The Gospel Coalition

SESSION 9

SPEAKER: Dr. Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Seminary

TITLE: The Future of the Southern Baptist Convention (Audio here)

THE GIST: Dr. Akin revised his “Axioms for a Great Commission Resurgence” sermon delivered at Southeastern in the Spring of 2009, calling for unity around the Great Commission.

BRIEF OUTLINE:

Unprecedented Moment for Southern Baptists

1. 95% vote empowering president of the SBC to appoint a Task Force to study the convention and bring a report on how we can be more efficient in Great Commission endeavors.
2. Geoff Hammond resigned as president of NAMB
3. Jerry Rankin announced retirement from IMB
4. Morris Chapman announced retirement from Executive Committee

8 points of observation

1. Southern Baptists have a future if we return to our first love – Jesus Christ as our first passion and priority.
2. We must make clear our continuing commitment to the inerrancy and sufficiency of the Bible.
3. We must pursue a genuinely Word-based ministry that is theological in content and on-fire in delivery. (seminaries that teach exposition / pastor theologians who model exposition / preachers who go book-by-book / preachers who value calling as theologian / gospel-saturated ministry of the Word / engaging expositors on fire as heralds of the unsearchable riches of Christ)
4. We must unite around and affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a way to avoid liberalism or sectarianism. (Appeal to Al Mohler’s “Theological Triage”)
5. We must reflect the demographic and racial make-up of our nation. (We are mostly middle-class, white, declining churches in the South.)
6. We must have the courage to rethink our Convention structure at every level, clarify our mission, and provide a compelling vision that inspires our people to do something great for God.
7. We must have pastors who see themselves as a gospel missions agency, equipping people to see themselves as missionaries for Jesus, regardless of location or vocation.
8. We must devote ourselves to cooperation that is gospel-centered around a theological core, not methodological agreement.

MEMORABLE QUOTES:

I am not optimistic about the Southern Baptist Convention. But I am hopeful.

Any appeal to Acts 1:8 to justify not getting more resources to the ends of the earth is wrongheaded and shameful.

Our confession is a solid foundation for a sound theology that avoids the pitfalls and quicksand of a straightjacket theology.

Reaching Muslims will require men. This will demand a radical reorienting of lifestyles, priorities, commitments, and perspectives. Business as usual as a denomination and as individuals will not be an option if a real Great Commission Resurgence is to take place.

The future of the SBC depends upon the types of leaders we choose to follow. The need of the hour is for agressive, visionary leaders who are daring to attempt great things for God.

We are slowly dying, but we refuse to admit that the patient is even sick.

Are we distracted by doing many good things but not giving our full attention to the best things?

Saying “everything we do is missions” is not true. Quit saying it.

We need to kill and bury all sacred cows.

Money follows vision.

We must treat the United States missiologically and do so with the same seriousness that our international missionaries treat their people groups missiologically.