NAMB presidency

The “COMMENT” carried in the Sept. 23 issue of The Alabama Baptist promotes some interesting issues. It brings to mind the technique of drafting as practiced in NASCAR. Drafting allows one to save gas by following the leader.

What has happened to the long-standing protocol presented to church members to tithe to your local church and tend to your personal missions commitments over and above? This also applies to the church institution. We are racing toward a North American Mission Board (NAMB) presidency that believes in doing your own thing.

Is it to become the future policy of NAMB, by following the “leader,” for local churches now to go their own way? Or is this a message only to the megachurches? The Cooperative Program (CP) has been a blessing to smaller churches that do not have the wherewithal to sponsor significant self-chosen missions efforts. The CP has always provided smaller churches an opportunity to be an active participant in the worldwide missions program. In fact, your article raises the question as to the commitment of the institutional church to the ultimate authority of God. Yes, it is correct that one cannot question the enormity of God’s work being done outside of the structure of the CP. But what is the message we are proclaiming with the current NAMB presidency?

Dave Rogers
Cedar Bluff, Ala.