I have a huge tendency to look at the negatives of the more traditional old school Baptist world. The one that produced Bobby Welsh and plenty of other really cheesy guys. I get frustrated at church and the way things are done- like they used to do it. And there are times when I fully agree with that old Billy Graham saying that 80% of the church is lost. I get angry.
And then there are those times when I sit back and am completely blow away by the generosity and compassion of the traditional old school Baptist world that put out folks like Bobby Welsh (who, to clarify my position, is probably a very nice man, even if I think that whole 1 Million Campaign is… anyway).
After the hurricanes (Katrina and Rita), I saw a Southern Baptist Convention that responded fast. Disaster relief teams into badly damaged areas within a day or two. Individual volunteers. Seminary teams. People working double time. When many folks were still stumbling over themselves to get into storm-ravaged areas, the Baptists were there. And you know what? I think that’s awesome.
This week I’m in Atlanta for NOBTS Workshops. We kicked off today with a one hour chapel service at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, where classes are being held. Dr. Kelley, the NOBTS president, spoke on Romans 8:21. But before he did, Charles Stanley, the pastor of FBC Atlanta and the father of North Point Community Church’s Andy Stanley, gave NOBTS a check for $100,000. And to me, as much as I know FBC Atlanta is a very wealthy church, I know that it was sincere.
And maybe some folks feel like they’ve gotta be hard about the SBC and what it does. I know they’ve gotta rail against it all the time. I know there’s a lot messed up about the way we do things. But there’s a lot of good. And I know some people will take the open shot and say Baptists know how to take care of their own, but can’t help anybody else. But I think that’s crap. Because the support that’s been shown for New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is wonderful. Because when we’re rebuilding that campus- so that we can train and equip more followers of Christ to go out into the world and make a difference. And I, for one, know that I’ll be back and I can’t wait to reshape New Orleans, to change it, to make that difference.
And those SBC disaster relief teams. Those Charles Stanleys. Those First Baptist Churches. They’re making it happen. And I appreciate it.