believe that might as well not participate in convention business anyway because they will have no effect on the convention through the success of their local church.

I pastor the greatest church a pastor could ever wish to shepherd. Our missions pastor, Dr. John Stam, has just informed me that we have invested over an average of $400,000 per year in missions these last four years. We send mission teams around the world, and many of our church members are actually living on the mission fields including Japan, Russia, Africa, India and other far reaches of the world. We have baptized over 100 people each of the last two years, and our people are very, very active in reaching people in our community and our world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

However, the SBC will not change because we at Emmanuel Bapist Church are a great missional church.

The SBC changes because missional people take the time to show up at the Southern Baptist Convention in a spirit of love, prepared to address the critical issues, and vote their consciences.

For example. Someone has taken the time to write a possible resolution for the June 2005, send it to me for feedback, with questions about how to properly present it. I do not know if this individual will actually present this resolution for adoption by the SBC or not, but I can guarantee you one thing --- if this person presents this resolution to the Resolutions Committee for possible adoption by the SBC, he/she will have a tremendous impact on the direction of our SBC. This person is GETTING INVOLVED, not just complaining. Here is the resolution:

On Baptist Dissent

WHEREAS, the Christian Gospel is a call unto the individual conscience to choose the narrow way of everlasting life, into which few pass through a difficult gate, against a wide way of eternal destruction, into which many pass through a wide gate (Matthew 7:13-14); and

WHEREAS, implicit in the call to follow Christ is a call to dissent from the wisdom of the world in favor of the wisdom of the cross, which is foolishness to the world (1 Corinthians 1:18-25); and

WHEREAS, our Lord was himself a dissenter, refusing to acknowledge to submit to the superfluous laws of the scribes and Pharisees, choosing rather to suffer affliction outside the camp, and to whom all Christians are exhorted to go (Hebrews 13:13); and

WHEREAS, every tributary of Baptist identity includes at some point an era of dissent from institutions, doctrines, and systems of belief that violate the teachings of Scripture and the individual conscience; and

WHEREAS, both our Anabaptist and English Separatist forefathers knew the power of dissent to shield the soul from compromise on matters essential to faith, church polity, and the ordinances, often suffering ostracism, exile, and even death for their refusal to violate the unpopular and resolute conviction that the church was to be free from governmental control, the ordinance of baptism was to be upon profession of faith, and the individual conscience was to be unencumbered by the unbiblical traditions of men; and

WHEREAS, Baptists in the early American colonies were most influential in protecting liberty of conscience, freedom of religion, and the prerogative of every person to speak, publish, and worship freely; and

WHEREAS, the Baptist witness has been a consistent and prophetic voice for protecting these liberties for all people, but especially for religious minorities when their essential and inalienable liberties have been abridged, compromised, or threatened by the majority; and

WHEREAS, the Southern Baptist Convention, organized in 1845, was originally founded on a platform of dissent against movements that would have undermined the suitability of Baptist missionaries in the South to serve on foreign fields of service; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists have continued to cherish and protect the privilege of principled dissent among its constituents, affirming the place within the denomination for all Baptists who would cooperate around missions, uphold biblical authority, and maintain Christian virtue; and

WHEREAS, even when the Southern Baptist Convention was unfriendly to those who upheld biblical authority, and inerrantists were underrepresented or unrepresented on denominational boards of trustee, the majority of Southern Baptists rose up to reassert the basis of cooperation around missions, biblical authority, and Christian virtue; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists continue to maintain a prophetic voice of cultural dissent, speaking regularly against abortion, homosexuality, gambling, and other popularly supported social vices; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists continue to maintain a prophetic voice of theological dissent, refusing to blend our witness in missionary enterprise with those who deny fundamentals of the faith such as the full deity and humanity of Christ, the doctrine of the Trinity, and the doctrine of salvation by faith alone; and

