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I’m reading a 2020 book from NAMB right now that says local associations of southern baptist churches *need* a mission strategist (formerly called a DOM/AM) to “cast vision for the churches to cooperate together to reach their local mission field for Christ.”
A few comments:
A few comments:
1. I am not opposed to “denominational employees”. I’m not opposed to a group of churches hiring ppl for a particular purpose in missions, teaching, etc.
2. With that being said for anyone to say that a church or group of churches need something that the Scriptures do not say is bad. Again, it should be corrected even if it were a layperson. But when it’s NAMB I find it even more discouraging.
3. I think we have a fundamental disagreement in the SBC over what the church is. And certainly we have a disagreement over the sufficiency of scripture. Again, I don’t mind “DOMs”. But are they *needed* in order for churches to fulfill the great commission? Absolutely not.
4. It seems to me that we have a poor appreciation for the pastorate in the SBC. For the most part I get the impression that pastors, particularly rural pastors, need educated, professional denominational workers to help them “cast a real vision”. (Whatever casting vision means)
5. One of the biggest issues we are facing in the SBC is removing ministry further and further from the local church and this book from NAMB is just one example. At the associational level it is perhaps 1 or 2 steps away from the local church.
By the time you get to the state level it’s more. And once you get to the SBC as a whole the local church is almost completely removed. That’s why Res9 passed. That’s why our trustee system is broken. That’s why ppl who are paid by CP$ can say whatever on social media unchecked.
6. It is absolutely a dangerous thing to be so far removed from the local church. It removes people from accountability. It removes people from God’s plan for the spread of the gospel.
7. If we want to see reformation in SBC we must recover a more robust view of the church
7. If we want to see reformation in SBC we must recover a more robust view of the church
We must see the local church as God’s primary vehicle of getting the gospel to the Nations. We must take the local weekly gathering seriously (and as essential). We must prize the preaching, the biblical qualifications for pastors, regenerate membership, etc.
END:
I’m not being nitpicky with NAMB here. It’s just that this book represents a larger problem that we must address if we want to see the SBC recover.
I’m not being nitpicky with NAMB here. It’s just that this book represents a larger problem that we must address if we want to see the SBC recover.
