I have emails already this morning from people inquiring about WorldconneX, the new missions network from BGCT. Here are some questions answered by Keith Parks last week.
Q: “What will be your relationship with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the SBC International Mission Board?”
A: “We have been in contact with CBF, the IMB and the SBC North American Mission Board, asking to meet with their leadership to talk about how we can best cooperate. If a Texas Baptist church asks us for help in doing missions with one of the established missions-sending agencies, then we see our task as helping them do that.”
Q: “Do you see WorldconneX ever becoming a sending agency?”
A: “That would be a major step backward. There is a continuing need for missions-sending agencies, and the existing ones are doing a good job. Becoming a sending agency would go against our vision.”
Q: “Our church has voted to support one of the IMB missionaries fired for refusing to sign the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, but we don’t know anything about liability insurance and work visas and things like that. Can you help?”
A: “Yes.”
More at The Baptist Standard as well as info about the man appointed to head up this organization, Bill Tinsley (pictured).
This will put to test both the CBF and the SBC (IMB and NAMB, as well as Executive Board). Both groups are really in a catch-22 situation. The BGCT is the largest state convention, with the most amount of money, and with heritage that you just can’t buy with ANY amount of money. If either side just gives in to “cotten up” to the BGCT, then they lose out on their convictions and “sells out” to the highest bidder. However, if they refuse to cooperate with the BGCT, many will finally see that as an act of commitment to an unwillingness to cooperate with a body of Baptists who want to cooperate with “their enemy.”
This, of course, is EXACTLY what Satan wants…. it removes the focus off of who REALLY is the enemy — HIM!