WHEREAS, whenever there continues to exist portions of the world where religious liberty, freedom of conscience, and principled dissent are not tolerated by oppressive regimes, Southern Baptists have worked through diplomatic, missionary, and political means to speak for oppressed religious minorities and to persuade those regimes to understand the value of such freedoms;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in annual session in Greensboro, North Carolina on June 13-14, 2006, recognizes the rich heritage of principled dissent that has given voice to our distinct witness as Baptists; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we continue to express our desire to see all people of the world, regardless of their religious heritage or tradition, share in the freedoms of conscience and speech and press that we have enjoyed ourselves; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we recognize majorities are not always right, and it is necessary for the voice of dissent – the minority voice – to be welcomed and heard if we are not to become authoritarian in our doctrinal confession or tyrannical in our denominational governance.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that when their manner of dissent has been Christlike, principled, and within the parameters of Evangelical orthodoxy, we affirm those within our own Southern Baptist fellowship who have voiced their own dissent regarding policies of our institutions, articles of our confession, and governance of our agencies and boards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we believe all attempts by those who call themselves Baptist to silence the principled dissent of fellow Baptists within our denomination, or of other believers in our nation, or of any person in any other country, are both a compromise of our cherished Baptist witness and a disservice to the Kingdom of God; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we wish to continue the tradition of welcoming principled dissent, freedom of speech and of the press, as the bedrock basis upon which a diverse people, such as Southern Baptists, can continue to work together for the greater good of evangelism and missions both to every tribe, tongue, people, and nation of the world.

Can you imagine what would happen if our convention actually passed this resolution? It would send a very strong message about the direction we want to move in the future.

Frankly, I am thankful that there are many young leaders who are carefully, prayerfully and seriously crafting important motions and resolutions for presentation to the SBC.

If you think this type of preparation is not needed to direct our convention for years to come you may really be naive about the nature of our work as a Southern Baptist Convention.

In His Grace, and Happy Resurrection Sunday!



Wade Burleson

The Debacle of Donut Dissension

My friend Rod Harris is the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma, the church which hosted me this week for revival services. Last Wednesday morning Rod desired to take me to his favorite donut shop in Tulsa for a time of fellowship, but he asked that I read something he wrote before we went.

"…Wade I am really excited. This morning I’m taking you to my favorite donut shop. This place is incredible. It’s an institution. It’s a land mark in our community. They make the best donuts – hands down. I’d put them up against any donut shop anywhere on the planet. There is one problem I should make you aware of. I had a little run-in with the management and things might be…well…cool when we get there. I love this donut shop. I remember going there with my dad and my granddad – I’m a third generation patron of this shop and as you can tell by my chiseled physic I love donuts! Long story short - I came in one morning to find they had changed the recipe. They had a recipe that had served well for generations. Why change it? I pled with them to reconsider. “If it ain’t broke why fix it? Remember new Coke?”

It seems some of the bakers determined that the flour was not refined enough. “You must insure that all the impurities are removed,” they demanded. (One of them knew a pastry chef who had written extensively on the subject.) They now had a strict policy wherein they would refine their own flour. Nothing was to be made with “alien flour”. It must be made in their own back room or not be used at all. I did not agree with their decision. But what could I do? I said, “Well I’ll be back in a minute I’m going next door to QT and get a cappuccino.” That’s when the other shoe fell.

I was told I could not patronize the shop and drink cappuccino. “But it’s not been a problem in the past,” I responded. Wade, I knew that the donut shop sold just plain coffee. None of the fancy blended stuff. This was not a $4.00 cup of coffee type place. Their coffee was black, strong and hot, just the way the owners liked it. I understood that and I was willing to go along. We could just disagree but enjoy the donuts. Keep in mind, I have never advocated cappuccino. I didn’t urge anyone else to drink cappuccino, it was a non-issue. “Fine I’ll just drink my cappuccino at home.” Then I was informed that would not do either.

It seems they had decided cappuccino drinkers would not even be aloud in the shop! If I wanted to drink cappuccino I must take my business elsewhere. I could just go to one of those other donut shops that relished their cappuccinos and did other weird things like cannoli, biscotti and beignets! I had to do something. I wrote a letter to the editor of our community newspaper that was critical of the new policies. It caused quite a stir. There was talk of banning me from the shop. Due to public outcry they did not ban me. I’m still allowed to come in but I am not to criticize the donuts. Once they are made – I’m to encourage their consumption and speak well of their quality. Wade it’s difficult, but I can live with it as long as my love of sugar and craving for donuts override my conscience. But I can’t help wondering…today it was donuts and cappuccino. What will it be tomorrow…maple bars and chocolate milk?"


With Pastors like Rod in the SBC we have a very bright future.

Pastor Rod's messages can be found at Bulldogs and Piggies.


Have a great day.


In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

THE Amazing Race

"Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any persons at unawares" (Numbers 35:11).

