MAINSTREAM MESSENGER

Vol. 1, No. 1      April 1998

Mainstream Mailing Draws Response

Rev. Ted Kersh, president of the BGCO, responded to the first major mailing of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists to state pastors.  His article in the Baptist Messenger defended Oklahoma Baptists loyalty to the Bible and to evangelism and missions.  The pastor of Oklahoma City, Village Baptist Church, did not enumerate any of the principles that the Mainstream holds to, nor address any content of the Mainstream letter to pastors.

Rev. Kersh claimed that the leaders and a majority of members "rise out of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" -- apparently a mark of anathema.  Actually, only about half-a-dozen Mainstream Executive Board members are also on the Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma advisory board.  Most of the people who have expressed interest in Mainstream work have not been affiliated with the CBFO.  As Kersh indicated, the Mainstream purpose is "political," i.e., to express our convictions within the organization of the BGCO.  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and its state affiliates are entirely different, i.e., to support missions, theological education, and Baptist principles.  Some people choose to continue to support the Cooperative Program and to "work within the system," as with Mainstream.   Others choose to support missions through the CBF.  Some may choose to do both.  The unifying concern, of course, is dissatisfaction with the restrictive agenda of the new SBC Fundamentalism.

The letter, mailed to the entire list of 1500 BGCO pastors, came from Dan Hobbs, as Chairperson of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists.  Dr. Hobbs explained to a recent meeting of the Mainstream Executive Board, that the letter was sent first to pastors, so as not to give any impression of "going around" pastoral leadership.  Included with the letters were copies of the latest edition of The Takeover in the Southern Baptist Convention, by Rob James and Gary Leazer, and the Mainstream Covenant.

Hobbs said the next mass mailing will be made to laity of BGCO churches.

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