My dear leaders,
I write this letter not as an angry student of Belmont University, but as a member of a Tennessee Baptist Convention church. I was born and raised in the Southern Baptist Church, and many of my greatest childhood memories come from time spent with those I met and loved at my home church. I am so glad to see that the TBC represents a church that refuses to sit back and passively exist in our world today.
But I am concerned that perhaps we have lost our true focus in search of vindication of a contract with Belmont. My heart is grieved to hear that money given by those with a heart for missions has been redirected to finance a lawsuit against another body of believers. We know from mainstream media coverage that Americans are notorious for lumping together all Christians in their negative judgments, from swindling televangelists to Billy Graham–it’s all the same to them. When someone like Jerry Falwell makes a statement on national television, the nation assumes he speaks for all Christians. It is, therefore, so crucial we conduct ourselves in all matters in a manner pleasing to Christ, especially in dealing with conflicts within the church.
I have no doubt you’ve had committees scour over passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, but I personally have a difficult time reconciling the latest efforts by my state’s Baptist Convention with that scripture. Perhaps there is some chance I do not fully understand what Paul was saying here. But of all passages in the Bible, this one seems least likely to be cryptic. When Paul charges us to not sue our Christian brothers in a secular court in front of unbelievers, how have the members of the Tennessee Baptist Convention convinced themselves it is the right and just thing to do. My heart is saddened at this effort if only for the fact that reflects so poorly on the church and undermines the Great Commission.
In both love and sorrow,
Kevin
