For the first time in more than 160 years, Baptists in North America will have a major convocation next month and differences of race, politics, or legalistic interpretations of the Scriptures will not threaten their unity, said former president Jimmy Carter.
Some 20,000 Baptists are expected to join a historic effort, called the New Baptist Covenant, aimed at dispelling an image of division among Baptist groups and in hopes of emerging with a new Baptist voice. The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 in Atlanta.
"One of the basic premises will be that the doors will be open to all Baptists who choose to share this long-awaited experience," said Carter, who spearheaded the initiative, in a statement this week in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Leaders from more than 30 Baptist organizations will be gathering under the theme "Unity in Christ" but notably absent from the convocation will be leaders from the largest Baptist group in America - the Southern Baptist Convention.
Conservative Southern Baptist leaders have been critical of the list of speakers lined up for the New Baptist Covenant celebration. Along with Carter, former president Bill Clinton, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former vice president Al Gore, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Charles Grassley, and Children's Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman are among those scheduled to speak at the meeting.
Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page said he would not take part in a "smokescreen leftwing liberal agenda" and others have alleged there are political overtones, considering the line-up of speakers and the timing of the event - which takes place during the U.S. presidential election year.
Rising Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee withdrew his participation from the convocation in May and commented last week that being president would be "a heck of a lot easier job than getting all the Baptists to agree on everything."
At the time of his decision to withdraw from the meeting, he said it would be best for him not to participate and to "not appear to be giving approval to what could be a political, rather than spiritual agenda," he told Florida Baptist Witness.
Organizers of the New Baptist Covenant, including Bill Underwood - president of Mercer University - have denied any political motives and instead emphasized the compassion platform they will be pushing.
One of the major prongs to the New Baptist Covenant is following the compassion mandate through social work in the capacity of poverty, HIV/AIDS and sex trafficking and also addressing religious diversity and evangelism among other issues. Carter has said he wants to bring together as many Baptists as possible on the ground of accomplishing the mission of Jesus.
"Our common ground will be the words of our Savior when he returned to his home town in Nazareth after his miraculous ministry had been demonstrated around the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee: The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord," Carter said in his opinion piece this week.
"These words are both inspirational and a call to action as we strive to emulate, in our own individual ways, the perfect life of Jesus Christ," he added.
The New Baptist Covenant Celebration is being organized under the umbrella of the North American Baptist Fellowship - a division of the Baptist World Alliance - which the Southern Baptist group left following concerns over its "leftward drift."
Meanwhile, Southern Baptist head Page has expressed concerns of divisions within their own 16.3 million-member convention. A negative image of Baptists as "legalistic and mean-spirited" - which the New Baptist Covenant is also trying to counter - has been highlighted by the media. And despite ongoing mission works and the provision of millions of meals to needy communities, Page, like many, says Baptists are more known for what they're against than what they are for.
Baptists need to do a better job of "presenting reality," Page told Southern Baptists at a Tulsa, Okla., church in October. The reality is that Southern Baptists are loving, caring people, said Page.
The Baptist groups supporting the New Baptist Covenant include the American Baptist Churches and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Several historically African-American Baptist denominations, including the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., have also joined the effort.
RSS
If this is so politically Democratic, why are two Republican senators speaking at the event? Huckabee was invited to speak, accepted, then declined. This is about unity in Christ, not about politics. The SBC wants no part because they would not get to call the shots. The current SBC leadership is all about control. This is about unity and following the demands of Christ to care for others instead of ourselves. Jn 17 does not leave a lot of room for dissociating ourselves with others because we have our disagreements. Jesus talked about loving service as the distinguishing mark of the Christian. That is the focus of this gathering.
While many within the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship espouse the authority of Scripture and the singularity of Jesus Christ as the means of salvation, there are also many who would recognize other religious paths as equally valid and salvific.
sdcaniglia, are you a Christian? If so, do you think the SBC should be involved in this? If so, for what purpose?
JHS, you don't know what you're talking about. I've known people in the SBC for years, and they were invariably politcally liberal, not conservative. The great majority of them vote Democrat.
Some time ago, I visited a church which was not identified as Baptist, but then learned it was part of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. I had never heard of it, so I researched it online and found it to be extremely politically liberal and not espousing Biblical moral truth. To be honest, I'd be shocked if the CBF were not part of this movement. Jimmy Carter is as confused as he was in the late '70s. He left this country in a terrible mess.
Citizen: "Both sides are seeing exactly what they want to see. No more, no less."
If there were no clear-cut standard of Christian behavior, this could be true.
BTW - are you a Christian? Do you know God's Word?
on my previous post, i meant Phillipians 4:8-9; not Ephesians 4:8-9.
Wilderness,
"After having been part of two of the organizations referenced in the article, I am convinced of a latent political agenda. Moreover, conversations with wise mentors have cautioned against participation, because of the heavy partisan overtones. While there may be those organizers who indeed maintain a Christlike motive, the timing and selection of speakers warrant close scrutiny. I have advised many against attending--not because of the compassion of some, but because of the negative witness that may be consequent."
Well said my friend, well said!
