Lovers of irony should relish the fact that—in alphabetical order—the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Southern Baptist Convention have a lot in common these days.

They’re all struggling with membership issues. They’re all strapped for cash. They’re all scrambling to figure out what to do about the future.

A generation ago (my, how time flies) the “conservative resurgence” purged the Southern Baptists of so-called moderates, who had been libeled as “liberals” and branded the source of all woes. The new SBC leaders advocated theological purity and predicted God would pour unprecedented blessings upon their convention once it attained homogenous orthodoxy. They got their purity, but the blessings did not flow. Their quest for theological correctness morphed into political infighting between generations, personalities and quadrants of conservatism. Contrary to accepted wisdom, even baptisms declined.

Baptists who migrated to the Fellowship faced their own challenges. Put out by the SBC, they wanted to be different. They successfully resisted the SBC’s trend toward autocratic leadership. But they so wanted to be different they denied their desire to be a new convention even while aspiring for convention-like structures, such as a unified budget, affiliated missions and ministries, and an archipelago of institutions. Almost 20 years later, they struggle with how to attract adherents and to fund and operate an un-convention.

Texas Baptists, meanwhile, planted feet in both worlds. Some love the SBC, while others adore the CBF. They often distrust each other because of those affections. Long-term disagreement over how to relate nationally dissipated BGCT support, particularly among the most conservative churches, which left to start a competing convention. On top of that, seemingly ceaseless strife, a church-starting scandal and the shifting focus of generations provided excuses and/or reasons for traditionally faithful Texas Baptist supporters to drift away—toward quasi-independence and project-specific relationships with like-minded churches and laser-focused, church-friendly institutional ministries.

So, all three Baptist behemoths simultaneously and ironically abandoned their first love. All would say Christ is their first love. But each group fixed its primary focus elsewhere. Southern Baptists honed in on rigid orthodoxy. Fellowship Baptists longed for a new denominational home. And Texas Baptists—ever the champions of autonomy—got so caught up in options and possibilities that we made an idol of choices and lost our center of gravity.

These Baptist groups face three consuming challenges:

• Relevance. Most laypeople—particularly young adults—are ignorant and apathetic regarding all things denominational. They don’t know, and they don’t care. Also, more pastors who historically have been engaged are slipping away. They appropriately ask: How does supporting you fulfill our mission better than we could do on our own or with an assortment of other partners? Why should we give significant sums to you to demonstrate our identification as Baptists? What return do we really get on our investment?

• Alternatives. Churches of all stripes, from fundamentalist, to conservative, to moderate, to progressive, to liberal, can choose from a vast array of options for everything from Bible study curriculum, to worship materials, to—and this is key—missions and ministry partnership opportunities. Baptist churches no longer must choose from one domestic and one international ministry option, one publishing house, one advocacy group, one decidedly similar set of seminaries.

• Mission/vision. Decades of denominational discord distracted leaders of all three groups. They remained preoccupied with one another, expending energy on internecine competition rather than focusing on the satanic enemies of evil and unbelief. They got behind on learning how to communicate the changeless gospel to an ever-changing culture. And now they’re all struggling to catch up.

Who knew all these disparate Baptists would have so much in common?

Marv Knox is editor of the Baptist Standard. Visit his FaithWorks Blog.

When our daughters were little, my favorite Daddy-duty was reading bedtime stories.

I savored the quiet serenity of lying on a bed with two freshly scrubbed and tired little girls, sharing my love of books with them. Of course, Lindsay and Molly liked some books better than others, and we read them until the covers practically fell off. But even reading the same book for the 847th time was a still and perfect joy.

I loved the girls’ books, too. I entertained myself—and maybe Molly and Lindsay—by making up voices for all the characters. And in December, I read our edition of The Night Before Christmas as a rap song. Silly, I know.

The only books that really got on my nerves were the Berenstain Bears, a series by Jan and Stan Berenstain. Wikipedia describes them as “a fictional family of anthropomorphic bears.” There was Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear and Sister Bear. (Later, I understand, Honey Bear came along, but that was after Lindsay and Molly grew into “big books” without pictures.)

