EDITOR’S NOTE: This op-ed is in response to Eric Black’s editorial, published June 16, 2021, on the 2021 SBC annual meeting.

I do not envy the task of journalists trying to describe any annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Doing so must have been exceptionally difficult this year. I witnessed several moments in which long-tenured messengers well-attuned to the inner workings of the convention stood backstage, jaws agape, saying, “What just happened?”

Most Southern Baptists can remain mystified with little consequence, but journalists must summarize the meeting and do so on a deadline.

I therefore am sympathetic with the task of those who have tried to present you with a digest of last week’s events. Nevertheless, I would like to offer a summary different from others you may have read.

I believe our 2021 annual meeting was a tremendous success, and I believe the Southern Baptist Convention is in good health.

“How can this be?” you ask. “I’ve read the Southern Baptist Convention is deeply divided, and distrust is more palpable and intense than it has been in decades.”

Success and health of the SBC

No moment has existed in the 176-year history of the SBC when some chronicler could not have written about division and distrust in our ranks. Indeed, this is not unique to Baptists. No such moment has existed in the nearly-2,000-year history of Christianity.

Division and distrust, in varying degrees, are perpetual companions of Christianity. Sometimes they have been enemies to the progress of the faith—such as in 1054 A.D., when Eastern and Western Christianity split from one another.

On other occasions, division and distrust have made Christianity healthier. Division about state churches, and distrust of those who led the synthesis of church and state, led to significant changes that have improved the health of both church and state.

The yoking together of large numbers of churches naturally is going to yield differences of opinion. There’s nothing out of the ordinary about that. Every marriage encounters diversity of opinion, as does every business partnership and every local church experience. So, why shouldn’t large families of churches experience conflict?

The difference between a healthy marriage and an unhealthy one, I always tell couples seated in my office at the church, is not that some couples experience conflict while other couples do not. All couples face conflict in their marriages. The difference is some couples resolve their conflicts, while others accumulate unresolved conflict until they reach the breaking point.

Just as within a marriage, the measure of the health of the SBC and the measure of the success of this year’s annual meeting lies not in whether conflict existed, but in whether the meeting moved us toward resolution and whether the resolution was a healthy one.

Majority support for resolutions

The SBC entrusted me this year with a spot on the Committee on Resolutions. We prepared 10 resolutions to present to messengers at the 2021 annual meeting. These resolutions touched upon some of the most controversial topics in Southern Baptist life today: racial reconciliation, the Jan. 6 insurrection, church sexual abuse, religious liberty and the LGBTQ movement.

We prepared 10 resolutions, but we were able to present nine of them. These resolutions generated so much discussion and so many proposed amendments that we ran out of time to adopt them all. Also, one of the resolutions about abortion we declined to propose was brought out of committee over the objection of our committee.

Is all this discussion and amendment activity evidence of distrust in our committee and disunity among the messenger body? Some might construe it that way.

But consider this evidence. The convention adopted every one of those nine resolutions with strong majorities.

The resolution “On the Sufficiency of Scripture for Race and Racial Reconciliation”—the most controversial topic among Southern Baptists for the past two years—passed with an obvious supermajority of support.

Yes, we witnessed some difference of opinion, but in the end, a preponderance of the messengers were unified in one voice.

Value of annual meetings

We narrowly decided our presidential election, but the votes on the issues surrounding the presidential election—race, sexual abuse, Executive Committee policy—weren’t narrow at all. A lot of people were puzzled by this.

How does nearly half of the convention vote for Mike Stone for president, while very few messengers vote to amend a resolution to insert an explicit condemnation of critical race theory?

So many factors go into SBC presidential elections. The nominating speech sways a lot of messengers. Geography and personal relationships play a role. People are complex and do not yield readily to analysis.

In a manner reminiscent of pollsters covering our secular political elections, our denominational pundits obviously are struggling to understand Southern Baptists these days.

The best answer I can imagine is this: Southern Baptists are independent-minded and diverse. There’s a middle ground between division and groupthink. There’s a middle ground between disunity and sycophancy.

The 2021 SBC annual meeting occupied that middle ground. We were able to vote “Aye” and equally able to vote “Nay.” We had the freedom to disagree, and yet the power of the Spirit enabled us to agree most of the time.

I have determined to dislike conflict but never to be afraid of it. My forecast for the SBC? More conflict.

And yet, I also will make this prediction: Although we will have conflict at our annual meeting in 2030, it will be conflict about different topics than the ones we faced this year. Why? Because our annual meeting works.

The annual meeting brings us answers and resolution, enabling us to move on to the next difficult decision and the critical votes that will accompany it. It did so this year, and we move forward together.

Mission accomplished.

Bart Barber is the pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas. He is a member of the SBC Committee on Resolutions and a leader with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.

Controversy erupted when Matthew West, a musical artist performing at the 2021 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, performed a song called “Modest is Hottest.” West followed this performance by releasing a music video just a few days later.

