Associated Baptist Press is reporting that SBC President Bobby Welch is planning to launch a major effort to get Southern Baptists to baptize one million people in one year. Welch admits that the twenty-five year campaign to purge moderates from the convention has not made the SBC more effective in sharing the gospel.
I applaud Welch for trying to get Southern Baptists focused on the real mission of the church. For the past twenty-five years Southern Baptists have been focused on politics both within the denomination and in what used to be called the secular political arena (now the playground of SBC leadership). Welch's evangelistic emphasis comes as the Dominionist forces within the convention are pressing Southern Baptists to disrupt and abandon the public schools.
Welch's crusade is reminiscent of "Bold Mission Thrust," the attempt moderates made in the late 1970's and early 1980's to refocus Baptists' attention on mission rather than on politics. Moderate's attempt failed. Then as now, most fundamentalists would rather point fingers at sinners, name scapegoats, and fight than witness.
Welch certainly has his work cut out for him. We wish him well. We also pray that his efforts will encourage Baptists to engage in the kind of personal, relational evangelism among the unchurched that promotes a measure of sensitivity in the witness and produces faithful, mature disciples. If all Southern Baptists do is re-baptize those that their educators deride as "unregenerate members," they will only succeed in spinning their wheels.
3 comments:
The stastics quoted in the Dallas Morning News about SBC baptisms doesn't reflex how many were re-baptisms. I know FBC Albuquerque for years only re-baptised all the young people at make their youth program look effective.
Most of the administrations in public schools are doing everything they can to aid the downfall of the public schools. They have legislated so much that teachers don't have time to teach. When youth get to high school no one seems to care if they go to school or not. They can't learn anything or graduate if they are not there. Teachers should be allowed to teach without all the paper work they are requiring. Parents should make sure students are in class and expect them to pass their classes. Public schools are not baby sitters, religious schools won't take the behavior problems or the special needs students. I sometimes think that the calling to be a teacher is just as great or demanding as to be a preacher. I have seen children come from religious schools that can't get along with other students, can read but have no knowledge of what they have read. Some are so afraid of the school they can't find their way from the classroom to lunch room and back. How are these kids going to live in our society today.
I alway thought to be a good parent you had to make your children as independant as possible. Most home schoolers want their children to be totally dependent upon them.
Most public schools do a good job if the state guidelines are followed, be involved in your school. Let your student know that you will show up if there is a problem. Your school is only as good as you are willing to help make it.
I quess this is enough of my soapbox on public schools.
grandma1
Thanks for your thoughts. As I stated in another post, the public school system is as good as a community demands that it be. I live in a rural County in Florida and the Christian community in our county is very vocal.
I can't tell you how times a Christian parent has approached me either in Church, at school, or even at the supermarket and said something like, "I was really concerned to send my child out to that middle school. But it's been a really great experience." As a Christian public school teacher, hearing that means a lot.
As far as paperwork and government regulations are concerned, that's an entire other book. My only advice to other teachers is, despite all of that "other stuff," teaching can be an extremely rewarding calling.
Thanks again.
God Bless,
TammyJo58
Snoofy Have you been in a public school lately?
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