On the up side, each Berenstain Bears book taught a lesson. Like problems associated with lying, watching too much TV and eating too much junk food. Or the challenges of learning about strangers, visiting the dentist and making friends.

On the down side, the Berenstains taught many of those lessons at the expense of Papa Bear. In The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV, Papa Bear gorged on television worse than Brother Bear and Sister Bear. A similar situation unfolded in The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. Papa Bear always came off as a dumb bear—an overgrown cub with worse habits.

So, Mama Bear always had to straighten out Papa Bear’s, Brother Bear’s and Sister Bear’s messes. Ever the voice of wisdom, Mama Bear always drilled home the point of the book. Ever chastened, Papa Bear and his cubs always claimed they learned their lesson.

When I would gripe about Papa Bear’s stupidity, Joanna—the mother in our house—told me I was (a) taking these bears waaaaay too seriously and (b) thin-skinned and defensive.

Looking back, I see her point. Still, I wish Papa Bear could’ve been a smart parent just once. He was loving, funny, fun and a good woodworking bear. But he was dumb.

Considering our own family, I also see the Berenstains’ point. While I’m not as undisciplined and clueless as Papa Bear, and I am loving, funny and fun (if not a good woodworker), Jo is the wise parent.

I learned how to be a better daddy by watching the great job she did as a mom. While I envy her wisdom and patience, as well as the huge amounts of time she spent with Lindsay and Molly, I watched and learned and tried to apply those lessons so I would be a better father.

This Mother’s Day, I thanked God that Lindsay and Molly have a wise and wonderful mother.

All my life, I’ve heard about the importance of praying when we must make a major decision. But what about small decisions? Just how should we pray and recognize God’s responses to our decisions?

A family member or friend goes into the hospital, and we pray. We lose our job, or our marriage is in trouble, and we pray. But most Christians feel many of the everyday situations of life are not important enough to take to God in prayer. Life is made up of the little things. Although we measure time in years, we have to go through 365 days—and all the hours, minutes and everyday decisions that make up those days—before another year passes. Zechariah 4:10 warns us not to despise “the day of small things.” Our lives are the sum of the many small choices we make each day.

That means it is important to follow the Apostle Paul’s instructions in Philippians 4 to pray about everything so that we will not be anxious and worried about anything. Or as my godly grandmother used to say, “If it is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about,” and then she would usually add: “Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the mountain stand.”

A great life is built by each right decision we make. Our problem often is we don’t know which decision is the right one. But God knows, and God wants to guide us to take the right action. Prayer invites God and his wisdom and guidance into our lives.

How does God answer?

Sometimes, God gives a sense of peace that we are on the right track. At other times, the Holy Spirit leads us to a passage from the Bible to guide us. A Christian friend might offer some good advice at God’s leading. Occasionally, God even gives us a sign or performs a miracle. But God always answers those who pray in faith through Jesus Christ, even though the answer may sometimes be “No” or “Not yet.”

But the real reason we should pray is not to get the right answer to our problems, or to get some thing or some blessing from God. Prayer is about building a relationship with our Creator and Savior in which we learn to speak and to listen. Our relationship with God is very much like our relationships with our friends or our spouse. If the only time we talk to them is when we need something, it will be a very strained relationship.

Hearing God’s voice and knowing what we should do is the result of a well-developed relationship with God. Relationship matters. God is not a cosmic vending machine. He is a loving Father, and his children learn to hear his voice. It is out of that relationship of love that we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) about everything big and small.

Alan Stanford, pastor

Leesburg Community Church

Leesburg, Va.

Right or Wrong? is sponsored by the T.B. Maston Chair of Christian Ethics at Hardin-Simmons University’s Logsdon School of Theology. Send your questions about how to apply your faith to btillman@hsutx.edu.

“I lost my faith that November; lost it for many, many years. It was the first time that I had prayed to God for something, begged him for something—not the simple childhood wishing on a star, but humbly begging for another human life. And it was as if no one heard.”

