Weary of GCRTF Stuff

My inbox gets crowded with stuff for and against the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force recommendations that will be presented next week at the Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando. Quite frankly, I’m tired of it. Luckily, the convention is soon and the issue will be decided.

But I really don’t think the rhetoric will die down. My circle of pastor-friends is divided. I suspect that is true across the convention. And if it is, then the vote next week won’t really settle anything.

Those who are promoting the recommendations make me believe that they think there is no other solution to issues facing the convention and that many young pastors and their churches will leave the convention if this doesn’t pass.

Those who are against the recommendations make me believe that they think change is the worst way to approach the issues facing the convention.

I like the idea of emphasizing world evangelization and admit my failure to put forth my best effort. I can do much better personally and leading my church in this area.

I like the idea of emphasizing unreached areas of North America even if that means I have less denominational support for my traditional Bible-belt church.

I like the idea of reducing bureaucracy in a denomination that claims to be a convention of churches rather than a top-to-bottom hierarchy.

I like the idea of allowing those who specialize in training missionaries for cross-cultural ministry to do so even if that blurs or eliminates previous lines of authority.

I like the idea that more of my church’s CP dollars go to outside-Arkansas Southern Baptist entities. I’ve never considered designating those dollars and probably would not consider it regardless of the outcome of the vote. But I would like to know that Arkansas Baptists are being the best stewards possible.

What I do not like is the perception (mine) that some SBC leaders want to improve their SBC giving by creating nomenclature to disguise this truth: they will spend no more on missions than they currently do. Why the high pressure on this issue? It must be embarrassing to run for a national SBC office and have it published that your church does not support CP very well.

From the beginning I’ve been surprised at the response from both sides. Some seem offended that someone would question their stewardship. But I get correspondence regularly from SB entities encouraging me to be a good steward. Even had a guy imply my church is not really giving what we claim we give to CP because we don’t know the math necessary for preparing a budget.

And then the proponents of the task force recommendations want me to believe that their solution is the one and only solution that will fix the problems within our convention.

I love the Southern Baptist Convention. We do a good job of preparing men and women for ministry. We have a system of financial support for missionaries that has no comparison. We value all people and want them to hear the gospel and know Jesus as Savior and Lord. We cooperate as autonomous churches.

I’m all for a Great Commission Resurgence. I preach it. I believe we must get back to the Great Commission. I am pressing my church to be a missions outpost with global impact. This is the focus of my doctoral project. I’m committed to the idea.

But I’m weary of all the stuff in my inbox.

My church is small. Our missions dollars don’t total much. I wonder if my opinion will be as valued as they want me to believe my vote is.