The title of his song picks up on a slogan popular when I was in high school a decade ago. “Modest is hottest” was a popular evangelical slogan directed at girls and young women encouraging them to dress “modestly.” West’s song is sung from the perspective of a father encouraging his daughters to do the same.

Many people have found West’s song and the sentiment it expresses to be deeply problematic, and I share this opinion. I want to explain why evangelical discussions of “modesty” often are flawed, misogynistic and not truly rooted in biblical teaching.

1 Timothy 2:9

The go-to biblical passage for Christians when we discuss “modesty” is 1 Timothy 2:9, which reads, “Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel” (NASB). But this verse is not talking about sexually provocative clothing.

The specific Greek word behind the English translation of “modestly” is aidos, which standard Greek-English lexicons define as “the opposite of considering or treating something in a common or ordinary manner.” The word aidosis not inherently sexual.

Furthermore, this passage contrasts “modesty” not with sexual provocation, but with “braided hair and gold or pearls or expensive apparel.” Elaborate hairstyles, jewelry and fancy clothes were the hallmarks of wealthy women and served as status symbols. While there also did exist some stereotypes that wealthy, high-class women were promiscuous, nothing in preceding or following verses indicates sexual sin specifically is in focus.

Rather, 1 Timothy 2:9 is advocating for simplicity and humility over against obnoxious and prideful displays of wealth, especially in gathered worship. The problem in Timothy’s context was not women wearing spaghetti-strap shirts; the problem was some women showing off their wealth and status.

One does not even need to know Greek to understand this point. The English word “modesty” has a wide range of meanings, many of which are not sexual at all. “I make a modest living.” “I live in a modestly-sized house.” I could go on. The “modesty” of 1 Timothy 2:9 is not what modern readers often think it is.

By what standard?

There is no universally agreed-upon standard of “modesty” pertaining to sexually provocative clothing. To be sure, I think most Christians would agree people should not wear lingerie to church, but that is not a common phenomenon.

What is perfectly innocuous to one person—such as a one-piece bathing suit at the pool—is a “stumbling block” to someone else. Even the most stereotypically “modest” clothes still can be sexually arousing to some individuals. I know numerous women who have been told their clothes are a “stumbling block” to men, even when said clothing would have been considered totally innocent by most Christians.

So, what is the standard? It seems “modesty” is in the eye of the beholder, and it is wildly unfair to make people—particularly women—beholden to any given person’s random sexual hang-ups. Should a woman wearing a suit to church be expected to change clothes or leave just because one man present happens to be incredibly turned on by women in suits? No.

Moreover, the standards of modesty for women are far different than those for men, at least in evangelical circles. I cannot think of a single time I ever have heard of a man being asked to change his clothes to avoid “tempting” women, yet I cannot count the times I have heard of women being asked to do so.

Most egregiously, “modest is hottest” often transforms into victim-blaming in cases of sexual abuse. Women who have been sexually abused often face blame—despite being victims—because of what they were wearing at the time. Given the focus on sexual abuse in the SBC’s recent annual meeting, this is a major reason West’s song was so offensive to many.

The biblical response to lust

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus presents a radically different understanding of the relationship between “modesty” and lust. Rather than place the onus of responsibility on the person being lusted after, Jesus places responsibility on the one doing the lusting.

Jesus says, “I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Jesus then goes on to urge his listeners if they are struggling with lust, they ought to pluck out their own eyes and cut off their own hands (5:29-30).

While this exhortation clearly is an exaggeration, it shows Jesus takes this matter quite seriously. Relevant here, notice what Jesus does not say. Jesus does not say, “If you lust after a woman, you should go confront her about the way she’s dressed.” Responsibility for lust falls on the shoulders of the one doing the lusting.

For the modern Christian reading this, such guidance might look like this: If you are scrolling through your social media feed and notice a sister in Christ has posted a photo of herself and her friends at the beach, and she is wearing a swimsuit you find sexually alluring, just keep scrolling and put it out of your mind. Do not leave a comment or send her a private message chastising her for how “revealing” you think her swimsuit is.

That is just one hypothetical example of many I could give. The bottom line is people, especially women, should not be stuck in perpetual self-consciousness and shame over their clothing. While we should not tempt one another deliberately into sexual sin, we also should not uphold unbiblical and sexist standards of “modesty.”

Joshua Sharp is a writer and Bible teacher living in Waco. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Truett Theological Seminary. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Peter. Peter screwed up over and over and over again, and I do, too. I have a little trouble relating to someone who learns lessons quickly. I need to be wrong many times before I finally get the picture. I wish this wasn’t the case, of course, but alas, here I am.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Justice looks like …” is a special series in the Voices column. Readers will have the opportunity to consider justice from numerous viewpoints. The series is based on each writer’s understanding of Scripture and relationship with Jesus Christ. Writers present their own views independent of any institution, unless otherwise noted in their bios.

You are encouraged to listen to each writer without prejudgment. Then, engage in conversation with others around you about what justice looks like to you.

