Editorial: God gives grace to the humble

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

I grew up in the desert during the appearance of plenty.

We had all the water we needed or would ever need.

Or so it appeared.

And so, we lived as if it were true.

But a desert is forever.

Not so, rivers and streams.

People kept moving to the desert. They kept building houses. They kept planting lawns and trees. They kept installing swimming pools. As if they could unmake the desert.

The adults started talking about the water. There wasn’t enough … anymore. The city started incentivizing xeriscaping. They made plans for tapping a river far up north.

And people kept moving to the desert.

But the water wasn’t following them.

This story is true and an allegory.

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As the United States prospered after World War II, so did the nation’s churches, along with many Texas Baptist churches. In turn, the Baptist General Convention of Texas prospered. Income, programs, and influence grew. There appeared to be no end to it.

It seemed the entire ecosystem that made the BGCT flourish would always be there. It seemed the river’s flow would never weaken, would never stop.

The BGCT offices in Dallas were generous through so much of that time. They could afford to be. Staff and programs proliferated. Resources were plentiful and readily available. And the giveaways. Remember all the giveaways? The exhibit hall at BGCT annual meetings was like trick-or-treating … before candy got so expensive and the kids grew up.

But like the shrinking snowpack at the river’s headwaters, the money needed to keep the reservoir full started to disappear.

For a host of reasons.

An ecosystem is a complex thing.

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We were prideful to think the money would never run out—whoever “we” are who thought that. Maybe it was you. Maybe it was me. We lived like it was all of us.

We are prideful still when we think we know the problem, the cause of the river’s demise. Even more so when we point the blame somewhere else. We’ve all played our part.

I’m speaking in generalities, but I’ve watched us fight over water for a long time. We’ve all taken a swig and a swing.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

It’s better to be humble than to be humbled.

Take it from one who knows.

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There’s a thin line between hope and pride. The farmer who plants an orchard in the desert may be a hopeful optimist believing God will send the needed water. Or the farmer may be grabbing for more money, expecting the anticipated profits will be all the leverage needed to be granted the water to produce them … assuming there will be water to grant at all.

Whatever led to planting orchards in the desert, there’s a real fight over real water now. These fights will become more common. And more severe.

In humility, let us learn from them and not imitate them.

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Like the very real fights over water happening today, some right here in Texas, scarcity puts us up against uncomfortable questions.

Where did it all start? And when? Did we give away too many squishy balls at our annual meetings?

Careful. Don’t be so sure about the answer. An ecosystem is a complex thing.

It’s about to get really uncomfortable.

Underneath the search for a cause is the assumption the BGCT should exist at all. In the language of false logic: The BGCT does exist; therefore, it should exist.

But the BGCT is not like water in at least one significant way: We need water to survive. No one needs a denomination—or a news outlet—for survival.

A couple of things: (1) I don’t mean to suggest anyone in BGCT leadership actually takes the convention’s existence for granted. I haven’t had that conversation with any of them. But I have heard some Texas Baptists through the years talk as though, if not outright say, the BGCT should exist. Though I don’t hear that expressed as much as I used to.

(2) That aside about a news outlet? There’s nothing more sacred about the Baptist Standard than there is about the BGCT. Just as a rising tide raises all ships, a shrinking reservoir gets everyone’s attention. We don’t receive a CP allocation from the BGCT, but we do rely on the same 5,000-plus headwaters—local churches—as the BGCT.

As I have said, an ecosystem is a complex thing.

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During the last couple of weeks, we have published responses to BGCT Executive Director Julio Guarneri’s comments about the BGCT’s budget, organizational structure, and life cycle. Relationship concerns, such as trust, relevance, and connection, have been a common element in these responses. Truth, transparency, mission, and vision have also been named.

These responses, as uncomfortable as they may be, are an important part of the conversation the BGCT and others of us need to have as resources decrease, in some cases significantly. But they are only a part of the total conversation. The BGCT is itself a complex ecosystem made of more than 5,000 local churches and relationships to numerous other entities.

This ecosystem is greater than any one of us.

Which calls for humility.

More than I have demonstrated too often.

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Without a doubt, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed in word and deed around the world through the people, churches, and institutions of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Independently and together, they have carried out much God-honoring, kingdom-growing mission and ministry. There is ample reason to celebrate the cooperative work that is the BGCT and to desire its continuation.

And since Jesus hasn’t returned yet, there is ample reason for the BGCT to face the discomfort of hard conversations. Because there is still work to do in Jesus’ name. How will we continue to be part of that work?

James’ exhortation toward humility is bracing, but it’s not without very good news.

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. … Come near to God and he will come near to you. … Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:6-10).

There’s another significant way the BGCT is not like literal water: We depend on Living Water whose well never runs dry. Let us give up all pretense and in humility run after him, come what may.

Eric Black is the executive director, publisher, and editor of the Baptist Standard. He can be reached at [email protected]. The views expressed in this opinion article are those of the author.