Southern Baptists turn attention to evangelizing

ST. LOUIS -- Despite the divisions in the Southern Baptist Convention, people can be assured that the national denomination is uniting in ministry to share the gospel with the world, its leaders said Tuesday.

"There's never been a better time or opportunity to get the message of the gospel out in the world," said the newly elected denomination president, the Rev. Jack Graham of Texas.

Using a document titled "Empowering Kingdom Growth" to emphasize evangelism, the 9,450 messengers adopted a new covenant between the national convention, states and local churches while gathered in St. Louis for the 2002 annual convention. Attendance was slightly lower than expected for the two-day meeting that concludes today.

About 200 gay-rights protesters tried to march inside the convention Tuesday, an effort thwarted when police locked down the convention center and blocked the entry. About 50 officers in riot gear stood near the main doorway, but the protest was peaceful.

Inside the America's Center convention facility, 12 people planted by the gay-rights group Soulforce stood up. "Stop killing us," one man shouted as police dragged him behind the curtains.

All 12 were charged with felony ethnic intimidation and misdemeanor trespassing, police said. Those arrested outside were charged with city ordinance violations for failing to adhere to the directive of a police officer and trespassing, a Soulforce spokeswoman said.

'Yearning for a vision'

"Empowering Kingdom Growth" is not a mandate for the convention but a chance to "seize the moment of accelerated spirituality" in the nation after the terrorist attacks and give people biblical truth, said Morris Chapman, chief executive officer for the denomination.

"Southern Baptists seemed to be yearning for a vision that could give us a cause bigger than ourselves," he said.

And that cooperation is what most excites Billy Garner of Cape Girardeau, who serves as youth minister at Bethany Baptist Church. "It's good to see other people of like faith who can come together to celebrate Jesus," he said.

This year's meeting was his first national convention, made possible by the location close to home. Several area pastors came up just for the day or to attend a pastor's conference on Monday.

Bob Houchins, campus minister at the Baptist Student Center at Southeast Missouri State University, also attended his first national convention. He came to learn about other ministries and student evangelism, seeking input and ideas about new programs.

"It's a chance to make connections with other people in the ministry," he said.

Houchins said he was particularly interested in learning about seminary programs that could expand what the Baptist Student Center does on campus. "We want to build relationships with them to bring seminary-level students to the university," he said.

The convention began Tuesday and concludes tonight.

Finding unity

An emphasis of the convention meeting this year was to encourage local churches as they seek to develop ministries and grow in their community. Garner said that focus "helps return us to the things that unite us."

Though it hasn't been voiced explicitly, speeches at the convention did refer to the divisions in Missouri's state convention. Missouri Baptists have been in battle for at least 10 years over whether the liberal or conservative camps would control the state.

Yet the tension Missouri is experiencing now is a nationwide problem. "But we are uniting together and loving the lost world," Garner said.

One motion proposed during the afternoon business session Tuesday would have required each state to recognize only one convention and eliminate competing conventions within several states. Missouri, Texas and Virginia now have two Baptist conventions; one moderate and one conservative in each state.

Messengers vote on the motions during the meetings, but nothing requires local churches to adhere to them. Each church is allotted one messenger for every $250 it gives to the Southern Baptist Convention's Cooperative Program, up to a limit of 10 people. The motions will be voted on today.

In other business Tuesday, messengers heard other motions, including one that asked the Chaplains Commission to refrain from endorsing any female chaplains and from endorsing any female as chaplain who has been ordained or who is found to be serving as a pastor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

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