Click here for more information about the series. Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

I have witnessed injustices in my life.

During my time in college, I comforted a young lady who had mustered the courage to press charges against the young men who sexually assaulted her, only to find a system that did not defend her or find her case important.

I witnessed children being taken away from their mother, because the mother did not have the money, citizenshipstatus or resources to defend herself.

When I think of justice, I often think of the justice system, and the times it has failed those it should have protected.

But, what about me? When have I failed to protect the vulnerable in my community?

What about you? When have you failed to protect your neighbor?

Awareness of others and oneself

I am a social work student, and I am a pastor. As a social worker in training, we are taught to develop the skills oftuning in to our client and of self-awareness. Tuning in develops empathy. You put yourself in your client’s shoes. Self-awareness is the ability to recognize your beliefs, attitudes, biases, emotions, values, strengths, weaknesses and what motivates your behavior.

As a pastor, I encourage my congregation to love their neighbor as themself. I encourage reflection, confession and repentance.

Tuning in to the other and self-awareness pair well with the Christian teaching of loving our neighbor. Liberation theology calls this conscientization—the dynamic of awakening, of helping people become aware and that they have the power to bring about change.

Justice looks like awakening—awakening ourselves to the plea of others, tuning in to the pain of others, developing empathy, and doing something about it.

Justice is an action

In Spanish, to do righteous acts is to do justicia—justice. Miguel A. De La Torre, in his article Breaking Barriers: Reading the Bible in Spanish, writes: “For English speakers, righteous means morally right or justifiable, acting in an upright, moral way. The definition implies an action that can be performed privately.”

But “righteous” in Spanish is “justice.” And justice “only occurs in community … [and] cannot be reduced to a private expression of faith; it is a public action,” he continues.

Good Samaritan displays justice

The parable of the good Samaritan tells the story of a man robbed, beaten and left “half dead” beside the road. A Jewish priest and then a Levite stumble upon the man, but each continues his way.

A Samaritan also stumbles upon the man, stops and helps the injured Jewish man. One should note: Samaritans and Jews were enemies. However, the Samaritan interrupted his journey and went out of his way to help the injured Jew. Hetook him to an inn, stayed with him, and when he left the inn, gave the innkeeper enough money to provide for the care of the injured man.

Jesus then asked an expert of the law, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

“The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’

“Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise’” (Luke 10:36-37).

This parable expresses justice. It shows us justice is a public action. It shows justice in awakening oneself to the plea of another, self-awareness and action.

The Samaritan man tuned in by empathizing with the injured Jew left on the side of the road. He must have become self-aware by recognizing his own beliefs, biases, emotions, values, strengths and weaknesses. He was a Samaritan, and we can assume the injured man was a Jew.

The Samaritan must have recognized the racial tension and the power of resources he had—a donkey to carry the man to an inn, bandages, oil, wine and just enough money to take care of the man—and that he may have to reimburse the innkeeper for any additional expenses.

In the story we see the Samaritan man put justice into practice by doing something about the man left on the side of the road.

Practicing justice

In life, we will stumble upon injustices like the injured man left beside the road. The question is, will we fail to protect our neighbor? Will we allow ourselves to awaken to the plea of another?

Despite the differences we may have with the other—like the Samaritan and the Jew in the parable—will we use our power and our resources to do justicia?

Nataly Mora is pursuing a Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work at Baylor University and Truett Theological Seminary. She is an intern at the Center for Church & Community Impact and a pastor at Park Lake Drive Baptist Church in Waco. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

The following occurred during the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.

1. We voted for the resolution on the abolition of abortion, with a very important one-word amendment.

2. We voted for the motion to make sure a third party investigates the SBC Executive Committee and reports their findings to a group other than the Executive Committee, which has power to reject the counsel of the Executive Committee attorney, to be sure we now are treating with respect and genuine concern all who come forward with allegations of sexual abuse.

3. We voted for the resolution that sexual abuse offenders are permanently disqualified from the office of pastor or other church staff, because they obviously are not above reproach.

4. We also made it clear, at a very minimum, we expect the Executive Committee to investigate all sexual abuse allegations and report its findings to messengers so we may exercise our right to disfellowship any congregation who knowingly harbors sexual predators or does not report the matter, enabling predators freedom to skip on to the next church and keep getting church staff jobs.

5. We deliberately were thwarted by the Committee on Resolutions the right to vote on any resolution that might possibly even mention directly critical race theory.

6. We voted for the most diverse slate of candidates in the history of the SBC, with one white, one Black and one Hispanic in the presidential and both vice presidential slots, and elected the first Hispanic to give the convention sermon next year.

7. We passed Vision 2025, which includes five original components on increasing evangelism and baptisms in various ways, while adding a sixth component that insists we must fight simultaneously against sexual abuse and racial discrimination in any and all of our churches.

8. We voiced our concern that some entities may have overstepped their bounds in making or trying to make major changes without the voted approval of the sole member and then sought approval of their decisions after the fact, now confusing some of the assignments of Lifeway and NAMB, until better recommendation(s) can be brought next year.