Old Covenant Israel was very familiar with the concept of blood revenge. Peoples of the ancient world believed that if you accidently killed someone, the nearest kin of the dead person should kill you --- to avenge the blood of the loved one.

When God gave the land of Canaan to His people, He did not forbid the avenging of blood, but rather, He established six Cities of Refuge for the nation of Israel. Three cities were on the east side of the Jordan river, and three cities were on the west side of the Jordan river. It was said that every Israelite was within a six hour or less run to the nearest City of Refuge.

The events of the Old Testament are often temporal, physical realities that typify eternal, spiritual truths. Charles H. Spurgeon explains that the manslayer pictures the person who breaks the law of God. The avenger is God's law, since it is the standard by which sinners will be judged. "The soul that sinneth (against the law of God) shall die." The City of Refuge, of course, pictures Jesus Christ.

Let the Race begin:

I. God reveals the objective of the race.

"Reach the city of refuge before the avenger reaches you" (Numbers 35:12).

It is absolutely essential that a sinner flee to Christ before he stands before His Creator on the day of judgment and gives the required account of his life in relationship to the law of God. No sinner will be able to stand after God's law is used to judge a person's life. The soul that sinneth shall die.

II. God removes the obstacles in the race.

So that the sinner may flee quickly and safely to the City of Refuge, God makes the way plain.

(A). The roads that reveal the way.

Unlike all other roads in Canann, the roads that led to refuge were regulated by law. They must be straight, never meandering, and they must be smooth. The Levites were responsible once a year to remove any stones or impediments on the roads that led to refuge, and they were responsible to repair all bridges.

So it is when a sinner comes to Christ. The way is plain. The gospel is clear. There is no circular route to Jesus. Their are no rituals. There are no round about ways to Christ. Flee straight to Him. Nothing stands in your way.

(B). The people who prepare the way.

The Cities of Refuge were owned by the priests of Israel. These Levites were often on the roads that led to refuge and assisted the weary runner to not give up, to continue running, to not stop. So it is with the people of God. We who have arrived to our Refuge have a responsibility to insure that those who have not yet come to Jesus are assisted as they flee to Him. God forbid that we place a stumbling block in the path of a lost sinner in need of Refuge. We are called by God to pray for sinners, to love sinners, and to be willing to risk our lives to insure those sinners reach Refuge.

(c). The signs that signal the way.

All along the roads that lead to refuge there were signs in Hebrew with just one word -- MIKLAT. These Hebrew word for REFUGE pointed the way.

If the manslayer accidently killed his friend, he would find his path to Refuge straight, smooth, and signed. He would not delay his race. The avenger would be on his heels. But the people of God would assist the manslayer as he ran for his life.

How beautifully that pictures sinners in need of a Savior. Obviously, they must be convinced by the Holy Spirit that the law of God demands their death. They must know in their hearts that their immorality, jealousy, envy, thievery, idolatry, lust, adultery, pride, and every other sin demands the justice of God. But once a sinner feels the hot breath of God's law on his back, his only hope is to run to Refuge.

III. God regulates the outcome.

When the manslayer reached the City of Refuge, fleeing from the avenger who sought his very blood, the Levites would take the manslayer and keep him in the City of Refuge --- until the High Priest died (Numbers 35:25).

When the High Priest died, the manslayer could then leave AND THE AVENGER COULD NOT TAKE HIS LIFE.

Jesus Christ is our High Priest. He has died for us.

Therefore, the law has NO MORE AUTHORITY OVER US.

We are free from the law, o blessed condition.

Hebrews 10:17 says "Your sins and iniquities I (God) will remember no more." Christ, our High Priest has died. We are free from the conemnation of the law.

O sinner, listen! Have you who have refused to run The Amazing Race? I have just one question for you: Are you crazy?

The law of God will avenge the holiness and righteousness of God. Your life is on the line. Run. Don't delay. Run to the only Refuge ever established for sinners --- run to Jesus Christ.

In His Grace,


Wade Burleson

Why I Can't Comment as a Trustee --- Yet

Tonight I will post the message from last evening's revival service, but due to a few emails I have received today, and due to the fact that there seems to be a growing amount of publicity on the possible termination of M's that I know personally, I felt it appropriate to explain my silence on this issue at this time. I will not give any information on this blog that will identify these missionaries or their location of service.

