I ran across the following statement in the history of the First Baptist Church of Clover:
“The York Association held their annual meeting at Clover’s new church on September 28, 1927. At that meeting a discussion was held concerning the Co-Operative Program. ‘The Co-Operative Program is the latest plan evolved by Southern Baptists in their effort to discharge in full the terms of the Great Commission – realizing that in union there is inspiration, as well as strength, Southern Baptists today are endeavoring to act unitedly, with one passion, with the one purpose, with the one plan and with the one promise that the Lord will lead and bless – hence the Co-Operative Program.’?”
I think it is worth remembering that when Southern Baptists adopted the Cooperative Program, there was considerable discussion, enthusiasm and commitment to the idea that this plan would “discharge the full terms of the Great Commission.”
In our experience today with the Great Commission Resurgence, I am hearing a lot of discussion, but where is the enthusiasm, and to what are we committing? In 1927 there was a clear vision of what we were seeking to accomplish; in 2010 the Great Commission Resurgence looks pretty foggy.
I predict that our convention agencies have about one year to give us a clear vision of how this new way of doing SBC business will “discharge the full terms of the Great Commission,” or the whole thing will implode on us.
We all need to be seriously praying for them, or we will surely see the birth of something like a “Confederated Program,” where each state convention or region does its own thing.
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