9. We heard excellent messages from both our SBC presidential address and the convention sermon that exhorted the good and rebuked the worst in all of us, calling us up to higher and better.

10. We heard from six seminary presidents who are doing an excellent job standing strong on Scripture and working together to train the next generation for ministry and missions. This is the real story of the results of the conservative resurgence: SBC seminaries standing for biblical truth and remaining happily accountable to our individual local churches for what they teach.

This cat—the SBC—landed on its feet, despite the way it was flipped in the air several times and had us all concerned. We came wondering and left encouraged.

Kevin Mitchell is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Pecos and is a member of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board. The views expressed are those of the author and not intended to represent any institution or entity.

Stephen Hatfield has been the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lewisville 28 years. From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on the church and ministry. To suggest a BGCT-affiliated minister to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

Where else have you served in ministry, and what were your positions there?

• Pastor, Baring Cross Baptist Church, North Little Rock, Ark.
• Pastor, First Baptist Church, Grandview.
• Pastor, First Baptist Church, Venus.
• Summer youth associate, First Baptist Church, Arlington.

Where did you grow up?

Little Rock, Ark.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

When I was 9, I crossed the line of faith at a revival service where my dad was the visiting evangelist.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

• Ouachita Baptist University, Bachelor of Arts.
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity and Ph.D.

About ministry life

Why do you feel called into ministry?

I made my commitment to Christ and made my commitment to ministry when I was 9—as best as a 9-year old could do.

What is your favorite aspect of ministry? Why?

Teaching and preaching, though I do not spend enough time preparing. I enjoy bringing passages and applications together.

What did you learn on the job you wish you learned in seminary?

How to handle and balance the expectations of people.

What is the impact of ministry on your family?

My wife Marcie and I have five children—all married—and 15 grandchildren. They all live near us, and three of our kids are active members of our church. The other two are involved in the churches near where they live.

My oldest daughter has served on our ministry staff for years. She began as our student minister and now serves as our young adult minister.

If you could get one “do over” in ministry, what would it be, and why?

I would speak less and listen more.

About Baptists

Why are you Baptist?

I was born a Baptist; I had no choice. When I was able to understand my heritage, I chose to stay because of several Baptist distinctives, which include my freedom to interpret Scripture as God’s Spirit guides me and the idea I can approach God on my own.

What are the key issues facing Baptists—denominationally and/or congregationally?

The COVID pandemic has changed everything. Baptists must rethink and relaunch ministries and programs to meet the needs of people.

What would you change about the Baptist denomination—state, nation or local?

I would not change anything. We have done our best to be that “rope of sand with strength of steel.” People who call themselves Baptist do so because Baptists champion freedom.

About Stephen

Name something about you that would surprise people who know you.

I am extremely claustrophobic.

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

My dad, Lawson Hatfield, was and still is the major influencer in my life. Though he has been in heaven for many years, his memory still guides me. Daddo was a pastor, and for most of his ministry years, he was the Sunday school director for the Arkansas Baptist Convention. His smile was contagious, and his ability to bring people together was amazing. He reminded me even though my name is Hatfield and my heritage was to bear grudges for generations, I did not have to live that way.

Huber Drumwright was the first professor I met when I began my years at seminary. He encouraged me and helped me find a place of service.

I served as Bill Tolar’s grader for many years at Southwestern. The man was a fact machine, a brilliant scholar, simply one of a kind. Over the years, I crossed paths with many former students who remember me as the guy who graded Tolar’s tests.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

I was introduced to the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien in college. The “Ring” volumes are stories at their best. And if you cannot see the obvious parallels to the battle between good and evil, then I don’t know what else to say.

I read whatever N.T. Wright writes. He always seems to approach a passage from a creative and powerful perspective.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

Ephesians 6:10-18. I love the imagery of Paul comparing our spiritual armor to the armor of a Roman soldier who guarded the apostle.

Who is your favorite person in the Bible, other than Jesus? Why?

Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. He exercised tremendous emotional intelligence as he dealt with all the circumstances of Jesus’ birth and formative years.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Justice looks like …” is a special series in the Voices column. Readers will have the opportunity to consider justice from numerous viewpoints. The series is based on each writer’s understanding of Scripture and relationship with Jesus Christ. Writers present their own views independent of any institution, unless otherwise noted in their bios.

You are encouraged to listen to each writer without prejudgment. Then, engage in conversation with others around you about what justice looks like to you.

Click here for more information about the series. Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you” (Psalms 89:14).

The word “justice” carries with it the concepts of fairness, respect, equity, peace, impartiality and decency (Oxford, 2020).

These concepts are implicit in the U.S. Constitution. All citizens have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness based on the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

These implicit concepts of freedom have been denied Black Americans. Consider that the slave trade began in America in 1619. The end of slavery was mandated in 1865 by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. From 1877 to 1964, Black Americans were subject to the segregationist rules of Jim Crow laws that denied justice—fairness, respect, equity, peace, impartiality and decency—thus treating these citizens differently than other Americans.