Let me begin with a question posed to me in the comment section of my blog by a former missionary:


Wade,

Can you comment on the fact that missionaries are under fire related to the policies of constriction under discussion? This couple may not be fired due to tongues or baptism practices, but there appears to be an ongoing witch hunt among missionaries in the field.

We have lost the point of missions when we spend so much energy and resources trying to root out "the liberals" instead of focusing on sharing the gospel with the entire world.

It would seem that our policies are completely out of step with Jesus' Great Commission, caring more for doctrinal and political agendas than taking the message of grace to the world.

Perhaps it is time we evaluate once again the purpose of the IMB. It is not to impose a tight doctrinal vise on the world. It is to fulfill Christ's demand that we take the gospel to all the nations. Falling short of that task is no light matter. So what if we miss the mark on a few specific doctrines "that we [only]understand in part"? We are still under obligation with Paul to share the good news of Christ with every people.

Setting politics aside is not an option if we are to be faithful to Christ? As we continue down this alternate path, we act in opposition to the will of Christ.


Wade's Response to Former M

Former M,

I can't comment pubicly --- yet.

I have spent hours on the phone regarding this issue.

I have met with the M's personally at their pastor's request.

I have given consideration to the administration, believing personnel issues are matters for administration, not trustees.

However, if I find trustees were involved in this decision, or if I discover that there is a philosphical or theological conflict between the M's and their RL over Board approved policy, or if I find that the M's were operating under what they believed to be Board approved policy only to discover that the interpretation of that policy is different than what they were led to believe when appointed, then I will speak publicly. But we are not at that point yet. Everyone is still in the discovery phase.

I am waiting until the appropriate procedures are followed before I comment on the request for termination.

Procedures for termination are as follows:

(1). The Regional Leader makes the decision to terminate.

(2). An official appeal can by made by the M's to the Vice-President for Overseas Operations. That appeal is being made today. If the RL's decision to terminate is overturned, then the trustees are never involved.

However, if the RL's determination to terminate is upheld by the Vice-President, then an appeal by the M's can be made to Dr. Rankin.

Only after the appeals process is exhausted through administration will the Board of Trustees be involved.

I have spoken to several people involved in the internal process on many occasions including the RL, the Vice-President, and Dr. Rankin.

What I have very little patience for is any stated, or implied, attack on this missionary couples character. I'm not saying that has happened, I'm just cautioning anyone involved not to even go there.

Frankly, we may discover there is simply confusion, or ignorance, over Board policy (on one or the other side) and a firmly held belief by the M's that they ARE following policy, and an equally firm belief by the RL that M's are NOT following policy.

Guess who sets policy at the IMB?

The trustees.

So you can expect, at some point, that you will hear from me.

I'm waiting for the appropriate time.

Hope this helps.

Wade



I trust everyone understands why this issue needs to be dealt with internally by administration at this time. At some point it may, or may not, become an issue for the trustees. I can promise you one thing: I will stand up for what I believe is right --- regardless.

Tonight I will post about "The Amazing Race," an Old Testament race to the City of Refuge.

In His Grace,


Wade

Happiness Doesn't Just Happen

Rather than you give you the full outline for last night's service, I would encourage you to call our offices and order my book by the same title :).

Just a thought for today.

The world finds happiness when their happenstances (circumstances) happen to be happy.

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11 said "I have learned, in whatever state I am in, therewith to be content."

The old Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs once wrote a book entitled "The Art of Christian Contentment." He pointed out in his exposition of this verse that the translators added the word "state."

Paul literally said, "I have learned in what (or who) I am, therewith to be content."

To the Corinthian church in I Corinthians 15:10 Paul said, "I am what I am by the grace of God."

I would propose to you that true happiness or joy comes from an inner satisfaction of knowing who you are by the grace of God. To the extent that God's people appreciate His work in us, His blessings for us, and His watchcare over us, is the extent that we can learn to be satisfied in this life regardless of our circumstances.

I would encourage you today to remember who you are by the grace of God and derive your satisfaction in life from Him.

I am . . . what I am . . . by the grace of God.

It will take us an eternity to plumb the depths of God's grace for us.

