Comments on: If We Were the GCR Task Force, We Would Head to the Old West

By: Benjie

Benjie — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 03:40:04 +0000

Born, raised, and educated in the midst of the regional life that is SBC, sometimes the mold is tough to break. Even when I know I should. I still think in SB terminology and drawl with the best of them. Like many who share my contextual roots, I see it happening, and struggle to make it stop–because even the South doesn’t always look (and talk) like the South any more. If we are to reach the world, we must break the mold.

By: Marty Duren

Marty Duren — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 21:30:10 +0000

Kathy-
Thanks. We appreciate your input. Don’t forget that the Chinese have done some amazing things with firecrackers!

I’d personally like to let you know that Rick was a huge, huge influence on my own thinking about mission and the local church. I once heard him say, “If you can start a church that can reach people that we can’t, then I’ll mark off part of our parking lot and you can build a building there.” I’ve thought about that many times since.

By: Kathy Ferguson

Kathy Ferguson — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:49:00 +0000

After spending 14 years doing life and ministry in Denver Colorado I find myself in agreement of much of this assesment. Southern Baptists have failed to reach to the “west” as you have defined it. The numbers bear this out. Denial won’t work. We may be able to thrive in a region that is dominated by a Christian sub-culture but we clearly struggle outside of that comfortable, familiar and understandable atmosphere. Why? Because it is hard work? It takes time? It is a slow process? It demands new context? It costs alot of money? The personal costs can be high? Perhaps all of these things.

It is in my heart to represent the needs of our own nation’s unreached regions and major cities–it is a true personal passion. I cannot promise to be a “bomb thrower” but will attempt at least firecracker status.

By: Alan Cross

Alan Cross — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 20:47:43 +0000

Bruce Robertson said,

” What I don’t think he realized is that everyone is striving to be culturally relevant, it just depends on what culture they are trying to be relevant to. The culture he was trying to be relevant to was middle class, white, conservatives with a Christian sub-culture mindset.”

That is absolutely right, Bruce, and it is a perspective that is often missed. We have adapted completely to one culture that is no more biblical than others – it just happens to be what we are used to. And, for people to come to Christ and grow in Him, they must accept our culture or they are not wholly welcome in our churches. We approach the Galatian heresy in our cultural myopia when we expect people to be just like us.

The cultural captivity of the gospel is definitely a hindrance in that what we primarily understand is how to present a message in a Southern, conservative, middle-class format. We have to begin to incarnate the real gospel of the Kingdom cross-culturally if we desire to be biblically faithful.

By: David Phillips

David Phillips — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:00:31 +0000

@David Jackson David, I'm pondering your suggestion. I would say that the SBC is in every state, but whether than equates to a

continental denomination with a regional worldview and values.

I'm not totally sure. Only 9% of our churches in the Northeast and West...that's the major population centers of the country. I certainly agree with the last part. I'm going to keep thinking...and feel free to add more of your thoughts.

By: Todd Littleton

Todd Littleton — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:55:06 +0000

@Marty Duren I also thought this was one of the best assessments yet.

By: Bruce Robertson

Bruce Robertson — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:52:00 +0000

I heard a pastor talk about being culturally relevant, unfortunately he was saying that was a bad thing since it watered down the gospel, blah, blah, blah. What I don’t think he realized is that everyone is striving to be culturally relevant, it just depends on what culture they are trying to be relevant to. The culture he was trying to be relevant to was middle class, white, conservatives with a Christian sub-culture mindset. For the SBC to survive (if that is the goal) we need to expand our cultural relevancy and your article was “spot on” in that regards.

By: David Jackson

David Jackson — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:36:14 +0000

Great article, David. Well-thought out and presented. But I’d offer an alternative to your thesis: perhaps the SBC is a continental denomination with a regional worldview and values.

By: John Stickley

John Stickley — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:24:33 +0000

Well said, David. I do hope that the thoughts you guys are sharing here get back to the GCR task force and garner some serious consideration!

By: Bob Cleveland

Bob Cleveland — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:49:29 +0000

Shucks, I thought you were going to do a dissertation on how SBC politics resembles herding cattle. That could be an analogy lover’s dream.

Good article, though, if you’re into intelligence, analytical thinking, etc.