I do believe, however, there are places to begin the process.

Where to start

There must be a restructuring of how laws are applied disproportionately to Black Americans and other people of color. The church universal must speak out on issues of injustice, not only Black and brown church leaders. Finally, individuals who profess faith in Christ must hold one another accountable for justice and righteousness.

There must be a restructuring of how laws disproportionately disadvantage Black Americans and other people of color. Over 3,000 lynchings of Black Americans occurred from 1882 to 1968. Within this era, there were homes and churches burned and Blacks murdered without any judicial or legal remedy.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended the segregationist Jim Crow laws and, in essence, gave civil liberties to Americans who had been denied those liberties. Even so, with the murder of Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, through to May 25, 2020, the eyes of the world have been focused on modern-day lynching, as seen in the televised murder of George Floyd at the knee of a public servant, a police officer.

Politicians use redlining disproportionately to leave Black Americans and other people of color without funding from banks to purchase new homes in different areas of a city or to get approval for loans to repair their homes. The vestiges of this practice remain in effect across the United States.

I suggest justice must look like something we have never seen or experienced before as a country and people.

Task forces could be established to monitor how civil liberties are being upheld in industries and penalties applied when infractions occur.

Speaking out

The church universal must join Black and brown church leaders in speaking out on issues of injustice.

In an interview on Trinity Broadcasting Network, Tony Evans spoke out on the silence of white church leaders as it relates to the plight of Black Americans being killed in the streets over the last five years. Evans suggested the absence of equity among God’s rule has been absent and silent. He further stated, “People will affirm things they believe in morally but not speak on things that involve the dignity of other people.”

Evans urged the church and her leaders to adopt, not just a “nine-month life agenda, but a whole-life agenda” that agrees Black lives matter. Only then do we represent God’s agenda as the church, he said.

The responsibility of speaking out, educating and teaching is not only on those being wronged; all those who believe in justice must speak out. All our leaders are needed to advocate for fairness, respect, equity, peace, impartiality and decency.

Justice involves all of us

Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” This speaks to my final suggested action.

We the people must take responsibility if there is to be change. I can—you can—no longer afford to sit by idly as injustice continues.

It will require us to hold each other accountable to speak up and speak out when we witness or experience injustice.

God requires not only righteousness from us, but justice also. It is our responsibility as we enact the Scripture that says, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Rev. Debra F. Bell is owner and senior consultant for P3Coaching and Consulting. Debra is a certified coach, trainer and speaker with John Maxwell Team. She currently serves at The Church Without Walks and as the assistant director of career services at Houston Baptist University.

Click here to read the full “Justice looks like…” series.

On Sunday mornings, we learn Jesus wanted children to be able to come to him. That same expectation applies to the rest of the week. However, Jesus telling his disciples, “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14) apparently does not apply to Texas.

Gov. Greg Abbot’s May 31 signed order revokes child care licenses from Texas-based nonprofit organizations currently partnering with the federal government to provide care and housing for unaccompanied migrant children. Rather than being treated with dignity and care, migrant children instead are being used as political pawns.

As diverse as Texas Christians can be, I am confident there is not a follower of Christ in our great state who wants children left vulnerable and uncared for.

Federal law pertaining to unaccompanied migrant children

Under current U.S. law, unaccompanied migrant children are required to be kept safely in the United States until their court date. There should be no hinderance for Christian organizations or other nonprofits from providing that care in coordination with the federal government.

Abbott’s decision clearly is politically motivated. Federal law restricts the use of shelter-like facilities for domestic foster care except in extremely limited circumstances. Therefore, preventing organizations from offering care to migrant children will not increase capacity to care for U.S.-born children in need of foster care.

According to existing U.S. law, migrant children on U.S. soil are supposed to be protected while they await a court hearing to determine if they qualify to stay permanently in the United States.

The Evangelical Immigration Table has pointed out the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008—signed by President George W. Bush—and the decades-old Flores Agreement require children encountered by U.S. Border Patrol to be transferred within 72 hours to the care of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That agency works with faith-based and other nonprofit organizations operating shelters generally required to be licensed by the state. Unaccompanied minors stay in those facilities usually for a few weeks until their parent—in 40 percent of cases—another relative, or in rare cases, a foster family can be identified.

Unaccompanied migrant children in Texas

Gov. Abbott knows nearly one-quarter of all licensed beds for unaccompanied children happen to be here in Texas, which I consider a clear indication of Texans putting their faith into tangible action.

Due to our border with Mexico, Texas also has some of the largest unlicensed influx facilities—such as Fort Bliss in El Paso and the recently closed emergency shelter at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas—housing thousands of children in large group settings, waiting to be transferred to licensed facilities.

A Christian’s obligation

As a follower of Christ, I am concerned about the vulnerable among us. Children need to be with families, not housed in large convention centers. Using migrant children as pawns in national politics is shameful.

