Still Evangelistic

I would like to take issue with a statement made by Dr. Bob Terry in the June 22 issue of The Alabma Baptist. The statement said, "One thing is sure: If more attention is paid to examining what Baptists believe than is devoted to reaching out in Jesus’ name to people like those who stood in the WMU meeting, the future of Southern Baptists is in danger." I would like to remind Dr. Terry that it is in examining continually what we believe and aligning it with the Word of God that we continue to be evangelistic. Second Timothy 2:15 tells us to "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

It seems to me that this verse teaches us to study so that we might understand what God would have us to believe, then we will rightly preach and teach the Word of God. We cannot effectively evangelize if we have not carefully examined what we believe and aligned it with God’s Word. As a matter of fact, we might not see the need to evangelize if we have not diligently examined what we believe and conformed our beliefs to that of Scripture. The reason Southern Baptists have been so evangelism oriented over the years is because of the beliefs we have adopted from Scripture and the fact we have established those beliefs as the core of what we are about as a denomination.

Bryan Hall

Mt. Hope, Ala.