Editor’s note: The Baptist Courier asked Sonny Holmes and D.J. Horton, the two announced nominees for president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, to share with our readers their thoughts about the issues affecting the future of our state convention. We hope this information will provide South Carolina Baptists with as much information as possible as they pray and make decisions about the future work of our convention in these most interesting and important times.
Holmes’ statement is below. Horton’s statement can be found here.
Sonny HolmesSonny Holmes has served as pastor of Northwood Baptist Church, North Charleston, since 2003. He is a graduate of The Citadel and Southeastern Seminary, where he earned both master’s and doctoral degrees. He will be nominated for SCBC president by Tommy Kelly, pastor of Varnville First Baptist Church.
Three Scriptures guide my ministry and shape my concept of mission:
Life verse: Isaiah 43:19 (ESV) – “Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
Faith is never stale. As a result, ministry should be constantly fresh and vital. Our mission as Southern Baptists, at every level of denominational life, has become predictable. Our work is defined by routines, systems and structures that have disconnected us from a fast-moving, changing world. We can pray for the fresh winds of spiritual renewal to sweep our land. But we can bring fresh vibrancy to our work by keeping the organizational dimensions constantly new.
The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force Report provides a means for the Southern Baptist Convention, and the South Carolina Baptist Convention as well, to clarify and articulate our mission and create a structure that enables fulfillment of our assignment in these times. We must examine our ruling documents, organizational template, and functional governance in order to align ourselves with the new spiritual thing God is doing globally right now. Without delay, our entire leadership network must discern and implement Great Commission strategies that bring the work of our convention, agencies and institutions into the 21st century.
Our state convention is our churches. The SCBC cannot exist apart from the confidence and support of our congregations. Caught in a time warp, we cannot serve our churches efficiently or effectively. We must reflect the “new thing” God is doing. Now!
Ministry verse: Ephesians 3:8-9 (ESV) – “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery, hidden for ages in God, who created all things.”
My personal ministry calling is to “bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery.” Vision and mission must always be clearly defined, articulated with precision, and cast often. Clarity of vision enables on-point mission. When the mission is understood, greater confidence invites participation.
Our mission as Baptists, in the SBC and SCBC, agencies and institutions included, has become obscure. It has been eclipsed by an impressive array of ministry that stretches the definition of our mission and the resources which make this mission possible. This has created a crisis of confidence. Our churches cannot support our work if they do not have confidence in the vision of our leaders, the mission that brings us together, or the superstructure that gives the work traction.
The Cooperative Program is a reliable and effective way for us to achieve incredible kingdom outcomes. The CP is not inerrant or sacred, and must not become the only tie that binds our diverse membership. It cannot be the only scorecard of orthodoxy. Yet it is not broken, either. This system still funds a vast denominational enterprise. We must continue to emphasize the Cooperative Program as the primary means of financial support for achieving our mission.
Governing boards must study our denominational organization, structure and methods in each of the entities that receive funding allocations from the Cooperative Program. The ruling documents, organizational structure, and functional governance of every agency and institution should be evaluated and rewritten to reflect Great Commission outcomes. Agencies and institutions that cannot formulate and articulate Great Commission strategies should be de-funded and eliminated from our financial support.
Budgets should fund mission-specific endeavors. We should eventually allocate 50 percent of our Cooperative Program gifts to Southern Baptist Convention priorities and 50 percent to fund the work of our state convention, agencies and institutions. As an element of reorganization and mission definition, our governing boards should further review the formulas for providing CP funding to our agencies and institutions. If further priorities are required, missions and education should be emphasized as primary Great Commission outcomes.
Some people assume that the GCR will reduce allocation of Cooperative Program funding to our agencies and institutions. This is a short-sighted conclusion. Reorganization at every level of Southern Baptist life, if genuine, can generate sufficient economic recovery to fund all of the work consistent with our mission. Stemming some of the gloom-and-doom talk may lift confidence until new funding streams are developed.
Recent declines in CP receipts have necessitated budget cuts at the state convention office and in allocations to our affiliated organizations. Adjustments must certainly be made when there are budget shortfalls. However, this affects the reliability that has long distinguished the Cooperative Program and provided agencies with a relatively stable income source. The Executive Board of the SCBC and the ruling boards of each agency and institution must review their reserve account policies and seek to stabilize fluctuations by utilizing reserve funds to offset shortfalls. They must also define reserve account limits so that excessive reserve balances do not project a lack of faith to our membership. We must affirm our belief that “my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
We must also reverse declining participation in our governance. Meeting attendance continues to slip. We wrongly assume that people just don’t attend meetings these days. No, people just don’t attend our meetings these days. We must redesign meeting formats to give them greater value. People will attend meetings if the content is seen as significant. Higher meeting attendance, especially in the annual session, means greater participation in our work. This translates to greater ownership, which then encourages greater confidence in the mission.
Leadership must “write the vision; make it plain” (Habakkuk 2:2, ESV).
Passion verse: Psalm 71:18 (ESV) – “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those who come.”
The vision, mission, organization, and structure of Northwood Baptist Church intentionally specifies reaching the younger population in the communities around us. Our predominantly contemporary formats enable this specificity. This calling is further expressed in our commitment to church planting. Because new work is the most vital link to the younger demographics, we are committed to church planting and have been involved in new work in several settings. Our denominational leadership must create a church-planting culture to be a part of the “new thing” God is doing in our nation and world.
Jesus defined our mission and our message. They do not change. He likened the Gospel to new wine, and warned that it could not be contained in a worn-out pouch. If this comparison is about the Good News and the organization entrusted with sharing it, it provides spiritual guidance for continued structural renewal. God’s church, even denominations, must never become stale.