I know Gov. Abbott is better than this. He was a clear advocate for our religious liberty during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing churches to meet and worship.

Let us not departmentalize our faith to Sunday morning worship and turn a blind eye to the needs of the vulnerable children crossing our border.

Amos Humphries is the pastor of Park Lake Drive Baptist Church in Waco. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

For some Christians, reading the Bible “literally” is a point of pride and a matter of faithfulness. For other Christians, reading the Bible “literally” is an unhelpful and even potentially harmful approach to the Scriptures.

From the early centuries of the church until now, Christians have been arguing over the appropriate ways to read Scripture. And even before the time of Christ, Jews were debating how best to interpret the texts we Christians now call the Old Testament.

Should Christians read the Bible literally? Are we even capable of doing so? Here is a brief response.

Defining ‘literally’

Since reading the Bible “literally” is such a contested idea, there are numerous different and confusing definitions of “literal interpretation” with which people operate.

By “literal interpretation” I mean using historical and linguistic analysis to determine what the original words of Scripture most likely meant to their original human authors and audiences, then accepting this meaning as absolutely true and universally binding over and against all other meanings of the text.

On this definition, literal interpretation allows for metaphor, symbolism and other literary devices. Literal interpretation is not the same as literalism, which ignores or rejects metaphorical language, symbolism and other literary devices.

The self-interpretation of the Bible

The most significant challenge to literal interpretation of the Bible is the Bible itself. Our Scriptures frequently cite, comment upon, and otherwise interpret texts from elsewhere in the canon in ways that are not “literal.”

One example may be found in Galatians 4:22-31. Here Paul cites the story of Hagar, Sarai and their children to explain why Christians are not bound under the covenant given to Moses and Israel on Mount Sinai. Paul says Hagar “is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children” (4:25 NASB).

This statement is representative of the interpretive approach Paul takes with several Old Testament texts that, when we interpret them literally, have little or nothing to do with the relationship between Gentiles and the Mosaic covenant.

Galatians 4 is just one case among innumerable others where the Bible interprets itself non-literally. How could Christians insist literal interpretation is the best or only way to understand Scripture faithfully when Scripture itself clearly plays by different rules? Are we more faithful readers of the Bible than Paul or Jesus?

The traditions of the church

Insistence on strictly literal interpretation of the Bible also cuts against the grain of how most Christians read the Bible prior to the modern era. Even a cursory overview of Christian biblical commentaries and sermons from the 100s A.D. and onward demonstrates a remarkable range of interpretive approaches beyond literal interpretation.

Origen of Alexandria, for example, was one of the most prolific and influential Bible commentators of the early church. He went so far as to say, in some cases, God deliberately inspired the literal sense of the biblical text to be wrong in order to prompt readers to seek deeper spiritual or allegorical meanings in the text (On First Principles, 4.2-3).

Even the Reformers, often lauded as champions of literal biblical interpretation, did not embrace the literal interpretive approach fully that we so often assume they did. Consider John Calvin, who argued Joseph in Genesis represents Christ. In an article for The Gospel Coalition, Jeffrey Fisher shared “a few cases where Calvin offered symbolic interpretations [of the Old Testament] not explicitly identified in the New Testament or connected to historical matters.” In reality, there are more than a few.

To insist on strictly literal interpretation of the Bible requires us to ignore or reject much of historic Christianity’s biblical interpretations as simply wrong and methodologically illegitimate. I would hesitate taking such a strong stance against our ancestors in the faith.

Ad absurdum

Finally, strictly and thoroughly literal interpretation of the Bible leads to absurd readings of the text no reasonable Christian today would accept.

I have written before on Joshua 10:13, one Old Testament text among many that assume a geocentric cosmos. I pointed out geocentricity is not the main point of Joshua 10:13, but if we read and believe that verse precisely according to what the original human author meant to say, we nevertheless would have to believe the sun revolves around the Earth.

If you asked the original author of Joshua if he meant to say the sun revolves around the Earth, he would have said, “Yes.” When Christians who opposed Copernicus cited the Bible to attack his theories, those Christians did indeed have the literal sense of Scripture on their side. But we now know they were wrong.

Better ways of reading

There are many layers of meaning in the Bible, and Christians must use a variety of interpretive methods to discern what they are. We must use these various methods carefully and prayerfully, of course, but we cannot limit ourselves only to literal readings of the text.

Literal interpretation has a place at the table, but it cannot stand alone. Christians have much to learn from historic methods, such as allegorical interpretation. Even more contemporary approaches—such as postcolonial and Black hermeneutics—offer important insights into Scripture, as well.

Some may object, arguing we might make the Bible mean simply whatever we want it to mean if we do not prioritize literal interpretation over and against all other approaches. However, even various Christian groups who claim only to read the Bible “literally” still disagree sharply with one another on what Scripture means. Literal interpretation never has provided the objectivity many assume it does.

