Reflections: A New Image for Missions

The Primacy of Missions for Baptists

Cooperative Baptists are part of the stream of the Baptist tradition that believes strongly in missions. Beginning when the British Baptists sent William Carey to India in the late 18 th century, through our best days as Southern Baptists, to our founding when our first ministries as an embryonic organization involved “keeping our promises” to missionaries who were victims of denominational politics, Cooperative Baptists have been ardent supporters of missions. That has been true at the local, state, national and global levels.

An Important Discovery

During the discernment process of the CBFNC 20 th Anniversary Vision Team in 2015, Seth Hix conducted extensive interviews with leaders from about 100 congregations. These conversations yielded an abundance of insights on a variety of topics. When it comes to missions, a consistent theme emerged.

Partner congregations had taken the “missional church” concept seriously. Most were heavily engaged in strong programs of mission action—locally and globally. Yet, many found these programs lacking. It’s not that they didn’t help hurting and vulnerable people, but most were simply transactional. Too few were relational. There was a longing to develop deeper, longer lasting, and meaningful relationships with those to whom they ministered. Church leaders were discovering that loving their neighbors meant more than meeting physical needs. The Gospel calls us to see our neighbors as people, not projects. That can’t be done at arm’s length, but only up close and personal. A New Focus Listening to our church leaders, CBFNC adopted a new purpose statement for missions: CBFNC partners with churches and missional catalysts to embrace neighbors with the love of Christ in our communities, state and world. The priority of missions was reaffirmed.

This image gives us flexibility in adapting our ministries to changing needs, but the idea that we do so in relationship, not at a distance, is constant. Currently, our Embrace ministries fall into the following categories: Grants to local churches for community ministries; racial equity and justice; Latino ministries (Red Latina); refugee and immigrant ministries (Welcome House Community Network); new church starts; and NC and global missions (primarily in partnership with CBF field personnel).

While this edition of The Gathering focuses on these ministries, they are not limited to one publication or season. These ministries of Embrace are on our minds, hearts, and

by Larry Hovis |

CBFNC Executive Coordinator

actions in our daily planning, serving and communicating. We are a missional people, striving to participate in God’s mission in the world, through genuine relationships—as individuals, congregations and as a fellowship.

HOW WE THINK ABOUT MISSIONS HAS BEEN REFINED TO EMPHASIZE THE IMAGE OF NOT JUST DOING GOOD THINGS TO AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, BUT ACTUALLY EMBRACING OUR NEIGHBORS. THIS IS HOW WE UNDERSTAND BOTH THE GREAT COMMISSION AND THE GREAT COMMANDMENT.

A Captivating Image In the immediate aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, I, like most Americans, was captivated by images of the ensuing protests. One particular image was burned into my retina. It was the image of a young Black protester and an older white police officer giving one another a great big bear hug. Both had smiles on their faces. They were not faking it but appeared to truly love and respect one another. This massive gesture of embrace seems to me to be a picture of the kind of community envisioned by Isaiah’s vision of the

coming of the Lord (11:6-9): 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

May this image propel us, North Carolina Cooperative Baptists, to more faithfully and effectively engage in God’s mission than we or any group of Baptists have ever done before.