In His Grace,

Wade Burleson

Aroma Therapy

And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:20-22)


These verses contain a very interesting phrase. "And the Lord smelled a sweet savor" (v.21). The word "savor" (reah) occurs 46 times in the Old Testament and it comes from the same root word for man's spirit or inner being (ruah). The word "sweet" is nihoah and carries with it the idea of rest (the name "Noah" means rest). So it seems as if Noah offers a sacrifice and "the soul of God was at rest" (many King James Bibles have a footnote that reads "a savor of rest"). God had been judging the world through the flood, but just as the Ark came to rest on Ararat, so God is comes to rest because of the sacrifice. Unlike the first week of Creation when God rested from creating, in our text God rests from judgement.

Noah and his family step off the ark into a dark world. The atmosphere continued to rage as it does today, the earth was covered in mud and slime as a consequence of condemnation for man's sin. It must not be forgotten that Noah and his family were, by nature, "evil in their thoughts continually." For this reason, the first thing Noah does upon leaving the ark is to build an altar and offer a sacrifice. Then we read, the sacrifice was a "sweet savor" to God. God rested from holy judgment.

How can we understand the satisfaction and approval of God for sinners like us? The key comes from understanding the sweet savor of the sacrifice. What does this aroma represent? The sacrifices of the Old Testament all point to the work of Christ and the aroma to God's approval of, and satisfaction in, the person and work of Christ. When one comes to faith in Christ, when one "kisses the Son," like Noah laid hold of the sacrifice, he is covered with sweet aroma of Christ and the judgment of God ends --- forever. Why?

I. The sweet savor of Christ covers the reek of sin . .

This is why aroma plays such a big part in the sacrificial system of Old Testament worship. A "smell" or "aroma" had to mask the stench of sin in God's people when they approached Him.

(A). The sacrifices in Leviticus were said to be a "sweet savor" to God (Leviticus 1:13).
(B). There was an altar of incense in the Tabernacle and later the Temple (Exodus 30).
(C). If on the Day of Atonement the Holy of Holies was not filled with the smell of incense prior to the High Priest entering, the High Priest died (Leviticus 16:13).

Some of the Roman Catholic traditions include the use of incense or sweet fragrances in their holy days. These solemn rituals of incense waving visually portray a spiritual truth that is often missed in Catholicism. "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God." (II Corinthians 2:14-16).

"In Christ" you are a pleasure to God, a sweet aroma unto Him, because Christ covers you with His righteousness. This understanding of the beauty and glory of Christ as a cover for us, and His very Person as a sweet aroma in us, should then lead us to understand that . . .

II. The sweet savor of Christ calls for resistance to sin . . .

If God loves the fragrance of Christ, and He does (II Corinthians 2:16), and if your body is the Temple of the God, and it is (II Corinthians 6:16), then does He not drive out stench?

"Being confident of this very thing that He who began a good work in you will perform it (carry it on to completion) until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

In the Jewish book Mishnah in Avot (5:5) it states that there were no flies in the area of the Temple, nor was a snake or scorpion ever able to harm anyone anywhere in Jerusalem as long as the Temple stood. Though we are not sure of the accuracy of this statement because the Mishna is not God's inspired Word, wouldn't it be just like God to dispel any reminder of Satan (that old serpant, the Lord of the flies "Beelzebub," and the scorpion) from the place where Christ resides?

Some might object, however, and say, "I'm a believer, but there is still the residue of sin in me, and frankly, sometimes it is more than residue. I can't seem to conquer that habit that plagues me, I can't seem to get victory of that sin that pulls me down, your words are not encouraging to me because I still "feel my sin" so deeply. Why is God not driving out my sin completely?"

III. The sweet savor carries the reminder of the Savior . . .

God has a purpose for not driving out sin from your life the moment Christ takes up residence in your soul. Your journey with Christ involves being greatly vexed by sin in order for you know Christ even better. When you smell the stench of sin in your life (and by the way, others often smell your stench faster than you smell it), it is revealed by God to cause you to see your incredible need of Christ in you.

Are you sick because you have done something that has not only embarrassed you, it has shamed you? What is the answer? Very simply put, great sinners have need of a great Saviour. What Jesus Christ has done for you is a "sweet savor" to God. Has evil stained you? Grace shall shower you. "But where sin abounds, grace super abounds" (Romans 5:20).

The evidence of the sweet aroma of Christ in you is the desire to remove the stench of sin from your life. Notice, it is not the absence of sin that is evidence of Christ's presence, but the desire for your life to exude the sweet aroma of Christ. God's people are capable of the grossest sins of the world, but the difference is clear --- God's people have smelled Christ, and will not linger long in the temporal sweetness of sin that quickly turns into the foul odor that taints the soul.