Laura Bush

Former first lady, in an excerpt from her memoir, Spoken from the Heart, on the 1963 car accident in which she ran a stop sign and killed a fellow student (New York Times/RNS)

“I am often ashamed these days to be a Christian. It makes me sad when I open my Facebook account and see more than 1 million people praying for your father’s death. Most of them probably just think it’s a joke and haven’t stopped to think about what that really means—for you, for your mama, for the Bidens and for the American people, no matter what political affiliation they are.”

Laura Rector

Doctoral student in Christian ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary, writing in “an open letter to Sasha and Malia Obama” (EthicsDaily.com/RNS)

Send pastor to BWA

The Baptist World Alliance is the oldest and largest fellowship of Baptists. From more than 200 Baptist unions across the earth, Baptists will gather in Hawaii this summer for BWA’s every-fifth-year Baptist World Congress. Hymns will be sung, sermons will be preached, Bible studies will be taught, and testimonies of God’s work will be shared.

I have seen tears stream down grown men’s faces as they looked over this great gathering of God’s people and wept at the wonder of hearing praises to God rising from the lips of people from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. It is a joy I don’t expect to equal until we all gather in heaven to sing to our God.

Your church could receive a great benefit if you send your pastor and spouse to the Congress July 28-Aug. 1. They would be enriched in spirit and challenged by the courage and faithfulness of Baptist people around the world. They would bring that experience back home, and the blessings would spill over on the whole congregation. The stories of Baptist witness and vision would become a part of the story of your church.

Your church also would be a great encouragement to Baptists of the world. They need to know Baptists in America love them and believe in their hopes and dreams.

Talk about a win-win! Take this note to the chairman of your deacons, personnel or finance committee. Your church will be glad you did. And so will your pastor.

Charles Wade

Arlington

Muslims & ‘Camel Tracts’

Liberty University’s Ergun Caner is right, and Kevin Greeson, International Mission Board missionary and author of “Camel Tracts,” is wrong: The IMB strategy for reaching Muslims is high heresy.

Before Mohammed, Allah was not a general name for God but the specific name of the moon god of Persia and was the family god of Mohammed. For those who are uninformed on the IMB’s Camel Strategy, here is a direct quote of the closing paragraph on how to become a “Christian Muslim”: “Today, you can become a Pakka Muslim. All you have to do is to believe that Allah did Korbani (sacrifice) for you, and he used the blood of ‘Isa (Jesus) instead of your blood. Stop now, hold your hands up before you, and humbly tell Allah that you receive his Korbani and thank him for placing the punishment of your guilt upon ‘Isa. In this way, Allah will forgive you of your sins and remove the curse of sin. When you are cleansed of your sins, then you can go to be with Allah after you die. You can now live your life in peace knowing that after death, you can go directly to be with Allah.”

The greatest tragedy of this strategy is the multitude of Muslims deceived by this cultic doctrine. Will Southern Baptists accept this prayer for salvation as legitimate? Will Southern Baptists continue to pay salaries for IMB personnel who propagate this heresy?

David Powe

Fort Worth

The money your church provides through Texas Baptists’ Cooperative Program unified budget supports college ministry on more than 120 Texas campuses. This letter is an example that reminds us of the importance of this outreach:

“I want to thank the students that went to South Padre over spring break that ended up being the weekend that I found God.

“I remember a young lady who not only gave me sunscreen and a ride home, but also gave me Jesus.

“By the second day I was there, I was pretty much as bright as a tomato. My sunburn was pretty bad, but then this girl gave me sunscreen.

“She not only gave me sunscreen, but she started to talk to me about God. I’m not a religious person. I’m a 17-year-old teenager who is in and out of foster homes, and God just wasn’t my thing. I just half-listened to her conversation. But as she was leaving, she told me she would be praying for me, praying that I see God and give my life to him. I told her I wasn’t interested, and we went our separate ways.

“The next night, I was at a party with my friends. I ended up completely wasted and was in no condition to drive to the place we were staying.

“Then I had my second encounter with this young lady. She offered to give me a ride. At first, I rejected her invitation. I told her to get lost, that I didn’t need her help, that I didn’t want her help. But after taking about five steps and falling over, I accepted her invitation.

