Letters to the Editor

Jan 17, 2006

Letters to the Editor may not reflect the views or opinions of the Witness. Letters may be mailed, faxed or submitted using our online form. Only letters marked clearly for publication, signed with address will be considered for use. Letters are subject to editing. Please limit letters to 250 words.

INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD

In search of answers

The trustees of the International Mission Board in Executive Session during their most recent meetings have chosen to recommend to the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention that Dr. Wade Burleson be removed as a trustee of the IMB. Burleson has become known over the past few months for his weblog regarding his difficulty with some of the controversial decisions recently made by the trustee board. As a young pastor I would like some answers regarding the trustees’ actions.

In their release the trustees give no justification for their decision other than vague language that gives no definition as to the impetus behind their request. Baptist Press states that in their research this action has not been taken against an IMB trustee in recent history. If we are expected to take on so serious an action, the trustees must be crazy to think we will do so without appropriate evidence provided in support of their charge.

The most disturbing part of this entire action is that Burleson is one of the most qualified members of our trustee board. He is a conservative who is well educated through SBC institutions. He has served two terms as president of the Oklahoma Baptist Convention. He openly supports Dr. Jerry Rankin and the work of the IMB.

I’ll be honest, as a young leader in the SBC who has already experienced great moments of frustration with much of the direction of our convention, this action only pushes me away even further.

Micah Fries
De Kalb, MO

Shame on us

It is with sadness and shame that I learned of the International Mission Board trustees’ decision, in effect, to “forbid speaking in tongues,” even in private.

This incredibly un-Christian and un-Baptist action denies the competency of the individual soul in matters of personal relationship with and worship of God. This action is absolutely not in keeping with true Baptist tradition!

That a practice is “common” or “typical” to many local congregations certainly does not mean that such a practice is either truly Christian or even “traditional Baptist.”

Even heathens understand that “It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society” (Krishnamurti). Nor is it a measure of sound doctrine to imitate the practices of churches that deny the clear command of Scripture.

This act by the IMB trustees is a direct rebellion against God’s command in 1 Cor. 14:39 (note also vs. 37-38) and would make the Apostle Paul himself ineligible for IMB appointment. Shame on us!

The New Testament word translated “heresy” means literally, “a choosing.” When we choose which parts of Scripture we will and will not obey, we are – literally – committing “heresy.” Heresy is not really about “wrong belief.” Heresy is about picking and choosing which parts of God’s written Word one will believe and obey.

I call upon the trustees of the International Mission Board to: 1) disclose their own votes on this issue; and, 2) to rescind immediately this un-Christian and un-Baptist act of heretical rebellion.

Peter H. Gilliland
Rocky Mount, NC

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