New Baptist Covenant Midwest Region

NBC Midwest Regional Meeting Planned

2008-06-05T15:15:00.003-05:00

A midwest regional meeting for the New Baptist Covenant to be held in Norman, Oklahoma is being planned for August 6-7, 2009.

Former President Jimmy Carter has agreed to participate.

We will post further developments about this event on this weblog as information becomes available.

Canadian Broadcasting on the New Baptist Covenant

2008-03-07T10:20:00.000-06:00

Click here for a podcast of Dr. Bruce Prescott being interviewed by Rick MacInnes Rae of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for his 2-11-08 Dispatches radio program (5 MB MP3). Prescott talks with Rae about the significance of the 2008 Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant.

Ruffin Longs for Home, Finds it at New Baptist Covenant

2008-02-08T15:58:00.000-06:00

Mike Riffin, of the On the Jericho Road weblog, has posted an esaay about his experiences at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant under the title "The Longing for Home." Here's a quote:

It's a huge task that we have taken upon ourselves. But I hope that, to use Jimmy Allen's words, it becomes a "movement" rather than a moment. I need a home that builds upon the positive aspects of Baptist history and moves beyond the negative aspects. I need a home that transcends petty differences and debates over theological minutiae. I need a home where Jesus is Lord, where freedom is cherished, where people are accepted, and where the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ is the paramount concern.

Analysis of the Celebration

2008-02-06T19:25:00.001-06:00

A new website called "Religion Dispatches" came online yesterday. It will attempt to provide some critical analysis of religion, politics and the common good.

I posted my review and an analysis of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant on their "RDBlog" under the title "Painting Elephants." Here's a quote:

Baptists in America may never be the same. For one shining moment in Atlanta, at a three-day gathering termed a “celebration”, Baptists were called to repent of their long history of racism and sexism and affirm a New Baptist Covenant. Never before in the 400-year history of the Baptist denomination have black Baptists and white Baptists met with equal participation on the platform and equal numbers in the audience; never before in history have Baptists – black and white, male and female – met with more than token representation of prophetic women speaking from the pulpit; never before in history have moderate and progressive Baptists from North and South and Canada and Mexico met together to network and organize for Christian social action. If this moment becomes a movement, as its organizers hope and intend, then by re-orienting the Baptist denomination it may also help to change the political priorities of the nation.

Dr. Walter Shurden's Speech at the Celebration

2008-02-04T07:38:00.000-06:00

The coverage of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant by Associated Baptist Press, Ethics Daily, by Bloggers like Melissa Rogers, Ben Cole, Brian Kaylor, Aaron Weaver, The Bold Confessor and others. Videos of the sermons and speeches are being posted online at the New Baptist Covenant website.

I have no desire to duplicate their fine efforts. Here's something unique to Mainstream Baptists. Dr. Walter Shurden, premier historian among moderate Baptists, gave a speech at the Mainstream Baptist Network breakfast this morning on the historical significance of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Here's a link to a podcast of his speech (31 MB MP3). Here's one of the many significant statements that he made:

"The Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant is not an effort to form something together, it is an effort to say something together -- about what we ought to be doing together."

What we ought to be doing together is taking seriously what Jesus took seriously -- promoting peace with justice, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, caring for the sick and marginalized, visiting the imprisoned and welcoming strangers.

Headlines for New Baptist Covenant

2008-01-27T08:29:00.000-06:00

The religion sections of newspapers around the country are publishing stories about the coming Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Here are some links:

Atlanta Journal Constitution

Augusta Chronicle

Columbus Ledger Inquirer

Fort Worth Star-Telegram

News & Observer

New York Times

Washington Post

Winston-Salem Journal

Black and Christian Notes Celebration

2008-01-26T09:38:00.000-06:00

The Black and Christian website, a popular internet site for African-Americans, has noted the involvement of Black Christians in the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Here's a quote from their news release:

Presidents and delegates from the National Baptist Convention, USA; National Baptist Convention of America, National Missionary Baptist Convention and the Progressive National Baptist Convention signed on to participate not only in a joint session among themselves but also to lend support to the New Baptist Covenant Movement.

Gushee's Journey

2008-01-25T09:50:00.000-06:00

David Gushee, Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University, has written an outstanding essay about his journey to the New Baptist Covenant. Here's an excerpt:

Never in all my years at Providence can I remember the first word being said about politics. Never was there an expectation or even the slightest hint that a good Christian or good Baptist would vote this way or that. We just "did church." I'm sure there were both Democrats and Republicans in that congregation, but it didn't matter.

