You remember the story. Jesus had shared a breakfast of bread and fish with Peter and the other disciples on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Three times that morning, our Lord had asked the wayward disciple, “Do you love me?” Three times, Peter had declared allegiance to Jesus. And three times, Jesus had charged Peter to “feed [His] sheep/lambs.”
What follows in John 21:21 seems totally out of place. After being told by Jesus to “follow me” (v. 19), Peter asked, “Lord, what about this man,” a reference to his fellow disciple John.
How quickly Peter’s attention wavered from his personal commission from Jesus to concern about what his fellow disciples would be about.
His question echoes through much of the recent discussion about Cooperative Program (CP) giving levels. A lot of people seem concerned about what others should be doing rather than devoting themselves to faithfully following what Jesus has committed to them.
Some prominent voices among Southern Baptists charge that state conventions use too much CP funds on unnecessary state ministries. These voices want to tell state conventions what percentage of CP receipts should be spent for ministries within the states and to support Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) institutions and ministries.
Some voices from the state conventions respond that if the SBC voices contributed to missions through the CP rather than doing missions like “independents,” then there would be more funds to support all missions and ministries.
Each has a point but seems more concerned with Peter’s question, “Lord, what about this man,” than with faithfully following its personal commission.
Perhaps one day we will acknowledge that it is impossible for one Baptist to know with certainty what another Baptist should do. That is an issue between that person and God. State conventions may have many things in common but all have unique ministries. When I served in Kentucky, for example, the state convention was heavily involved in ministry to the Appalachian area. The evangelism opportunities and ministry needs were so great they could have claimed every available dollar.
In Missouri, where I also served, the state convention focused on trying to reach two of the nation’s major cities — St. Louis and Kansas City — for Christ. It was tragic to see the percentage of evangelical Christians regularly declining in cities that once had been major strongholds for the gospel.
Alabama Baptists have different challenges. In what is called the buckle on the Bible Belt, the North American Mission Board estimates only about half the residents are born-again believers. And ministry needs abound in every community.
The point is that unless one serves in a place, one cannot know its needs, challenges and opportunities. One certainly cannot know what God wants the Baptists of that state to do as they faithfully follow Him.
The same principle applies to churches. Only the members of a local congregation can decide how the church will live out its faithful following of Jesus. That includes its ministries and missions as well as its CP giving. At various times, a church may prioritize buildings. At other times, it may be expanding the ministerial staff. At still other times, it may be local ministries or international missions. All are important.
Just as it is inappropriate for those outside a state convention to tell that state convention what it should do, it is wrong for voices outside a local church to tell that congregation what it should do in order to faithfully follow our Lord.
What raises the hackles of some is when people who evidence only marginal support for what Southern Baptists do together through the CP attempt to tell everyone else what they should do to faithfully follow Jesus.
Recently Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, announced that “one out of every 10 Cooperative Program dollars given to the SBC comes from Alabama Baptists.” This was done on a Facebook posting to celebrate Alabama Baptists’ faithful giving. Within an hour, a megachurch pastor from out of state questioned the CP percentage given by Alabama Baptists to the SBC and asked when the percentage was going to rise.
An Alabama Baptist pastor responded, “When churches that want the state convention to give more percentage to SBC are tithing to the CP at least 10 percent, I’d be more willing to listen.” The megachurch pastor’s congregation gives just more than 3 percent to missions through the CP and has maintained that level for a number of years.
There is another temptation in all this back and forth. As a growing number of pastors and churches learn about the giving patterns of some recognized leaders and see their pattern of “independent” missions, the pastors and churches are deciding to follow them.
“How can I ask my church to give 10 percent to the CP when so-and-so gives only …,” they ask. The result is an ever-dwindling percentage of church offerings channeled to missions and ministries through the CP. In turn, there is ever-growing tension over how to invest CP funds in missions and ministries because of the shrinking amount.
Perhaps our Lord’s rejoinder to Peter should be heard by all. When the disciple asked, “What about this man,” Jesus responded, “What is that to you? You follow me” (v. 22).
Admittedly it is harder to hear God’s will for one’s self when one’s concern is about what someone else should be doing.
The concern of a church or state convention is not what some other church or state convention does. It is not what some organization or ministry wants one to do. The concern of a church or state convention is faithfully following Jesus. That may mean different things in different places at different times. But whatever it means will be decided only by those who are responsible for the decision. Not outsiders.
“You follow me.” That was Jesus’ command to Peter. That is His command to believers today. “Lord, what about this man” is an irrelevant question. The example of others is unimportant. What is required is faithful obedience. That is the only way to follow Jesus.
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