Monday, May 4, 2009

Great Commission Resurgence Fever? Not Yet.

I must confess I have yet to catch the Great Commission Resurgence fever.

In fact, I am a little confused by first document and second by its attending hoopla. Now, to many that may simply reveal my limited passions and intellect. It may also reveal that I am not part of the “official” SBC blogosphere.

My first confusion is that when I read it, I do not notice anything new. I would hate to think that there are a wide number of Baptist churches and pastors that have suddenly been introduced through this document to the Lordship of Christ or the importance of the Great Commandments or that our churches should have a healthy commitment to the Great Commission and Biblical preaching. Other than a vague (and timeless) statement that we should “seek to do things better” I am blind to the paradigm shift that has the SBC web a-flutter.

Some of what I hear in this discussion is the all too common tendency that is in all of us to think, “if I were in charge everything would be different (when I say different I humbly mean incredibly better)”. There is a bit of an antiestablishment energy to the debate. For better or worse what I read has the quality of a disgruntled opposition party within the denomination. (Opposition may be a bit too strong a word, but disgruntled seems to fit pretty well.)

Which I find ironic because the Great Commission Resurgence is the ultimate SBC insider document. Crafted and promoted by the SBC President and various SBC agency heads, we now know it was trotted out before a gathering of a group of “pastors of strategic churches” for final approval before regular Baptists were given a chance to sign their affirmation. This strikes me as “reform by the usual suspects”. Aren’t these the very folks that have been holding the official and unofficial reins of SBC leadership for some time now?

My greatest frustration with the GCR is that it too closely identifies the Southern Baptist Convention with a three day meeting in June and denominational agencies instead of with than with what happens the other 362 days in communities across our nation. It is not about denominational structure, it is about the churches. Keeping the conversation at the denominational and structural level allows us to flex our theoretical and rhetorical muscles without always doing very much where it matters most. I find it revealing with all that has been written about the GCR, at the time I write this there has been one lone response to Tony Kummer’s question at SBCVoices concerning churches that our currently living out the GCR. As long as we discuss blueprints we don’t have worry about the rubber hitting the road.

To be honest there is nothing specific in the document that I disagree with. There is also nothing specific enough in the document that excites me. I simply don’t see what all the fuss is about.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled pep rallies for the Great Commission Resurgence…..

Friday, May 1, 2009

Influence -- Galatians 2

There may be few stranger coupling of words in the English language than “circumcision party”. Physically it doesn’t seem like a party for anyone involved. And according to Paul in Galatians 2, theologically it is no better.

The circumcision party of Paul’s day was clutching to empty forms of failed religious efforts. And worse they were requiring that everyone else join them in this futility. The Gentiles were now being asked to do what the Jews had found they could never do.

Even those who knew better were susceptible to this error. The appearance of circumcision party caused Peter to change his practice, along with the rest of the Jews. Even that great friend of the Gentiles, Barnabas was pulled off course.

Influence may be one of our most precious commodities. In chapter one we marveled about the kind of influence Peter and James might have had on Paul, how they contributed to his growth and maturity.

But that influence cuts both ways. When we get it wrong, in tone or spirit or effort or doctrine, it can have terrible effects.

I pray that I would recognize and remove anything in my life that is having a negative influence on the work of God.