I am firmly convinced that throughout the Baptist world -- black, white, Asian, Hispanic, African and so on, in all of our dozens of denominations -- one can still find thousands upon thousands of individuals and churches that feel something like Providence Baptist Church did in those days when I needed it so badly. Such churches are centered on Jesus Christ. They preach the authoritative and inspired Bible as refracted through the tender lens of Jesus Christ. They are morally serious. They focus on obeying the Great Commission through evangelism, discipleship and missions. They build meaningful experiences of Christian community, they know what they believe but are not overly focused on doctrinal purity. They respect the freedom of fellow believers to express their faith in differing ways. And above all they love people. They are open, trusting, welcoming, kind and warm-hearted. They look you in the eye. They hate fighting. They are known for what they are for, not what they are against.

I know that I am at home spiritually whenever I find Christians who exude this spirit. I have met them all over the world.

I know there are many churches and individuals still affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention that are right there. I know there are many affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that are right there. The same can be said of churches in the dozens of other Baptist denominations. One of the great tragedies of our divided people is that our divisions of race, class, secular politics and denominational controversy have been so profound as to prevent us from knowing one another well enough to find this out, to meet the saints on the other side of the barbed wire.

Mark Johnson's Hopes for the New Baptist Covenant

2008-01-24T10:24:00.000-06:00

Ethics Daily has posted an essay by Mark Johnson, pastor at Central Baptist Church in Lexington, KY, about his hopes for the New Baptist Covenant. He's praying for a movement that will respect difference, transcend politics, and discover a new spirituality. Here's a quote:

As I mentioned in an earlier column, this meeting cannot avoid politics, but I hope it will articulate a perspective that cannot easily be captivated or identified with either the Republicans or Democrats. May the collective voice of this meeting call both parties to a greater expression of an ethical standard that reflects the deeper and more persistent themes of the very Biblical traditional we honor: concern for the needy, the stranger and the marginalized are exactly these sorts of priorities.

Praying that Clinton Will Stay on Message

2008-01-22T12:37:00.000-06:00

The Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant is a week away and, for the first time, I am starting to have an uneasy feeling about what Bill Clinton will say at the meeting.

I attended the press conference last April when Carter and Clinton announced the Celebration to the public. At that meeting, I heard Clinton openly speak about his faith and left convinced that his profession of faith in Christ is genuine, that his grasp of Baptist pinciples is profound, and that his commitment to separation of church and state is sincere. If Clinton speaks at the Celebration the way that he spoke during that press conference, then my uneasiness about the speech he will give at the Celebration will prove unfounded.

Last April, however, no one suspected that an African-American would be the chief rival standing between Bill Clinton's wife and the presidency. Then, no one suspected that the African-American community would be severly divided about who they would support for president. T. DeWitt Smith, President of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, joked at the press conference that his son was impressed that his father would be meeting "the first African-American President." The possibility that Clinton would be tempted to veer away from a message about faith to make a statement in support of Hillary's candidacy seemed remote.

Now we know that the stakes for the February 5th Democratic primaries are enormous. Now we know that Bill's role in Hillary's campaign has been to "lash out" against Obama and that his message is targeted towards African-Americans and young people.

There are going to be a lot of African-Americans and young people at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. The temptation for Bill to deliver a political message, instead of a spiritual message, will be great.

It may be too great a temptation.

I pray that it isn't.

Carter at Center of the Stage in Celebration

2008-01-21T12:44:00.000-06:00

The Atlanta Journal Constitution has published a story about the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant under the title, "Carter Center Stage of Baptist Gathering." Here's a quote:

William Leonard, a Baptist scholar from Wake Forest University, said, "This meeting is historic if for no other reason, it has the potential to be the largest African-American, Anglo and Latino gathering of Baptists ever in this country. That alone makes it historic, and one of the few people who could have gotten black and white Baptists together at the table is Jimmy Carter because of the credibility he has as a world leader and a Sunday school-teaching Baptist."

Carter said Sunday that he hopes the meeting will show the world that Christians with theological differences can get beyond them and minister together, including working on broader social causes like justice, HIV/AIDS, sexual trafficking and feeding the hungry.

Charles Johnson Sees New Baptist Covenant Addressing Race Issue

2008-01-16T11:39:00.001-06:00

Ethics Daily has posted an essay by Charles Johnson, Visiting Instructor of Preaching at McAfee School of Theology, that envisions the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant as marking a new day in reconciling racial divisions among Baptists. Here's a quote:

Much is at stake at this gathering. Never before has such a constellation of Baptist bodies from across our spectrum of diversity come together at the same time in the same place to prayerfully deliberate our common future and mission. Only an individual with the moral stature of former President Jimmy Carter could convene such a diverse group.

