Fundamentalist Fallout
Like radioactive fallout from a nuclear explosion, Fundamentalism has contaminated every area of Southern Baptist life. The 2000 BF&M is the radioactive dust cloud that, over time, will kill the SBC.
For 23 years Southern Baptists have lived with the nausea of denominational conflict. Fallout shelters capable of shielding Baptists from the radioactive storm of Fundamentalism have been provided by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Texas and Virginia Baptist Conventions, and the Mainstream Baptist Network. Mainstream Baptists in 14 states are now issuing advisories to Baptists to get out from under the cloud of Fundamentalism before it destroys them and their churches. If you value spiritual health and freedom, you should give heed to these warnings. If you fear freedom in Christ or blindly believe your church is invulnerable to being led into spiritual bondage, you should ignore our warnings.
From the beginning, the controversy in the SBC has been about freedom in Christ. The takeover was launched when Fundamentalist leaders decided that the pre-1979 Southern Baptist leadership had allowed too much freedom in Christ. Jim Richard, editor of the fundamentalist Southern Baptists of Texas (SBT) newspaper summarized the goal of the takeover movement when he wrote, “The 2000 BFM removes the ‘wiggle room’ of neo-orthodoxy.”
Herschel Hobbs and the state convention presidents that comprised the 1963 BF&M committee gave Baptists too much freedom in Christ to suit the Fundamentalists. In their eyes, they weren’t real Baptists, they were either “neo-orthodox” or “duped.”
In place of the 1963 BF&M, Fundamentalists have created a theological straightjacket laced with the radioactive dust of toxic faith. Now they are working feverishly to strap it on to every Southern Baptist in the world.
Here is an update on efforts to impose the 2000 BF&M in every area of Southern Baptist life:
National level: In January, Jerry Rankin, President of the IMB, announced that all missionaries, including career missionaries, (many with long years of service) would be required to sign the 2000 BF&M. This is the final stage in the process of implementing the 2000 BF&M in all the institutions and agencies of the SBC. Previously it was imposed on all members of all boards and agencies, all seminary professors, and all recent mission appointees. All literature produced by Lifeway and other SBC agencies is being written in accord with the 2000 BF&M.
What does this mean? Why is it of any importance to you?
It means that the literature you study in Sunday School has been censured to insure uniformity of opinion. You are being indoctrinated, not educated. Rather than providing a range of possible interpretations and trusting the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth, you are being led to believe that there is only one way to interpret scripture.
It means that your future pastors are being indoctrinated and not educated. The six Southern Baptist Seminaries are now turning out fundamentalist ideologues who think they have an infallible grasp on the truth. Woe be it to anyone who dares to challenge their authority.
Here are some examples of what you can expect from Southern Baptist pastors in the 21st century:
Example #1 A member of a church in Tulsa informally questioned her pastor about the direction he was leading her church. Their newly called pastor advised her that she needed to fall-in-line because he was accountable to God for giving her direction.
Convicted that their own accountability is to God, rather than to their pastor, she and others have started a new church.
Example #2 Another member of an Oklahoma Baptist church reports that her pastor has (1) eliminated all committees, (2) disbanded the deacons, and (3) declared there would be no more business meetings. Then, from the pulpit, he advised the members that if they were not happy with the changes they should go to church elsewhere. Some have done just that.
The woman who told me this asked, “What happened to the Baptist principle of priesthood of the believer and democratic church government?” I told her, “That’s part of the ‘wiggle room’ that the 2000 BF&M has removed.”
Example #3 The mother of one of my friends is a long time member of a Texas church that allowed members to designate their gifts according to their conscience. Gifts were forwarded to the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), and CBF as well as the SBC. They recently called a new pastor who led the church into the SBT, a newly formed fundamentalist convention in Texas. He refuses to allow members to even give to BGCT through the church, much less CBF. That lady now attends Sunday school at her old church and attends worship services at a church of another denomination.
What does all this portend?
All of the examples cited happened in the last few months. Pastors assuming dictatorial powers in churches will not be a passing aberration. It will be standard operating procedure for Southern Baptists in the 21st century. The authorization for such autocratic pastoral leadership comes directly from the 2000 BFM. Pastors are setting themselves up to be your church’s “accountability keepers.”
Lay people had better think long and hard before accepting the 2000 BFM as a doctrinal guide.
Fundamentalist fallout from the 2000 BF&M is now hanging over the state conventions, associations and local churches.
Many Mainstream Baptists believe that within the next 5 to 10 years, or even sooner, every Baptist church in the SBC will be required to affirm the 2000 BFM in order to be in fellowship in the SBC.
State Level: Oklahoma’s Directors of Missions have already recommended that churches affirm the 2000 BFM. The Oklahoma state convention passed a resolution endorsing it. The Texas and Virginia state conventions, however, have repudiated it. Other state conventions, associations and churches are dividing over the 2000 BF&M. Unlike the 1963 BF&M, which united Baptists, the 2000 BF&M has already proven to be the most divisive confession in the history of the Baptist denomination.
Few Baptists in Oklahoma know about the fallout from the 2000 BF&M. The Baptist Messenger, our state Baptist newspaper, prints little about the divisions the 2000 BF&M is causing. Because of that, and the fear that many Oklahoma Baptist pastors have of discussing these issues in their congregations, very few Baptists in the pew know much about the division the 2000 BF&M has created.
Don’t take my word for it. Check it out for yourself. GET INFORMED !!
Pastors and staff: Each of you must decide how to deal with the 2000 BF&M. I hope you will be conscientious about facing the abuse of power in the SBC and expressing your convictions. Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists would be glad to provide literature or speakers to help you inform your church about what has happened to the SBC.
Laity: President Harry Truman said, “One man with courage makes a majority”. Mainstream Baptists are looking for persons of courage in every Baptist congregation. We would be glad to provide you with literature and speakers to help you inform the members of your church about the 2000 BF&M.
Another of President Truman’s favorite quotes was, “You cannot tell the people only what they want to hear.” Encourage your pastor to inform the church about the unwelcome news about the takeover of the SBC. Remind him that it is his responsibility to provide you with the information that will enable you to make conscientious decisions on denominational and doctrinal issues.
Also, make plans to attend our forums with Dr. Slayden Yarbrough, retired OBU professor, and hear what this distinguished Baptist historian has to say about the 2000 BF&M.