We are finite and fallible beings. There simply is no way to guarantee our reading of the Bible is the singular, “correct” one. But this does not mean we should embrace pure relativism. Rather, we should embrace humility, subject our own readings to regular scrutiny, and saturate our studies with prayer.

Joshua Sharp is a writer and Bible teacher living in Waco. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Truett Theological Seminary. The views expressed are those solely of the author.

Matt Homeyer is assistant dean of external affairs at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, where he has served since 2015. He is a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco and is interim pastor at Bosqueville Baptist Church.

From deep in the heart of one Texan, he shares his background and thoughts on education, the church and ministry. To suggest a Baptist General Convention of Texas-affiliated leader to be featured in this column, or to apply to be featured yourself, click here.

Background

Where else have you served, and what were your positions there?

• Fellowship Baptist Church, Marble Falls, 2007–2015, senior pastor.
• First Baptist Church, Hubbard, 2003–2007, student pastor.

Where did you grow up?

Kenedy, Texas, and the First Baptist Church of Kenedy

How did you come to faith in Christ?

Like all good Baptist children—VBS! Bro. Bob Wimpee gave an invitation one morning at Vacation Bible School when I was 8, and I felt led to stay after and visit with him, along with a few other children. He presented the gospel to us and encouraged us to visit with our parents.

I vividly remember sitting cross-legged on my parents’ bed that evening as I prayed the best prayer my 8-year-old self could muster, asking Jesus to forgive me of sin and to be Lord and Savior of my life. I was baptized a few weeks later in a Sunday night service.

When were you called into ministry?

I first felt God’s call to ministry while singing at a youth choir concert at First Baptist Church in La Vernia.

Where were you educated, and what degrees did you receive?

• Baylor University, Bachelor of Arts in speech communication, 2003.
• Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity, 2007.
• Truett Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministry, 2016.

About ministry

How has your place in ministry or your perspective on ministry changed?

The lesson I’ve taken from my experience and the experience of helping other ministers reflect upon their ministry is, for most ministers, one’s calling continually is sure, but the shape and form of one’s ministry may shift over the years.

I hold on to God’s call on my life like a drowning man to a life preserver. Job descriptions and titles, on the other hand, are to be held more loosely. God willing, life is long and will contain many chapters of ministry. Be content with this season, and trust God for future seasons. This is my daily struggle and prayer.

How do you expect ministry to change in the next 10 to 20 years?

In the United States, ministry will become harder. All the stressors that make ministry challenging will be exacerbated. Cultural divides seem destined to deepen, cracks of differences bound to grow into unspannable chasms.

Tolerance is our national virtue and, as a result, followers of Jesus will find themselves increasingly out of step with broader societal movements. As boomers age and pass away, churches will struggle to adapt to these challenges, as well as to find ways to fund ministry and mission.

What is the upside? Hopefully, churches will muster the courage to seek imaginative and effective means to communicate the gospel for changing times. Many churches likely will go the way of Blockbuster

, but other existing churches will thrive, and many others will be born and communicate the gospel in unique ways.

I believe churches, on the whole, will get smaller and deeper. Many will be boutique churches, strategically formed to reach a people or cultural subgroup—such as churches for gamers, artists, bikers and others. Also, on the whole, churches are likely to be less reliant on professional clergy and more adept at helping disciples learn to make disciples.

I pray for a renewed zeal to share Jesus with those who don’t know him, and that this zeal is matched in pitch with a commitment for justice and healing.

Name the most significant challenges and/or influences facing ministers.

Wellness—mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. All indicators point to pastors being less healthy than ever. We face our own wellness pandemic.

Leadership—leading congregations to follow Jesus together in increasingly divided times. Can we find ways for church to be a place where people with deep divisions between them can come together in Jesus’ name and go out as brothers and sisters who transform the world?

What do you wish more people knew about ministers?

I wish churches knew how deeply most pastors love them. I hope I’m wrong about this and that churches instinctively know this.

Some pastors can be mean and do dumb things. That said, the vast majority are in love with their congregation and prayerfully agonize over them like a first-time parent over the child of promise. This deep affection is hard for pastors to talk about without becoming embarrassed or seeming to be self-promoting, but I wonder if church health might be improved by a working awareness of this love.

I also wish more churches understood how difficult the job of pastor can be. Many professions present unique difficulty, but few thrust such a wide range of vocational challenges on one person. Pastors of small and big churches alike must be communicators (and of the word of God, no less), teachers, chaplains, counselors, managers, human resource directors and visionaries—all at once.

Their hours are irregular, and the pressures of leadership are compounded by the reality heaven and hell are at stake in our work. If that weren’t enough, pastors bear the stress—and the unique joy—of burying people they love, speaking holy words at some of the most momentous moments in peoples’ lives, and continually calling their congregation back to the task of cross-bearing discipleship.

For one who is called to such work, it is work of deepest joy and fulfillment; but, it is difficult and comes with a cost. Many church members understand this. But every pastor will receive the joking side-comment of how nice it would be to have to work only one day each week.

