Voices: Texas Baptists are gospel-centered

I write to you from Toronto, Canada, where the Baptist World Alliance is celebrating its annual gathering. With the theme “One Gospel, Many People,” we are praying together, joining in worship, learning through breakout sessions, and conducting some business with Baptists from around the world.

BWA leaders have stated: “As many people in one gospel around the table of Christ, there is mutual transformation, shared leadership, genuine community, unity in diversity, and kingdom-oriented mission that commissions us into every neighborhood and to every nation.”

This gospel that unites us with other Baptists around the world also drives us as Texas Baptists.

In my weekly update two weeks ago, I listed seven values that describe Texas Baptists. Part 1 described the biblically faithful descriptor in that update. Last week, I shared Part 2.

This week, I address the “gospel-centered” aspect.

‘The reason we exist’

In a very real way, the reason we exist as a convention is the gospel. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ. It is what allowed us to be the people of God. Sharing the gospel is the mission that unites us.

Paul summarized for the Corinthians the essence of the gospel: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5, NIV).

There are many things that might be important to religious groups: worship and prayer, doctrine and teaching, ethics and ecclesiastical organizations, among others. For Texas Baptists, however, everything we do should be centered around living and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

Great Commandment, Great Commission

The Great Commandment calls us to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In fact, when we truly love God, we will love those he loves and those for whom he died on the cross. Loving our neighbor is living the gospel in word and action.

The Great Commission invites us to make disciples of all nations. This task rides on twin waves: the love of God demonstrated at the cross and the empty tomb, and our love for people of every tribe, nation, and tongue. Compelled by love, we invite people to follow Jesus, to be baptized and to be immersed in a community that seeks to obey him.

Thus, everything we do and the reason we do it is the gospel. The message of the cross, the resurrection and the exaltation of Jesus drive our actions, our ministry, our organization, our plans, our budget, and our relationships. This gospel is meant to be proclaimed.

Mission-driven

In the past, the word “evangelical” communicated this commitment to sharing the good news. Today, we can use words like “evangelistic,” “missional,” or “gospel-centered.” Whatever the word choice, it communicates a priority and a commitment to God’s redemptive mission.

The gospel is also about grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). To be a gospel-centered people means we desire to be a people of grace. We have been recipients of a generous, unmerited love in Christ. Such grace should flow through us to be a welcoming and loving people.

We remind ourselves that to be gospel-centered is to be mission-driven. We dare not allow less important things to distract us or divide us. Whether the simple words of Steve Green’s song “People Need the Lord” or the marching lyrics of Nichol’s “We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations” ring in our ears, we remember why we exist.

One hundred and forty years ago, BGCT founders came together for the sake of evangelism, missions, education, and benevolence—in other words, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. May Texas Baptists continue to be known as a gospel-centered people.

Julio Guarneri is the executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. This opinion article is adapted from his July 8 weekly update.