Thought Life
Ken Fentress, the pastor of Montrose Baptist Church in Rockville, MD, delivered the Friday afternoon lecture of the “Politics of Jesus” conference at the First Baptist Church of Durham, NC on October 10th, 2008. Fentress’s extensive lecture included a powerful, rigorously scriptural call to Southern Baptists and all Christians to allow the gospel of Jesus Christ to shatter the walls of racism that still exist in the current day.
“The Ancient Church of Antioch and the Future Southern Baptist Convention”
1. We live in a world that struggles with race
a. Race is often at the forefront of cultural and political transformations
2. The racial history of the SBC is indicative of the American struggle
a. The slavery issue was huge in the colonies
b. Conflict in SBC divided Christians from one another
c. Southern slaveholders wanted the gospel to be shared with all peoples, but yet they wanted to deny slaves their basic human rights
d. Thus Christians found themselves divided in an area in which they should have been united—they could not join together for the cause of the gospel
e. It would be 150 years before a resolution of genuine repentance for slavery came
i. Read the 1995 SBC resolution on race
3. It is a work of God that Southern Baptists have come to this position—the glory of God is in it, though some African Americans decry it
a. This resolution came at a unique time in history—top four American leaders were Southern Baptists
b. The statement had more impact than some might think
c. It will have an impact in 10,000 little decisions throughout the week in which Christians of varying races show kindness to one another
d. Reconciliation will take a long time, but it is worth working toward, and God is faithful
4. Racial disunity will likely be the greatest issue in coming days for evangelical churches
a. No longer do churches live in monocultural communities
b. In a highly mobile society, it can be a good thing to stay where you are planted and work for the gospel from there
c. It is a good thing to work toward racial unity; it is hard work
d. Also, God has brought our broken world to our doorstep
5. Christian pastors and leaders must help churches deal with realities of the twenty-first century
a. We need churches that are biblically based, multicultural, and theologically solid
i. What do I mean by multicultural?
ii. We will all sit at the table of God together
iii. The missionary enterprise is to see that the gospel goes to all corners of the earth
iv. Fentress: It does not bother me when a church in a homogeneous area is not overwhelmingly diverse
v. However, when a church is in a multicultural area, it needs to emphasize racial unity in the gospel
b. These challenges are not new
i. Eccl 1:9—“nothing new under the sun:
c. How did first-century Christians deal with racial diversity?
i. A theology of racial diversity is inherent in the concept of the kingdom of God
ii. Racism fundamentally misunderstands this essential doctrine
iii. You show me a racist—I’ll show you someone who doesn’t understand the essence of the gospel!
iv. See Paul in the book of Romans
v. From one man and one woman have come all the races of the earth
vi. We are all brothers and sisters, then, whether we like it or not
vii. It doesn’t matter what color Adam and Eve were—they are our parents
d. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20)—The disciples were to evangelize all people, and they did based on the Scriptures
i. 1 Tim 2:3-4—God wants all people to be saved
1. We are to go to these people and obey the imperative of “making disciples” (Matt. 28:19)
2. This is a fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant of Genesis 12;
this in turn culminated in the crucifixion of Christ
3. The church needs to make disciples of all people even if they are of a different racial background
4. Churches must never become isolated enclaves unto themselves
5. Fentress: in my church, there are 40 different international backgrounds; it used to be a predominantly white church
a. Through the better part of a decade, 2/3 of the congregation left and replaced them with people from all over the world
b. When I came as pastor two years ago, no one could take credit for this work—except God
i. On all sides of the church building are growing ethnic communities
ii. We have a fully accredited Christian school that is just as diverse as the church
iii. On any given Sunday, the church looks like the United Nations—God did this!
iv. One night per month we invite a variety of local congregations for a time of singing; it is glorious
v. Fentress: what you see in this service is nothing less than the way the church is going
vi. It is essential that Southern Baptists recognize this because the story of the past will not be erased until we realize that this is not just a black-and-white affair
ii. Acts 11—the early church was incredibly diverse; many focused only on Jews, but some of the early Christians went to Antioch, and many turned to the Lord
1. We’re trying to find what God is doing and then join up to that work
2. Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch to develop a cutting-edge ministry
3. They correctly understood that the grace of God reached to all people
4.There was a debate in American history over whether slaves had souls
5. Our message is not worth a nickel in the minds of the world if we don’t practice it!
6. Fentress: I would say this same thing to an audience of all black people
7. The gospel is the gospel, and the truth is the truth
8. If non-Christians see racial bigotry in the church, why should they listen to us?
9. The problem is this: we are profaning the name of the Lord among the “Gentiles” because of our racism
iii. The early Christians sent out missionaries to fulfill the plan of God
1. Three traits: diverse (Acts 11:1), devout (11:2), diligent (11:3)
2. The church needs to pray for God to provide leaders of diverse ethnicities to the church
3. There are some things that need to die among us by virtue of the power of the gospel of the cross
4. I’m not sure that past generations are aware of the need to make this happen
5. This does not mean that we should be color-blind; I advocate neither a color-blind church or society
6. God is not color-blind; He made us what and who we are
7. Our task is to appreciate others as God’s creation
8. In preaching the gospel in the early days of the church, the apostles broke down the dividing walls of hostility
Conclusion
The Lord Jesus is creating a church that will be represented by every tribe and tongue and nation on earth; this must be true of the Southern Baptist Convention as well. He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. Let us invest in this message with our words, our hearts, our very lives.
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