Thread by @MusingsOnChrist

In the string of thought that follows, please allow me to spell out what I believe is the positive future for Southern Baptists.

This is being done as an extended devotional honoring the request of @bellevuepastor for Fasting and Praying for #SBC18.
Day 20 of 21 on Psalm 51.

Psalm 51 began with confession and personal lament and proceeded to requests for God to work transformation within the fallen human self. And it ends very positively, with a twofold request for God’s people, first, “On the basis of your good will, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.”

While revival begins with inner repentance and spiritual transformation, it must move into outward action demonstrating change. “Rebuilding” must be seen not only in the life of the individual believer, but also within the whole community. Our churches need a culture change.

Please note that I will be spelling out these 7 emphases as my own. I will be speaking primarily as a Christian and as a member of @birchmanorg, a church in fellowship with the Southern Baptist Convention. I will not be representing the official position of @swbts per se.

1. The most important aspect of “Christian” identity is “Christ.” If Southern Baptists are going to revive, it requires a Trinitarian movement of grace that puts our Lord Jesus Christ, with the gospel of his death and resurrection, at the front, center, top, bottom of everything.

2. In the 20th century, grassroots Southern Baptists never lost their passion for the Bible, but our academy was suffering from too great a fascination with liberal theological method. Southern Baptists have rightly emphasized Biblical Inerrancy. Inerrancy absolutely remains!

3. Yet again, Southern Baptists have reported a decline in baptisms. Doubtless, this has to do with a decline in our practice of evangelism. An SBC task force will be reporting on evangelism. All of us must make evangelism with discipleship a major priority in our talk and walk.

4. One of the most worrisome aspects of secular society now is the deep divisiveness so apparent in our political and social structures. Christians have faced such problems before, and the apostle Paul led the early church to see that we are one in Christ. We must foster unity!

5. Our Baptist Faith and Message rightly states, “The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.”

6. This brings us to the next critical issue, the problem of misuse of our fellow human beings. If every person is made in God’s image, and every person certainly is, then we must investigate and resolve every instance among us of abuse of God’s precious people.

7. Finally, please allow me to speak about our theological preferences. Those who know me understand I passionately affirm classical Christian theology, evangelical Reformation soteriology, and Baptist ecclesiology. The Baptist Faith and Message remains our confessional center.

I believe Southern Baptists should “rebuild” with these 7 truths: Classical Christian Orthodoxy; Biblical Inerrancy; Evangelism and Missions; Unity; Full Human Dignity; Rejecting Abuse; and the Centrality of our Common Confession. Others will properly point to more.

Conclusion: Of course, none of this will come about unless God deems it worthy to bring about. This is why King David did not issue orders to his underlings to act on his convictions. Rather, he appealed to the “good will” of God, who alone can bring us the revival we need. Amen.

A fuller discussion of these 7 emphases will be posted later on my blog. Blessings!