Axiom 6: A passionate pursuit of the Great Commission's command to go to the United States and all nations, to disciple, baptize and teach. Starting at home, this means racial reconciliation in every Southern Baptist church and a commitment to reach those of every race and social class in their own communities and elsewhere.
"We must pursue a vision for our churches that looks like heaven," Akin said. "Yes, we must go around the world to reach Asians and Europeans, the Africans and the South Americans. But we must also go across the street, down the road and into every corner of our local mission field where God, in grace, has brought the nations to us.
"This means planting authentically Bible/Baptist churches and filling them with authentic followers of Jesus, irrespective of nationality, race, economic or social status. Genuine discipleship is not negotiable."
You don't hear this from Southern Baptists everyday--and I am one! Go 'head Danny!
HT: Reconciliation Blog
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4 comments:
Yeah! This is a great move forward. I'm surprised. I'd love to see it come off. My prayer is that it will.
You can watch the video at sebts.edu.
Thabiti,
Hey brother, how are you? The context for my comment: I grew up in small-town Alabama as kind of a "social misfit" white kid, partially due to my physical disability, my love of punk rock and other "off-beat" cultural things, *and* (not least, I think) my outspokenly anti-racist attitude.
Reading this post, I think about the racist jokes and comments, and subtly racist reactions, that I often heard/encountered from white professing Christians in Alabama (not all of them, but not just a few), and I wonder how Danny Akin's call for churches which reflect the unity of God's Kingdom would be received there. I think that such a call, and the implementation of it, might greatly upset many people.
I didn't become a Christian until I was 29, years after I moved out of the Deep South (I'm now almost 36). One of the things that Satan used to deceive me about Christianity was the racism of many professing Christians where I grew up. Sadly, at the time, it seemed that I knew more non-Christians who loved across racial lines than Christians (at least, among the Christians I knew). I fervently pray that the situation has changed since I moved away (and became a Christian). Blessings to you, brother!
"But we must also go across the street, down the road and into every corner of our local mission field where God, in grace, has brought the nations to us."
How true... we must start where we are at and reach out from there.
KEEP PRESSING ON FOR THE LORD...
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