About education

Why do you feel called into your area of education?

The short answer is I don’t feel called to higher education. My calling, since I was 18, is to pastor. Once received, it was like something blooming inside of me that had been waiting there for years, waiting for the season to open up in fullness.

There have been seasons of difficulty, doubt and struggle in following this call, but this call to pastor God’s people remains the grounding purpose of my life.

I always assumed this would mean my job title read, “senior pastor.” The opportunity to serve at Truett came unexpectedly and, I believe, was a Spirit work.

At Truett, I am able to serve the church by pastoring pastors and training students to serve in ministry. I think most of us at Truett—even those with a call to teach—feel our jobs are in service to our call to the church, not a separate call to higher-education.

What is your favorite aspect of education? Why?

I love seeing young ministers grow in confidence in their call as they grow more deeply in love with Jesus and Christ’s church.

Student’s often come to seminary unsure of the nature of their calling. They’ve received an inkling of a call and come to seminary to explore this holy hunch. Regularly, over the course of their first and second year, a Spirit work happens in the life of a student while in class, in conversations with faculty and friends, and through hands-on ministry. Their calling becomes sure and true.

They often don’t fully realize the change they have undergone, but the faculty and staff are privileged to provide witness as we visit with, teach and pray for them. And we give thanks, and we ask God to call more of them.

What one aspect of education would you like to change?

I wish churches would integrate support of theological education into their mission and budgets. It is wrong for ministers to go into significant debt to follow God’s call to ministry. I wish we could create a program where churches cooperated together to pay tuition for students called to congregational ministry or that would provide loan forgiveness after three to five years’ service in a Texas Baptist church.

Texas Baptist churches support theological education very generously through their cooperative program gifts, but the needs are great. It requires local churches accepting this as part of their mission.

About Baptists

Why are you Baptist?

Honestly, because my grandfathers and dad were all deacons, my grandmothers and mom all taught Sunday school and choir, my uncle was a Baptist pastor, and then I chose to attend the largest Baptist university in the world. I was fated to be a Baptist. That said, I choose to be Baptist because of both our faith commitments and polity.

Beyond the standard marks of orthodoxy, I adhere to the traditional Baptist distinctives—soul competency, priesthood of all believers, local church autonomy, separation of church and state, and observance of two ordinances.

I am Baptist also because it was Baptist family, Baptist Sunday school teachers and Baptist pastors who taught me to love and follow Jesus. They did so imperfectly but faithfully and with great joy.

I need a tribe to journey with who will continue to witness to me in such ways and will do the same for my kids. My tribe is Texas Baptists, and I am thankful for my tribe.

What are the key issues facing Baptists—denominationally and/or congregationally?

Denominationally, are Baptists destined to further fracture, divide and split until our witness in the eyes of others is shattered? Have we already reached that point? Will a compelling vision—and visionaries—arise that can unify a diverse spectrum of churches under a gripping kingdom vision that encompasses salvation in the name of Jesus, as well as justice for all God’s people?

What would you change about the Baptist denomination—state, nation or local?

I support Texas Baptists unabashedly. That said, I hope we can discern what we must do during the next 20 to 50 years to equip churches to evangelize, disciple and seek justice in Texas and beyond; commit absolutely to these four to five areas; and be willing boldly to eliminate anything that would distract us from this mission.

This is true for both churches and denominations. There are many things we can do and only a few things we must do.

About Matt

Who were/are your mentors, and how did/do they influence you?

My dad and grandfathers—Bobby Homeyer, Bob Homeyer and H.L. Hall—remain the best men I’ve known. They modeled quiet and consistent faith lived out in every aspect of their lives. They were the same men at church, work and home. If I live by their example, I believe I will find myself living smack-dab in the middle of the kingdom of God.

Ron Cook and my uncle Ken Hall have been mentors, and now friends, in ministry since I was in college. Their steady support and wise counsel gave me the confidence to take first steps in ministry, and they continue to be the first two calls I make when I need counsel, encouragement and wisdom.

There is a fellowship of young-ish pastors with whom friendships were formed during the crucible of ministry in our 20s and 30s. They have been my continual confessors, teachers and co-laborers. For them, I am ever thankful and look forward to several decades of serving together in the years ahead.

Other than the Bible, name some of your favorite books or authors, and explain why.

I find myself most drawn to books that feature stories of calling, vocation and redemption in everyday life. Not epic hero stories, but stories of characters who find deepest purpose in living well the daily life they are given, such as Jayber Crow and Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry, Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden by John Steinbeck, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, and Gilead and its accompanying novels by Marilynne Robinson.

What is your favorite Bible verse or passage? Why?

The verses that speak to me in this season and that won’t seem to let me go is Colossians 1:28-29. I am seeking to live in deeper knowledge that it is Christ who provides energy to follow the call. Even when I am bone-tired, I want to live with a deeper awareness of that energy of the Spirit.