“She and a few of the other people with her gave me a ride—and they wanted nothing in return. They just wanted to give me a ride—for free. The only time I ever got a free ride was when I was being taken to the juvenile detention center.

“As I got out of the car that night, she told me again she was going to be praying for me, praying that I see God and give my life to him. Once again, I told her I wasn’t interested in her God, and we went our separate ways.

“A few weeks ago, my life took a turn for the worse. My girlfriend got pregnant, my foster parents ‘returned’ me and my best friend now hates me. My world is in pieces. But I felt God speak to me. I kept hearing those words she said, ‘I’m going to be praying for you to find God and give your life to him.’

“Well, I found God. I gave my life to him. I know she must still be praying for me—a stranger, a drunken delinquent teenager.

“I don’t know anything about this young lady who showed me God. So, whoever you are, thank you! Thank you for showing me there is someone who actually cares. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for showing me this God.”

A century from now, Mexico will be America’s primary competition for superpower status. We will have defeated Japan and Turkey in the next world war; our chief global ally will be Poland. Battle stars in space will protect us from our enemies, while solar energy transmitted via satellite will replace hydrocarbons, and robots will serve our personal needs.

Such may be the shape of the 21st century, according to George Friedman’s bestseller, The Next 100 Years. Friedman is the founder and CEO of Stratfor, one of the pre-eminent global forecasting companies in the world. He practices “geopolitics,” an academic discipline that assumes nations act in their own self-interest in responding to constraints placed upon them by their geography, economics, and culture and by the actions of others.

Friedman believes America is in our fifth 50-year cycle. Our culture first was dominated by wealthy landowners; then by frontier pioneers; then by small towns settled by these pioneers; and then by large cities as small-town residents pursued employment. Now, we are in a suburban phase made possible by interstate highways and high-speed freeways.

Where will this cycle take us? While Friedman makes some fascinating global predictions, I will focus on three assertions that directly affect our Christian mission.

First, Friedman believes America will continue our global superpower status. Unlike other nations, we dominate our continent without fear of invasion or competition. We are the only country in history to control all the world’s oceans, a fact that leads to our unquestioned military superiority. Our engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan will prevent radical Muslims from forming a regional power to threaten our status.

We will create new forms of energy, countering the effects of global climate change. And we will dominate space, strengthening our military defense and global power. If this scenario comes to pass, our self-reliant spirit will become an even more challenging obstacle to spiritual renewal in our nation.

Second, population growth will reverse, with transforming effect. Having a large number of children was advantageous when they worked to support the family. Now, children cost more than they produce, drastically reducing the size of families and the mother’s primary role as homemaker. This century will see a further breakdown in the fabric of the traditional family as our culture becomes even more secularized. In response, Christians must redouble our work in teaching and modeling biblical morality.

Third, immigration will transform America, especially in its southern regions. As our population decreases and ages, we will depend increasingly on immigrant workers, primarily from Mexico. While our political border with Mexico will remain, our cultural border will move north. If this prediction comes to pass, Texas Baptists’ outreach to our Hispanic neighbors will become even more urgent.

Our best response to an uncertain future is to pray and work for an awakening that will bring spiritual renewal to our self-sufficient, secularized, demographically shifting culture. Friedman may be wrong, but Jesus was right: We are “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).

Jim Denison is president of the Center for Informed Faith (www.informedfaith.com) and theologian-in-residence with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Many Christians around the world are on trial for their faith. The persecution of Christians in Islamic, communist and totalitarian lands is increasing at a frightening rate.

Eritrea is a good example. It’s a tiny nation of nearly 4 million people, situated in the rugged mountains alongside the Red Sea. In May 2002, the government closed many of the nation’s churches and denied legal status to about 20,000 evangelical Christians. In the years since, a brutal campaign has been waged in Eritrea against Christian minorities. Hundreds of believers have been imprisoned and are literally facing trial.