If Euro-American Baptist pastors of the South are fearful of being accused of political partisanship because Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, all Baptist Democrats, are on the program, then we need to hear again that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love.

Campbell Student Blogs About Being Baptist

2008-01-12T08:58:00.000-06:00

Tim Ratzlaff, a student at Campbell University Divinity School, says he plans to attend the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant in a blog about how he became a Baptist. Here's a quote:

When my father left the military and moved our family to North Carolina, we moved into main street, small town, NC. Quite the change from our life in New Mexico. I guess my father felt the Episcopal Church was a bit too upper class for us, and the Assemblies of God Church didn’t fit us; so we settled on the Baptist Church.

The line about being from New Mexico caught my eye. So am I.

Baptist Young Professionals and the New Baptist Covenant

2008-01-09T22:01:00.000-06:00

Baptist Young Professionals has planned a Networking Event and Ice Cream Social at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant from 10:00-Midnight on Wednesday Jan. 30th.

Here's a link with some details.

Mike Huckabee and the Irony of Baptist History

2008-01-04T10:28:00.000-06:00

Now that Mike Huckabee has emerged as a leading contender for the GOP Presidential nomination, wouldn't it be ironic if his candidacy fails due to an inability to connect with young Americans and ethnic evangelicals?

Huckabee, a Baptist minister, initially agreed to speak at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. His name was listed with Democratic former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton along with Republican Congressmen Charles Grassley and Lindsey Graham on tens of thousands of cards and posters to publicize the event. All speakers were invited to participate because they were prominent Baptist leaders. Invitations were issued on a bi-partisan basis. The meeting has been designed to bring Baptists of all ethnicities from North and South together to celebrate our common Baptist identity and to recommit ourselves to the "good news" of the gospel.

As soon as the meeting was announced, SBC leaders denounced the meeting and Huckabee made a lame excuse for withdrawing from participation in the meeting. Apparently, in their eyes, uniting ethnic Baptists with Anglo Baptists could only be viewed as an attempt to dilute the power of the SBC's aging Southern white Republican voting block.

As it has developed, the Celebration is shaping up to be combination of a Baptist revival meeting, mission conference and youth rally. By a wide margin, college age young people are showing the greatest enthusiasm for the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. There will be plenty of gray hairs (and no hairs), but it is certain there will be a lot of youthful energy along with spiritual vitality. If for no other reason, the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant is sure to be memorable for both its youth and mixed complexion.

The Celebration may offer a glimpse of our future. It is going to be younger and ethnically diverse. The sooner Baptists in both political parties realize this, the better.

It's a New Year in Baptist Life

2008-01-03T08:03:00.000-06:00

Joel McClendon rings in the New Year at The Fellowship Portal with a discussion of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. He gives special attention to events for young leaders. Here's a quote:

For those of us on the younger side….Current is having their retreat right before the NBC meeting. Jan 29-30 at First Baptist Decatur, GA (just outside Atlanta). The Current network is a great way to get to connected to other young CBFers, and the retreat is a great time to get involved.

Alan Bean on the New Baptist Covenant

2007-12-29T08:14:00.000-06:00

Alan Bean at the Friends of Justice weblog provides this description of the New Baptist Covenant group:

For the past several decades, a loose coalition of moderate (that is, not fundamentalist) Baptist leaders have been inching toward a new kind of organized Baptist identity. They aren’t trying to create a new denomination, exactly; just a safe place for moderate-to-liberal Baptists who are weary of fighting the culture war.

Shurden Discusses Hopes for Future

2007-12-26T11:44:00.000-06:00

Retiring Walter Shurden discusses his hopes for the Baptist future in the October issue of the Baptist Studies Bulletin. Here's a quote:

I hope for the spirit, not necessarily the structures, of ecumenism to prevail among Baptists. I hope that Baptist groups, where it is possible, will draw closer to each other, and I think that the best hope for that unity can be found in the Baptist World Alliance, the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, and the New Baptist Covenant Celebration. I also fervently hope that Baptists will draw much closer to our sisters and brothers in other Christian denominations. I have come to believe that so much that divides us, including baptism by immersion, is sheer shortsightedness, if not downright sinfulness.

In addition to an ecumenical spirit, I hope for Baptists an intense commitment to Baptist voluntarism and all that Baptist voluntarism entails: an experiential faith that sets the individual soul afire, a regenerate church pulsating with life and love and vitality, a conversion baptism that is hard, not easy, to walk away from, freedom of conscience for ALL people who heroically defy state and church intrusion, and an utter disdain for a theocracy that favors one religious group over another.

