NWBC exec supports GCR report

By Bill Crews, NWBC Executive Director


My first exposure to a Southern Baptist Convention-wide emphasis was “A Million More in 54,” an effort by SBC churches to enroll 1 million people in Sunday schools. The emphasis was on reaching people.

Other significant emphases have been “Bold Missions Thrust” and “Empowering Kingdom Growth.” Each of these has been our denomination’s attempt to focus on fulfilling the Great Commission by reaching more people with the gospel, at home and around the world.

The latest emphasis began last year when the convention authorized appointment of a “Great Commission Resurgence Task Force” to bring a report and recommendations “concerning how Southern Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.”

The task force’s final report was released April 26 and will be presented to SBC messengers in Orlando, Fla., June 15-16.

When the task force released a preliminary report in February, some among us had serious concerns with certain proposals in the report. Since the task force emphasized the “preliminary” nature of their report, I felt it wise to seek ways to address these serious concerns and attempt to influence the drafting of the final report.

Working with other concerned leaders, we met with task force chairman Ronnie Floyd and other members of the task force to find ways to support of the final report when it is presented in Orlando.

I believe we were successful in realizing significant changes in the preliminary report that will facilitate the aim of the task force to assist Southern Baptist churches in Great Commission cooperation.

Although still concerned about some elements of the final report, I fully support the majority of the report and recommendations. Following are some of the reasons:

First, it is built on a “Theology for Great Commission Faithfulness.” At the heart of this theology is the belief that the gospel of Jesus is the only remedy for the growing lostness in our nation and the world. The success of our missiology rests on the rightness of our theology. Because Jesus is the only hope for a lost and dying world, faithfulness to the Great Commission should be the primary focus of every believer and every church.

Second, the GCR report properly focuses on the centrality of the local church in carrying out the Great Commission, which was not given to a denomination, but to the local church. The SBC and the Northwest Baptist Convention exist to encourage and empower the churches toward faithfulness to the gospel and the reaching of the lost.

Third, the report challenges the SBC entities and each cooperating church with a missional vision to “present the gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations.” Every one of us should greet this vision with enthusiastic acceptance.

Fourth, sharpening of the focus of the North American Mission Board to a priority of evangelism and church planting with an emphasis on the reaching of the cities and underserved regions and people groups of North America is long overdue and necessary.

While the recommendation for eliminating the development of cooperative agreements has caused concern among many, the ultimate aim of the recommendation is that NAMB develop new partnership agreements with state conventions, especially those conventions in the underserved and unreached areas of our country. These new partnership agreements will be more sharply focused and accountability for progress made will be welcomed.

Ultimately, our challenge as a denomination is a heart challenge. The answer will begin when we fall on our faces before God in humility, repentance and prayer and a re-commitment to the passion and heart of our Savior when he said, “As you are going into the world, make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age.”

It is now time to stop our talk and start our walk of obedience to his commission — the Great Commission.