Most of us never will stand as a defendant in the courtroom, having to defend our faith. But in another sense, we’re on trial every day. The world is watching us, weighing our testimonies and looking for evidence of our faith. Our teammates, school friends and work associates are quick to detect inconsistencies in our lives. Our unsaved family members will be influenced by our example, whether good or bad.

Could a good case be made against you that you really are a Christian? At least four pieces of incriminating evidence should convict you of being a Christian. If you were on the jury considering the evidence against you, what verdict would you reach?

• The physical evidence.

Consider the places you go; whether the neighbors see you going to church on Sunday or out working in the yard; the way you dress wherever you are, even on vacation; the attitudes you exhibit; the language you use; the magazines you subscribe to; your driving habits; and other behaviors you practice. Are you living like a Christian?

How would you vote? Guilty or not guilty?

• The testimonial evidence.

It’s hard to be a witness for Christ if people never see your changed life or hear your spoken testimony. Would your life convince another that Christ really does possess transforming power? Have you shared him with a friend recently? Have you spoken up for Christ? Has anyone asked you a reason for the hope that is within you?

How would you vote in the jury chamber? Guilty or not guilty?

• The behavioral evidence.

Colossians 3:1-3 says: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Do you exhibit Christ’s peace in times of crisis? Show others his love in times of tension? Demonstrate his values in this age of materialism and entertainment? Can others see the “mind of Christ” reflected in your thinking and behavior?

How would a jury find you on this count? Guilty or not guilty?

• The fingerprint evidence.

Are you leaving an imprint on this world for Christ? Is your visible devotion to the Scriptures leaving a mark on someone else? Your integrity? Your prayer life? Do you have an enduring testimony that will still be casting a shadow after you’re gone?

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, how do you find the defendant? Guilty or not guilty?

Most of us underrate ourselves. We often feel like failures when it comes to the Christian life. But remember: “It is God who works in you both to will and to do his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Jesus said that as we follow him, he will make us become fishers of men (Mark 1:17). Only one person has ever lived the Christian life to perfection, and that is Christ himself. Now he wants to live through you, giving you the wisdom, strength, desire and ability to shine his light, bear his name and advance his cause every day.

Don’t wait until after you make needed changes in your life. Right now, no matter what your situation, let him have all there is of you. He will conform you to his image as you live a transparent life for him.

Let the world catch you in the act of being his disciple—let them see Jesus in you.

David Jeremiah is the founder of the radio and television program Turning Point for God and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, Calif. His column was distributed by Baptist Press.

An investment at the local sporting goods store could have paid big dividends for Jacob.

Over lunch, when we initially started meeting, she tried to explain to me how the system of Buddhism worked. Enthusiastically, on the back of one of her quizzes, she drew a tree with multiple roots to illustrate that there was one main god and the roots represented all of the other smaller gods. She tried hard to convey to me what going to temples in  Taiwan was like. I held back tears as she eagerly explained to me the details of Buddhism. The Spirit compelled me to draw a picture of the bridge illustration—showing Jesus Christ as the bridge between sinful humanity and holy God—on the same paper. She asked questions about it and kept the drawing.

Once, I asked what her priorities in life were and she said career and school. But she added: “I also want to resolve this restlessness in my heart and find out what’s important to me. Something in me needs to be resolved and I can’t figure out what and how to attain that.”

Over the past eight months God has provided opportunities for us to build a friendship, spend time studying the Scriptures together and talking about grace. She invited me to her apartment to learn how to cook Asian food. During our meetings, she often said she thought she would become a Christian eventually, but she had to figure out a bunch of stuff and start living her “real life” first. I proposed to her that if she came to Christ first, he would help her understand more about his character, and his Spirit would provide comfort, counsel and direction in life.

Another time, she said, “I think I’m half Christian.” We talked about what it meant to surrender your whole heart and life to following Jesus. I emphasized that it takes sincere faith that believes in Christ’s death and resurrection as the only way to experiencing a relationship with God.

One thing hindering her from submitting to Jesus was disappointing her mother. Also, she had a hard time believing in the personal and passionate love of Jesus for her individually. She said, “Sure, he would die for the world, but I can’t grasp why he would die just for me.”

