During my reading on the Great Commission Resurgence discussion in the SBC, my attention was drawn to a contributing issue that I would like to address as separate from my response to the GCR itself.

Time after time, the leaders of the SBC who signed the document stated that their reason for doing so was the decline in baptisms in Southern Baptist churches. Other reasons may have been given, but that is the ONLY reason I read in terms of why each supporter agreed with the document. The line of reasoning is: Baptisms have declined. This MUST be due to the loss of evangelistic emphasis in the pulpit and evangelism practice from church members. Therefore, we must have this Great Commission Resurgence.

Now please don’t misunderstand me, when baptisms decline, we do need to be concerned and investigate the reasons behind it. My aggravation, though, is that every time this issue is discussed, the loss of evangelism practice and zeal is ALWAYS the ONLY reason given! I am not suggesting that pastors and churches do not need constant encouragement to proclaim the Gospel. What I am suggesting is that there may in fact be another contributing factor to the decrease in baptisms - and it actually may be a good one!!!!!!!!!

Think through this with me...the GCR document itself calls for biblical methods such as regenerate church membership, responsible baptism policies, and responsible church discipline. It also presents 3 of the Commitments as “Healthy Churches” (#6), “Biblical Preaching” (#7), and “Gospel-Centeredness” (#2). I entered pastoral ministry in 2005 having already firmly embraced all of those biblical methods as convictions and began implementing them into church life. The reason why I came to the church with these things in my heart is due in part because of the training and education that I received at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Now what if there are numerous men entering the pulpits across our denomination with these biblical convictions? As a matter of fact, I know from conversations and relationships that this is indeed happening. Therefore, across the spectrum of SBC life there is a slow turning from “easy-believism” evangelism and poor church practice to sound preaching, biblical Gospel presentations, and responsible church practice. These good, sound qualities may result in a decline in professions of faith as the false professions are dwindling and genuine professions are maintained. That is a good thing, right? That is exactly what we want to pursue. I suggest, it is already being realized to a degree and that is why we see a decline in baptisms.

It may not be the ONLY factor. It may just be a contributing factor. It may be a combination of lack of evangelism in some areas and “better” evangelism in other areas! The point here is this: there are other means of measure than numbers! A decline in numbers may have positive means behind it, it does not always have to be a negative reason.

I realize I am posting this at the cost of being accused of not wanting more professions of faith followed by baptisms. I can hear it now, “He must be a Hyper-Calvinist!” That couldn’t farther from the truth. I and many other younger pastors do want more professions of faith - but we want GENUINE professions of faith based on BIBLICAL presentations of the Gospel!!!! That may mean a fewer number, but isn’t a “regenerate” church membership one of our distinctives? What if fewer actually did mean more? I simply mean to call on my fellow Southern Baptists to utilize more means of observation than boiling everything down to a lack of evangelism. We may actually have cause to rejoice in these lower numbers! Instead of telling pastors they must NOT be doing their jobs - we may need to be telling them, “Well done good and faithful servant!”