Novelist John Grisham to Speak at Covenant Celebration

2007-12-21T10:04:00.000-06:00

Associated Baptist Press is reporting that best-selling novelist John Grisham has been scheduled to speak at the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant in Atlanta. Here's a quote:

The 53-year-old Grisham, a lifelong Baptist, has taught Sunday school to young couples and 4-year-olds and regularly goes with fellow church members on mission-service trips.

In announcing the addition of Grisham to the Covenant lineup Dec. 20, program co-chair Jimmy Allen described the author as "a Baptist churchman, not only in regular worship but also in active service. The subthemes of his fiction reveal his understanding of the plight of the poor, his commitment to seek justice in our criminal system, his concerns for environment, and his descriptions of the challenge to reach across the racial lines that divide us."

Tall Skinny Kiwi asks if he should come to the Celebration

2007-12-19T13:52:00.000-06:00

Andrew Jones, who writes an internationally popular weblog entitled Tall Skinny Kiwi, asks if he should cross the pond to attend the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant.

I encourage Andrew to come.

Jimmy Carter on the New Baptist Covenant Celebration

2007-12-18T13:58:00.000-06:00

The Dallas Morning News has posted a message from Jimmy Carter about the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Here's a quote:

For the first time in more than 160 years, we will have a major convocation of Baptists in America with neither our unity nor freedom threatened by differences of race, politics, geography, or legalistic interpretations of the scriptures. On Jan. 30, 2008, as many as 20,000 Baptists are expected to gather in Atlanta for a three-day meeting. These Baptists will look for common ground under the theme “Unity in Christ” as they celebrate a New Baptist Covenant. One of the basic premises will be that the doors will be open to all Baptists who choose to share this long-awaited experience.

Baptists Today to Field Bloggers at Celebration

2007-12-17T14:38:00.000-06:00

John Pierce, editor of Baptists Today, has posted a story about "Blogging at the New Baptist Covenant Celebration" that reveals the magazines' plans to field a team of bloggers to "live blog" from the Celebration. Here's a quote:

Baptists Today looks forward to being present and to providing timely reports. We have a team of four bloggers lined up to give continually updated information at www.baptiststoday.org.

Online editor Bruce Gourley and guest blogger Aaron "Big Daddy" Weaver will do live blogging as events unfurl. Think of them as doing "play-by-play" reporting of the action. Contributing editor Tony Cartledge and I will do the "color commentary," seeking to give interpretation and analysis of the various addresses.

This all-star team of bloggers should make it easy for people who cannot physically attend the Celebration keep up with the event in real-time.

Mike Ruffin on the New Baptist Covenant

2007-12-10T09:04:00.000-06:00

Mike Ruffin, pastor of The Hill Baptist Church in Augusta, has written an essay asserting that the "New Baptist Covenant Celebration Must Avoid the Appearance of Partisanship." He provides good reasons for why event organizers should issue another call for Mike Huckabee to participate in the event:

One of my hopes for this event from the beginning has been that it will show it is possible for a group of Christians--Baptists in this case--to come together with a willingness to hear from all perspectives and to do so politely and even gladly. With his withdrawal, Huckabee lessened the chances of our showing the world that.

Think of the press coverage that would have been given to an event in which Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee both spoke, and both were received warmly. I really wish that he would reconsider.

Why Frank Lewis is Excited About the New Baptist Covenant

2007-12-07T14:44:00.000-06:00

The November issue of the Baptist Studies Bulletin has published an essay by Frank Lewis, pastor of First Baptist Church of Indianapolis, expressing his excited about the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant. Here's a quote:

I am excited about participating in a Baptist event that is cooperative, uniting and engaging. Those are not descriptive words for many of the kinds of Baptist events I have been a part of. I look forward to being part of a new kind of Baptist witness. I look forward to celebrating the ties that bind us. I look forward to the diversity of Baptist denominational groups who will be present. Perhaps we as Baptists are entering a new day.

Parham Calls for a Huckabee Recall

2007-12-05T10:38:00.000-06:00

Robert Parham, Executive Director of the Baptist Center for Ethics, has called upon organizers of the Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant to extend another call for Mike Huckabee to participate in the Celebration. Huckabee initially agreed to participate but withdrew under pressure from Southern Baptist leaders.

Here's a quote from Parham reconsidering his criticism of Huckabee when he withdrew from the event:

In the wisdom of hindsight, I should have challenged Huckabee to consider the benefits from being on a high-profile program only a few days before the Georgia presidential primary. I should have urged him to be a Daniel in the midst of lions, or a lion in the midst of Daniels. I should have said that the NBC leaders ought immediately to ask him to reconsider his withdrawal.

I agree with Parham. Invite him to participate again. Let's see if he still wants to snub the 20 million Baptists who aren't part of the SBC.