A Word about Baptist Cooperation

Today I want to share a word about Baptist cooperation:

In 2005 there were 1,182 local associations affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The mere existence of something does not imply it has a purpose: for example, the human appendix. 

This reminds me of a cartoon I once read: In a “Peanuts” cartoon, Lucy asks Charlie Brown, “Why are we here in earth?” Charlie replied, “To make others happy.”  Lucy them asked, “Then why are the others here?”

Why are local associations and conventions here in Baptist life?  What purposes do they serve?  Are those purposes Biblical? I will attempt to answer this question from an historical perspective, a Biblical perspective, and a practical perspective.

Let’s begin by reading Galatians 6:1-6.

Brethren, if a man is [a]overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

AN HISTORICAL ANSWER:

Let’s remember our Baptist origins:

Most scholars today agree that Baptists originated with a late 16th Century attempt to reform the Anglican Church. Some of these Puritan reformers decided to separate from the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church, with the Crown behind it, began to repress this new faith group.

By 1608, some of these English Separatists, led by John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, fled to Holland, where they could freely worship, but where they did not feel at home. In 1609, Smyth’s church began to baptize believers by immersion, thus becoming the first true Baptists.  In 1612 Thomas Helwys led a group of Baptists to return to England and establish the first Baptist church in Britain.  

The climate of religious persecution in England posed serious issues for Baptists. They needed mutual support in the face of a hostile government and culture. They needed help in deciding issues of theology. They needed help to propagate Baptist ideas, but lacking a hierarchical structure, they needed a means to mutually communicate and cooperate. How were they to answer this challenge?

The answer to these issues was the forming of local associations.

In 1626, five Baptist churches in London joined together to communicate with Dutch Mennonites. In 1644, seven Baptist churches in London issued a confession of faith. In 1651, thirty Baptist churches in the Midlands issued a confession of faith.

The first formal Baptist association was established in South Wales in November 1650. Soon, Baptist churches all across Britain, both Calvinistic and Arminian, were forming associations.

The first Baptist association in America was established in Philadelphia in 1707. Like in Britain, Baptist churches all over America began to form associations. Two of these associations, Charleston and Sandy Creek, gave rise to two themes in Baptist life that persist unto this day: order and ardor! 

So, we can clearly see that both in Britain and America, Baptists decided that self-government did not justify isolationism. From 1650 until 1800, associations were the only form of denominational body. It took the rise of the modern missions movement to change that.

William Carey began his campaign for missions in the Nottingham Association in England in 1791. It is important to note that the Modern Missions Movement had its beginning in a Baptist association! In 1792, Carey and a group of ministers formed what today is known as the Baptist Missionary Society, or BMS. In America, the Triennial Convention was formed to be a missionary sending agency. It was the first national body for Baptists in America. 

The first state convention formed was in South Carolina in 1821 and the Alabama Baptist Convention was chartered in 1823. By the time that the Southern Baptist Convention  was formed in 1845, there were nine state conventions in the South. And the rest, as they say, is history!

In 1933, E.P. Alldredge gave ten great contributions of associations to Baptist life:

1. Winning of religious freedom
2. Establishment of Baptist schools
3. Aiding churches in doctrine and discipline
4. Disseminating denominational information
5. Bringing great leaders into touch w/all the churches 
6. Saving the cause of missions
7. Unifying our Baptist people
8. Demonstrating the principles of democracy in religion
9. Preparing the way for larger organization & life
10. Warding off the attacks of other denominations

This is an impressive list, and we do have a rich heritage, but is associating together and cooperating in ministry Biblical?

A BIBLICAL ANSWER:

Beginning in the Old Testament, we can see that Interdependence was expected among God’s People, as we can see in Joshua 1:9-18:

Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ” And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall [d]pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

From this passage, we can see that all of God’s people were needed to take Canaan. Reuben, Gad, and the Half Tribe of Manasseh had their land, but God still expected them to help their brethren. In fact, not only were they to help possess Canaan, but they were also to lead the charge!

In the New Testament, we find that churches cooperated to decide doctrine as we see in Acts 15:1-5:

And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”

The early church’s missionary enterprise had gotten ahead of their doctrine. They had caught some fish (Gentiles) they had not anticipated! So, did Paul the missionary (an apostle himself) unilaterally decide what to do?  No! The church involved, sent Paul and Barnabas to inquire from other churches about what was proper.

We also find in the New Testament that Churches cooperated to send benevolence as we see in Romans 15:22-29:

For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

The Jerusalem church was being severely persecuted by Jews and the Romans. Churches in Asia and Europe cooperated to send help. Paul collected their offerings, and accompanied by their representatives to ensure accountability, he delivered their gifts to the church at Jerusalem. 

In that same passage we see how New Testament church cooperated to send out missionaries. The Jerusalem and Antioch churches sent out missionaries, and  a number of churches cooperated to support Paul. Note that in the passage above in Romans 15, Paul asked the church at Rome to support his mission to Spain, even though they had never met him!

Finally, the New Testament churches cooperated for mutual encouragement:

The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you.

Corinth is in Europe, however,  the churches of Asia greeted them. The churches in Asia had gone through their own doctrinal trials and they wanted to show their support and love to their brothers and sisters in Corinth, whom they had never seen, nor would they until they met in Heaven.

A PRACTICAL ANSWER:

In the Great Commission in Matthew 28, and in Acts 1:8, God has given our churches their marching orders. Every local church is charged with going to the entire world and make disciples of all peoples.

How can a local church do this? Someone must be responsible, because as the old saying goes, “Everyone’s job is no one’s job.”  If a job is too big, people will just throw up their hands and not even try. Another old saying is that “Many hands make light work.” Southern Baptists do this through cooperating in ministry.

• Southern Baptists cooperate to call out, send, and sustain missionaries
• Southern Baptists cooperate to equip, train, and educate missionaries and pastors
• Southern Baptists cooperate to provide benevolence, human needs, and disaster relief ministries
• Southern Baptists cooperate to encourage and edify each other and our churched
• Southern Baptists support these cooperative efforts financially through the Cooperative Program, and the various missions offerings, like the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions

Through these means, Southern Baptists have sent out thousands of missionaries and chaplains, and they have trained and educated untold numbers of pastors and other church ministers. Without cooperation, ministry at this scale would not be possible.

For Southern Baptists, the answer to the question, “How can a local church fulfill the Great Commission?” is “Through cooperating with other Southern Baptist Churches!”

CONCLUSION:

I have personally served as an international missionary, a North American missionary, an associational missionary, and chaplain. Everywhere I went, and in everything I have done in those roles, the Southern Baptist Churches I represented were right there with me. 

Whether they knew me or not, and whether they knew my contemporary situation, they were there with me as I faced the challenges and enjoyed the successes and blessings of ministry. Their support was always an encouragement to me, and I trust and pray that I represented them well.

So, in my mind, there is no question, but a confident certainty. Baptist cooperation is not only good, and permissible, but it is the very best way to pursue the Great Commission.

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt