Larry Ramsour Evangelistic Association's Quarterly Publication:
Additional columns from "The Encourager" written by Evangelist Larry Ramsour:
THIS COLUMN ENTITLED "BAPTISTS AND PUBLIC PERCEPTION”, appeared in The Encourager in August of 2001:
"Let me tell you a story. Every word is true. A number of years ago, while preaching a revival in the mid-west, I received a long-distance call from a lady in one of our western states. Because she was familiar with my schedule in The Encourager, she was aware of where I was ministering at the time. She requested that I visit her daughter and son-in-law, both of whom had made recent professions of faith, but who were not connected to, nor being nurtured by, a church family. This woman was interested in their becoming Baptists. Because the couple lived about an hour away, I was able to drive up to see them after the noon, weekday service. They were expecting me and I was graciously invited into their home. After exchanging pleasantries, but before I could deal with the purpose of my visit, this young couple motioned to the newspaper on their coffee-table, requesting that I read the articles. It was the major “daily” of the state where I was preaching. The front page of the featured section contained articles pertaining to the upcoming annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. They had read these articles closely, and had carefully marked the quotations of preachers who were engaged in the Southern Baptist controversy raging at the time. The militaristic metaphors used by these Baptist leaders describing the forthcoming Southern Baptist event were highlighted in yellow: “fight to the finish,” “heads will roll,” “blood in the streets,” “Holy War,” etc.
"As I placed the paper back on the table, this young couple asked me, 'Brother Ramsour, why are you a Southern Baptist'? Now, as a Baptist preacher, and as the son and grandson of Baptist preachers, I “know” why I am a Baptist! I know why I am Southern Baptist! I also know that I believe the Bible from cover to cover! I believe in the first words of the Bible and the last words of the Bible – and everything in between! But on that embarrassing day, there was nothing that I could have said that would have convinced these new Christians that they should consider becoming Baptists.
"Why do I share this story? I do so at the risk of being misunderstood by many. To counteract any misunderstanding, it is important for me to declare that I happen to be as “conservative” in my theology as anyone I know. I believe the Bible is the inspired record of God’s revelation of Himself to man. And I believe that the majority of grass-roots Baptists, pastors and laypeople across our convention, are also conservative in their beliefs.
"Several years ago, our convention was threatened by a liberal theology that had made inroads into our convention agencies, our schools and our seminaries. The threat was indeed real! God has a way of dealing with such threats. And at that time, Southern Baptists had opportunity to utilize existing procedures to rid our institutions and organizations of the insidious liberalism that, if allowed to remain, might well have destroyed our denomination. Many of the actions taken by our leaders were wise, and greatly needed.
"But unfortunately, something happened. What should have taken place quietly, with fear and trepidation, accompanied with humility, grief over lost relationships, and exhaustive efforts at conciliation, INSTEAD became cause for public display, prideful and political. The controversy was taken to the streets. The public media became a favored battleground. Daily statements were fed to the press. Baptist dirty linen was actually aired by leaders on both sides on Donahue’s TV program.
"Someone says, 'Man, we didn’t have a choice. You weren’t privy to all the stuff that was really going on prior to and during the heat of the controversy.' Granted, there is much that I really don’t know. (How fortunate I am.)
"But I have connections with the One who knows the whole story. I recall that He indicated, on one occasion, that it’s not smart to 'pull up weeds' before the harvest is in. I believe He stated that an all-out assault on the weeds before the harvest becomes a threat to the growing wheat. Matthew 13:25-30 seems to have been ignored, along with a lot of other scripture, during the last 30 years. And I’m not talking about people on just one side of the issue.
"Did we really think that we could fight our battles in public without consequence? The truth is that for many years, a lot of things that have been said and done by Baptist leaders, have created an 'erosion' of credibility in the eyes of the public. But does public perception really matter? Certainly, taking a stand on the great moral issues of our day must never be based upon public approval or disapproval. But the way we go about choosing our battles is important. And the way we go about engaging in the battle is important. These things matter because the Christian is always expected to take the 'high road.' A city set on a hill does get noticed. There can be no doubt that the way people view Baptists 'DOES MATTER.'
