Baptist Basics

Strange. When I first felt called to become a baptist, I thought it was about believer's baptism. Yes, that is still part of it. But now the heart of the matter has, for me, moved. It is now about developing communal discernment and disciples deciding together. Bringing people into a place of dignity, recognising the command of God as a people who belong together. Baptised disciples bonded together under Jesus' rule.

But there are other factors that can confuse the equation. Leadership and vision. Leadership is necessary, but only to serve the development of disciples in discerning and deciding together. The world want leaders to arise who can give us a vision: charismatic figures who can form a cult. But vision comes from God. It may be articulated by leaders. But it is for disciples to discern and decide together. That's our baptist way.

Leadership. Vision. Disciples discerning and deciding. Let's not confuse the three.

Risk Averse?

Are you 'risk averse'? If so, you might well be feeling spiritually flat. It's not just a matter of adrenolin. It's to do with the command of God and our active response of faith.

The Kingdom of God is steadily advancing. His redeeming, rescuing and restoring activity is constantly reaching out as many come to faith throughout the world - especially in areas where becoming or being a Christian is not 'safe'. Why is that?

Maybe its because 'risk averse' people always want to walk by sight. Safe ideas. Safe budgets. Safe, secure planning. Faith is replaced by engaging entertainment and defined doctrine.

People of faith take risks. they open their Bibles and look to be challenged. They hear the call and command of God, in Jesus' name, to roll back the boundaries and go outside the safe, city walls into new and dangerous territory: to cross Red Seas and deserts and face potential devastation. Because they invest in what God has promised to do in and through them.

Your budget. Your diary. Your security. What risks are you prepared to take, in order to worship God in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit? Decide to take some risks and get real with God again.

Open & Closed

Every church, if it is to be effective in fulfilling its calling, needs to be open to outsiders. Open hearted in a generous love, reflective of Father God's unconditional welcome of us all.

But each church needs also remember that the blessing comes in and through the arms of Jesus Christ. Jesus, who took us to Himself, that we might come to Father through Him.

Confessing Jesus as 'Lord' is the essence of saving faith. It is a personal awareness of Jesus, communicated to us through His Word and the Holy Spirit, that is the centre of it all. Jesus who died on the Cross, taking our sins, sickness and suffering to himself, that we might be raised to life in and through His resurrection.

We need to be open; but we also need to be closed. If our congregations are not to be cults dominated by the cries of charismatic personalities, or the lairs of legalistic legislators, they need be possessed of an identifiable constituency of core-members who are demonstrably people who look to Jesus as their Lord. Committed Christians who discern together whether the directions and decisions that their leaders commend are, in the leading of the Holy Spirit and in the illuminating truth of Scripture, true to Jesus Christ and His way.

This is the essence of our baptist way. Membership closed only to those who are serious about Jesus. But hearts open with love to all.