One week this spring, she got sick during Bible study, and I took her home early. After caring for her, I waited until her roommate got home. Unexpectedly, the Lord used that time in a very powerful way. On her own she got out her Bible and started asking several questions. She was hungry for truth. She had heard that truth could set her free. She had seen Christians who loved her live in freedom, and she wanted the same joy and peace that defined their lives.

Friends continued to pray for her, and God continued to draw her. Through experiencing God’s presence among believers and hearing the stories of Jesus, the Lord captured my friend’s heart. The week before Easter, she prayed to receive Christ. When she talks about choosing Jesus, she lights up and can’t stop smiling. Her countenance has changed, and she describes how her despair has been replaced with hope. Her kind-hearted actions are no longer motivated to gain good karma or to win the approval of people, but to please the Lord. After making the decision to follow Christ, she called her mother. She patiently explained why Buddhism was not for her. She said she had fallen in love with Jesus and decided to follow the ways of the Bible. Miraculously, her mom was not upset and was OK with her conversion. Hallelujah, that was a huge answer to prayer!

Jane Owen is a student missionary correspondent serving with Go Now Missions in the Pacific Northwest.

“In obedience to our Lord’s command, I baptize you … .”

For four centuries, this baptismal formula has echoed across creek banks and through Baptist sanctuaries around the globe. It reflects a central reason most Baptists practice believer’s baptism by immersion. Just before he ascended, Jesus proclaimed the Great Commission, telling his followers: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you …” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Jesus commanded baptism for new believers. If you follow the sequence of his verbs, salvation—“make disciples”—comes first, then comes baptism. Since at least 1641, Baptists have immersed new believers, because the specific New Testament word, baptizein, means to dip or immerse.

Today, increasing numbers of Baptists are discussing whether Baptist churches should continue to require baptism by immersion for membership. The majority still advocates the ancient practice, but some affirm open membership, or accepting members from other Christian traditions without requiring them to have been baptized by immersion after conversion. The Standard and our New Voice Media partners are presenting an extensive examination of baptism, which is featured in this edition .

Ironically, while Baptists are the denomination most overtly linked to the practice of baptism, we also are numbered among the Christians who do not claim baptism has sacramental power. We do not believe it is necessary for salvation. So, we would do well to respond with a generous spirit toward others who believe differently about baptism, particularly those who reserve baptism for believers but practice a different mode—sprinkling or pouring. Since we value baptism highly, it should be a topic for Christian discussion. But since we do not believe it is required for salvation, we should not denigrate others’ interpretations.

Still, I would suggest Baptist churches continue to practice and promote believer’s baptism by immersion for three reasons, marked by a caveat:

• Reason #1—obedience. Jesus commanded the church to lead people to faith in him and then to baptize them. Careful biblical research suggests John baptized Jesus by immersion. So, we should follow his example and obey his command. Some churches that tilt toward open membership cite prospective members’ reticence to submit to immersion. This is understandable, yet troubling. Why must everything be convenient, comfortable and suitable to personal preference? The surest criterion for Christian joy is submission and obedience to Christ in all things. So, bowing to individual resistance to sacred practice—because it seems redundant or might feel embarrassing—undermines the call to obey Christ.

• Reason #2—identification. Believer’s baptism by immersion provides the perfect metaphor for identifying with the dead, buried and resurrected Christ and with generations of saints who have gone before. The opportunity to identify with Jesus and with Baptists around the world is a blessed privilege.

• Reason #3—hope. Believer’s baptism by immersion symbolizes faith in two vital hopes. First is that we, as new Christians, have died to our old, sinful selves and have been raised spiritually to walk in a new life. Second is that we place our eternal hope in the Resurrection. Christ defeated death, and so we live—both now and forevermore—in the promise of eternal life with God.

• Caveat—respect local-church autonomy. In addition to our 400-year affiliation with baptism, Baptists also have championed the right and responsibility of each congregation to search the Scriptures and come to its own conclusions. Respect for this principle should mark our discussion.

Marv Knox is editor of the Baptist Standard. Visit his FaithWorks Blog.