"For example, it does matter when people see Baptists as “combative” or “mean-spirited.” It does matter when people see Baptists as 'disunited' and 'critical' of one another. As I recall, one of the things that amazed 'outsiders' who observed the early church is how they loved one another. Public perception does matter! People looked at early Christians and declared, 'These men have turned the world upside down.' Even this expression of 'disapproval' by the world is to be interpreted within a positive connotation. The world, looking on, saw Christians as 'impacting' society, not warring with one another. Public perception does matter!
"Folks may say, 'What is done is done – get over it and get on with the program.' The truth is that we serve a God who has no 'repentance expiration clause' for those who serve Him. He does not cease to expect us to love one another and pray with one another and fellowship with one another and communicate with one another until somewhere along the way we get right with one another. A judge often instructs a deadlocked jury, 'There is no excuse, in this case, for a hung jury. Reconvene and stay there until you agree.' I have absolutely no doubt in my mind and heart that we serve a Divine Judge who intends this to be the case for all those who love Him!
"The people who really know me are aware that I am not a devotee of any static position in the expression of these convictions. A lot of “shame” has been spread around on both sides. To those who for years have 'played politics' I say 'shame!' This includes the first time someone declared a 'run' on the SBC presidency decades ago. Until then, the office sought the man – not the opposite. To those who have exercised 'worldly power moves' and 'corporate methodology' in pursuit of their denominational objectives I say 'shame.' To those who walked out and started another convention because they didn’t have their say, or get their way, I say 'shame.' Starting another denominational convention to further fragment the body of Christ does not come without paying a heavy price! To those who’ve said, 'We’ll show you. We’ll take money from the ‘other group’s’ seminaries' I say 'shame.' To those who’ve widened the divide between us by saying 'We start printing our own literature' I say 'shame.'
"Folks, no one can call me partisan. There is enough shame to cover all of us. The real shame is that born-again Christians have ignored the Great Unifier!
"If I thought, for one moment, that the leaders – or a preponderance of participants in any of our fragmented Baptist conventions, groups or fellowships -- were unregenerate, I would be among those crying out, 'Anathema.' But we’re not talking about apostates. We’re talking about Christian brothers and sisters. With theological jargon and twisted logic we have rationalized away the commandments of Jesus and relegated His words to positions of total non-importance!!
"Words like: 'A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.' (John 13:34) 'By this shall all (men) know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.' (John 13:35) 'This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.' (John 15:12) 'These things I command you, that ye love one another.' (John 15:17) 'Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.' (Romans 12:10) 'Owe no one anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.' (Romans 13:8) 'For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only (use) not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.'(Galatians 5:13) 'With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.' (Ephesians 4:2) 'And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another.' (1 Thessalonians 3:12) 'But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.' (1 Thessalonians 4:9) The verses covering this subject are too numerous to print in this small periodical!!
"So, Larry Ramsour, why do you attend the conventions and evangelism conferences of both fragmented groups? The answer is simple. I have brothers and sisters on both sides who name Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. Some of them grieve, as do I, over the inability or unwillingness of combatants to be reconciled. Others have erred greatly, and are at odds with fellow Christians. Some have borne false witness against opposite groups in an effort to bolster their position. Others have believed false witness in ignorance, and have been judgmental. So, why do I continue to attend these meetings? Because I, too, am a sinner saved by grace. And I believe that God has the power to change our attitudes and to enable us to love even our enemies. And I believe that He will hold us accountable for every unkind thought, every harmful deed and every judgmental attitude toward others in the Family of God! Above all, my attendance at these meetings is to express my solidarity with those on both sides who are blood-bought children of God.
Public perception about Baptists is important. But more important is what God knows about Baptists. May the Lord help each one of us to repent of our attitudes and actions, to embrace one another in Christ, and to experience the “remedial power” of the Great Physician. Let the healing begin!"
--LARRY RAMSOUR
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