State Conventions Will Determine Outcome

Fundamentalism and Christian integrity are poles apart. Since the days of Jesus’s sojourn on earth, people have been drawn to one or the other. Today, the tug-of-war over our minds and hearts is intense. It is as if a line has been drawn between contrasting commitments. Indeed, it is as if a flag on one side of the line bears the words Christian Integrity; on the other side is emblazoned The Spirit of Fundamentalism.

You and I, along with many other Baptist laypeople, are privileged to participate on the side of genuine Christian and authentic Baptist work. Yet, some “people of the pews” seem blithely determined to ignore the further damage that can be done to Baptist work by the spirit of Fundamentalism. Others merely long for the controversy in our denomination to go away without their personal involvement. Unfortunately, as you and I now know, that will not happen.

Unless you commit yourself openly to oppose Fundamentalists’ worldly-powered activities now underway in our state conventions and local associations, the principle of church autonomy is subject to erosion and possible termination.

Fundamentalism in the SBC is demonstrated to be powerfully intimidating and viciously vindictive when an association’s Fundamentalist director of missions says to a young man who has felt the call to preach God’s Word, “Unless you obtain your theological education from a SBC seminary, you will be blacklisted all over the nation.”

It will be well for mainstream Baptists to verify if such threats are being made in their associations and then to consider withholding further contributions to those associations as long as the offending directors of missions remain in their positions.

Authentic Baptists are dependent upon the Lord for strength and the Holy Spirit for guidance. They are committed to religious freedom. They are sickened by the worldly evil lurking at every turn in Baptist life. Each of us is free to make a difference by doing something, or we may lose such an opportunity to take a stand for Christ if we choose to do nothing at all. But none of us will be able to escape the ultimate consequences of our decisions.

The above excerpt is from The Battle for Baptist Integrity by Texas Baptist layman John Baugh, pages 162-63. The book should be read by every Texas Baptist. We are also offering the book as a free gift for all new TBC members.

February 1997