Spare Change

Why be Denominational?

Posted by Bryan

Note: The following is adapted from the conversations taking place over at Lifeway's discussion board.

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why would I go to the National SBC Conference which is not musch more than an extra long business meeting, when I can go to a John Piper Conference and get spiritually fed. Besides, Al Mohler was up there.
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True, the SBC does "do" its business every year at the annual meeting. That's exactly why you should go. I understand that there is an air of cynicism around the gathering, due to the politics of the conservative resurgence. Even so, we must continue to be participants in our system. If we don't participate, our silence is deafening. THe point is the SBC meeting is "the Table" we're all talking about. You have an annual invitation to have a seat there. If you opt not to fill it, don't be upset that your voice isn't heard.

Also, the SBC isn't "just" about the meeting. It's also about building relationships and reconnecting with friends and co-laborers for Christ. The "GOB" network has not developed in a vacuum, its been developed over years and years of like-minded, servant-hearted believers meeting, planning, and working together. If we want to impact this network, we have to show up, roll up our sleeves on a consistent basis, and dive in with these men and women who have been on the front lines for years.

The SBC is also an annual opportunity to discover what new resources and opportunities exist within the denomination. For example, we unveiled a new strategy to reach and mobilize men, there. This strategy has been well-received and is impacting churches. But it's not "sweeping the nation" because it's not being promoted as the 'newest, greatest thing.' It's just a solid resource for the men's group of your church, designed for Baptists because that's who we are.

The SBC is also where you can engage in Crossover, a front-line evangelistic effort where thousands have been saved every year it's been offered.

Finally, yes, Al Mohler will be there. And there's a good chance he'll be preaching. We do that at the SBC. We fill our pulpit with solid, expository preachers, who give excellent messages. By the way, the Holy Spirit shows up, too. He faithfully challenges and grows us through the unified, biblical preaching.

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I find no spiritual nourishment offered ammong Southern Baptists primarily because we do not concern ourselves with theology. Who care about spiritual feeding.
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I just disagree with you. Our Sunday school curriculum is excellent...it is sound theologically, and engaging relationally. We have discipleship tools that are the best and most useful (Experiencing God, The Mind of Christ, Beth Moore, Master Life, as examples from Lifeway, not to mention NAMB's excellent evangelism, mentoring, and interfaith witnessing materials).

Failures to use these good materials are not the fault of the denomination, but of the church. A great resource is rendered useless if the person presenting it is not spiritually prepared and engaged in the purpose.

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We want 2020 churches by 2000. We want One million church memebers by whenever. Who care that only 1/3 of our presnt membership rolls out of bed and makes it to church on Sunday morning.
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I think this illustrates the issue clearly. No doubt, our denominational agencies establish goals defined by numbers. I really believe this is in line with what a denomination can and should provide to a church. To a church, the denomination says "we'll work hard at offering supplies that attract and equip disciples. We'll provide commissioning opportunities for these disciples to serve. We'll also pool all church's financial resources to make a significant impact into all the world through full-time missionaries."

And we do that.

And it tracks all those commitments through numbers.

The cooperative arrangement, though, is that the 46,000 SBC churches will all take part of the ownership over those millions of numbers, using the resources and participating in the opportunities. The numbers are not the end objective...they are merely the indicators of success or failure in the work of Kingdom advance.

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How about some real spiritual food, instead of traioffering seminars about how to teach Sunday Schoold and when we get there we are simply taught how to paint by numbers and make balloon animals because this is what children like.
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I've disagreed with you, but here is the only area where I take offense. I've participated in and led numerous conferences where we do exactly what you are claiming is not being done. Lifeway's staff of trainers are passionate about making Sunday school better...that truth is reflected in their conferences, their personal training, and the curriculum.

As a final note, my wife is a layman with a primary ministry to preschoolers. She gives significant time every year to writing curriculum for preschoolers. She is part of a team that meets the challenge of providing what they need (sound, age-appropriate theology) in a way that is appealing. And they do not compromise the former for the latter. Make no mistake, though...our support hasn't been "bought" (if you saw her pay for the work, you'd see we're not in this for the money). We are the parents of three young children, and we care about their spiritual development. And that's why we use Lifeway's resources.

I go back to the notion that are issues that need to be addressed, but they are cross-generational, spiritual issues. We're not going to make a difference if we just take an aspirin for the headache, thinking the problem is solved when the temporary headache subsides (while the aneurism causing the headache goes unadressed).

November 24, 2004 9:20 PM