If you are a believer in Christ, and you are struggling with sin, don't let the enemy deceive you. He will seek to convince you that God is not interested in your woship. He will seek to bully you into believing God has no enjoyment in your presence before Him. The great deceiver, like always is only half right.

Sin causes God to move in judgment and condemnation.

But the sweet aroma of Christ covers His people. God loves nothing more than to cease from judgment because of the beauty and glory of His Son. Sinner, don't stay away. Boldly approach the throne of grace.

Come covered with the aroma of Christ.

"When I stand before the throne, dressed in beauty not my own, When I see thee as thou art, love thee with an unsinning heart, then, Lord, shall I fully know, how much I truly owe." Robert Murray M'Cheyne.

Why the Cross?

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3:13

Have you ever asked yourself why it is Jesus Christ died hanging on a tree? Simply asked, why did Jesus die on a cross?

I. Because the cross is prophesied in Scripture -- "for it is written . . ." (Galatians 3:13).

Peter said the prophets "testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ" (I Peter 1:11). Paul said to Agrippa in Caesarea "I say none other than those things which Moses and the prophets said should come, that Christ should suffer" (Acts 26:22). The prophets foretold Jesus would die on a cross.

I have a book in my library written in 1728 by John Gill entitled The Prophecies of the Old Testament Respecting the Messiah Considered; and Proved to be Literally Fulfilled in Jesus. Gill looks at several passages from the Old Testament and shows that the prophets predicted:

Christ would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).
He would be forsaken by his disciples (Zechariah 13:7).
He would be beaten and scourged (Micah 5:1).
He would die on a cross (Psalm 22).
He would be numbered among thieves (Isaiah 53:12).
His garments would be parted (Psalm 22:18).
He would be given vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21).
No bones would be broken (Psalm 34:20).
He would die in shame before men (Psalm 22:13).
He would die abandoned by God (Psalm 22:1).

These prophecies, among the hundreds in Scripture literally fulfilled, should give us the assurance that the Bible is truly God's word. No other religious book in the world contains prophecies fulfilled.

How could the prophets of the Old Testament predict the future of the Messiah? Simple. God spoke through His prophets since He alone has the power to know the future. Jesus Christ died on the cross because God intended His Son to die this way, and the evidence is found in the prophecies of Scripture.

But we have not really answered the question, "Why the cross?" Why not some other means?

II. Because the cross is God's symbol of a curse.

Galatians 3:13 is a quotation from God's law to the Jewish nation given in Deuteronomy 21:23.

22. And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
23. His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

An Old Testament Jewish man who rebelled against the Law of God was to be taken outside the camp of stoning and hanged on a tree. This is not the western Gunsmoke form of hanging, but the Jewish hanging of crucifixion.
"They fix a beam in the earth, and a piece of wood goes out of it (near the top of it) and hang him; the hands are spread, and one hand is fastened to the one part of the cross-beam, and the other to the other end" (Jewish Rabbi Jarchi) as quoted by Gill.

The person hanged on a tree in the Old Testament pictured a person "cut off" from God. This cursed person is hanged to demonstrate to others he is cursed by God. Throughout the centuries Jews have mocked Jesus calling him, "he who is hanged."

Jesus Christ, in fulfilling the Law of God, became a curse when He died on a tree at Calvary. Why?

II. Because the cross becomes God's curse for us.

Have you broken the law of God? Are you worthy of the condemnation of God? Are you "cut off" from God because of sin, and feel yourself abandoned by Him? Does the venom of sin flow through you? Sinners have only one hope -- only one escape -- from God's curse of death. The cross of Christ.

We are in the same predicament the children of Israel were in thousands of years ago. Bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness, facing imminent death, they needed relief. God instructed Moses to build a serpent on a brass pole and to "lift it up." God then said, "Everyone that is bitten, let him look and live" (Numbers 21:8). Look to what? A pole in the ground with a cursed serpent hanging on it? Yes. Look! Look and live! Moses told the people.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and wondered how a man could be a part of the kingdom of God Jesus responded with these words:

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:14,15).

Then Jesus said the classic statement recorded in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosever believeeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Why the cross?

Without it there is no life, no forgiveness of sin, no escape from the curse of death due the rebel of God's law.

Christ bore on the tree the sentence for me.