JHS wrote:
"The head of the southern baptist convention calling this left wing political, is like 1 hooker claiming another hooker is standing on thier street corner. The southern baptist church has been the whores of the republican party for years.! "
Oh my, my, sounds like someone needs to ponder on Ephesians 4:8-9. That's some real unwholesome speech there for someone who calls himself a Christian. Yep, you will know tem by their fruit, and the heart is desperately wicked above all things. The Mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart my friend. I suppose you use the same language to refer to the Liberal/emergent cult that is trying to rethink, re-interpret biblical Christianity and is trying to introduce their liberal/socialists wolf in sheeps clothing huh?
mcfbc:
You seem to be pretty much an endorser of everything that is biblically unorthodox are you? I got one word for both you and JHS -------REPENT for the KIngdom of God is near. Go ahead and laugh. The Scriptures predicted there would be mockers like yourselves in the end times. All I can do is hope and pray that the Lord would open both your eyes to the coming deception in the church. Actually more than half of the American Chruch; not to mention many in the Canadian and European community are falling for the liberal/social gospel delusion of the end times. REPENT and ask Christ to forgive you for your wrong views of Scripture.
Amen JHS
The head of the southern baptist convention calling this left wing political, is like 1 hooker claiming another hooker is standing on thier street corner. The southern baptist church has been the whores of the republican party for years.!
After having been part of two of the organizations referenced in the article, I am convinced of a latent political agenda. Moreover, conversations with wise mentors have cautioned against participation, because of the heavy partisan overtones. While there may be those organizers who indeed maintain a Christlike motive, the timing and selection of speakers warrant close scrutiny. I have advised many against attending--not because of the compassion of some, but because of the negative witness that may be consequent.
I am personally quite excited about this event, as a church history major, I think it is monumental. It seems that many involved with the SBC have posted they believe this event is making a political. I could be wrong, but I feel the SBC is making a political move in not attending.
"They have a "social gospel" that addresses the superficial issues, but don't get to the core issue - man's sinful state and his need for a Savior and Lord for redemption and forgiveness of sins."
Perhaps they simply aren't as alienated from themselves as you are.
RBB wrote:
"The entire point of this meeting is to push the liberal Christian agenda.
The problem is that their brand of "caring" and following Christ bears absolutely no resemblance to what the scripture describes as acting like Jesus. We are to take care of the poor, preach (although since they are not preaching what's in the Bible I have to wonder what they will be preaching), etc. But we are also to be following the scripture, and doing what it says, not making it up as we go and doing what current human standards say is right instead of God, which is what liberal Christians believe."
Absolutely, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. The emergent church movement with the Rick Warrens of the world are causing splits in whole denominations, while trying to redefine and reinterpret the Bible in liberal/proressive /post modern terms to please the hearers rather than speak the truth in love as the Scriptures exhort us to do. They have a "social gospel" that addresses the superficial issues, but don't get to the core issue - man's sinful state and his need for a Savior and Lord for redemption and forgiveness of sins. We must guard sound doctrine and not just be swayed by every wind of doctrine or twisting of the Scriptures. Remember, in the last days, the Scripturs warn us there will be those who will gather themselves teachers to tickle their ears.
"But we are also to be following the scripture, and doing what it says, not making it up as we go and doing what current human standards say is right instead of God, which is what liberal Christians believe."
Both sides are seeing exactly what they want to see. No more, no less.
The entire point of this meeting is to push the liberal Christian agenda.
The problem is that their brand of "caring" and following Christ bears absolutely no resemblance to what the scripture describes as acting like Jesus. We are to take care of the poor, preach (although since they are not preaching what's in the Bible I have to wonder what they will be preaching), etc. But we are also to be following the scripture, and doing what it says, not making it up as we go and doing what current human standards say is right instead of God, which is what liberal Christians believe.
Some 20,000 Baptists are expected to join a historic effort, called the New Baptist Covenant, aimed at dispelling an image of division among Baptist groups and in hopes of emerging with a new Baptist voice. The meeting is scheduled for Jan. 30-Feb. 1 in Atlanta.
Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page said he would not take part in a "smokescreen leftwing liberal agenda" and others have alleged there are political overtones, considering the line-up of speakers and the timing of the event - which takes place during the U.S. presidential election year.
Mike Huckabee withdrew his participation from the convocation in May and commented last week that being president would be "a heck of a lot easier job than getting all the Baptists to agree on everything."
The Baptist groups supporting the New Baptist Covenant include the American Baptist Churches and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Several historically African-American Baptist denominations, including the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., have also joined the effort.
Baptists need to look at the reason WHY they are divided. They can’t agree on SALVATION; the most basic aspect of Christianity.
BOC560
What I think is fantastic is that there are even efforts to try and bring about Jesus' prayer for unity in John 17:21 and 23. Let's all pray for our brothers and sisters, regardless of denomination. Only God knows their hearts and their motives. Let's not judge.
Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page said he would not take part in a "smokescreen leftwing liberal agenda" and others have alleged there are political overtones, considering the line-up of speakers and the timing of the event - which takes place during the U.S. presidential election year.
Well said Frank Page!