Well, being BGCT doesn’t necessarily make you Southern Baptist like Draper, but I was surprised to find that I liked what he had to say. Posted this a few other days.

Keith, a good friend of mine left HPBC for similar reasons, largely because she felt that God’s call to serve the homeless was more important than worrying about SS attendance numbers.

Boom!!!

I said this so many times to those “q-tips” in the SBC when i was a church planter for them, and they looked at me like I was a nutjob. True on some accounts. But they don’t take those younger in the denom that are trying to be culturally sensitive, or gospel contextual serious. It’s annoying and disheartening. The sad thing is this will go in one ear and out the other. When people propose this school of thought, some righty-Mctighty goes and calls them a moderate or a lefty-Mcmethodist, creates division and a whole slew of books get printed and the seminaries divide and those who agree with what ever one goes to the respected school. It’s an ugly treacherous cycle.

Keith,

If you’re wanting my PC answer I would say that you could respond with the idea that all things are birthed out of a Gospel-centered context. We can’t be “missional” – whatever that means internally for the individual – unless we have a correct understanding of how the Gospel compels us to give ourselves away and challenge the systems of the current world that are at play much like they were in the time of Jesus.

You know most people who cry about the “social” aspect of a missional movement have counted the cost of such and have deemed it to much to give up. Most of the time it’s a cop-out for a “fear” that paralyzes most followers to give that which would create equality and not disunity and disfunction. I, at times, am like that. I’m sure we all are, but nevertheless, it is biblical to be socially aware of those things that subvert the Kingdom of God coming to fruition on this Earth and to act and live in contrast to those things or actions.

Honestly, I think most of this stems from most protestants having a lack of understanding for the history of the total story of God, the Jesus that the Bible fully discusses and realness of a sent Comforter. You know many don’t even understand that the Gospel is not to live right out of fear to not do wrong against man and God, but to live in freedom because Jesus died for the right and the wrong of our lives. That’s right. He dies to claim all the GOOD things all humanity will ever do, as well as the bad things that we only talk about!

As far as emerging and emergent is concerned, the world outside of our vernacular bubble could care less. And in actuality. I think God cares about doctrine like I care about a three-toed sloth having enough to eat tomorrow morning – that’s my non-PC statement to you.

But I think he cares that I’m loving my neighbor with intentionality and that I make sure I go through the same check out line at the bank so the same teller and I develop a relationship, instead of me hitting the shortest line just to get out of there and on my way. Does that make sense. I think the smaller things are a reflection of how the Gospel is transforming our hearts to create more collision points for us in humanity. I go to the same bank teller every time I go to the bank, the same check-out girl at the grocery and the same dry cleaners. My gospel propels me to routinely interact with intentionality. It also is not an adjective based Gospel. Meaning it’s not purpose-driven, missional, attractional, social, emerging or emergent and so on and so forth. It’s the Gospel. Nothing more; nothing less.

I just forgot what the question was, plus – I love Jesus, and that’s all that matters. From that all things are created new, even my hypocrisy and heresy. Grace is my idol!!! I said that. So it should read: “Grace is my idol.” – Erick Bauman