Formally Known As...

The Southern Baptists are thinking about changing their name! Wow, I guess I have seen everything. For some reason they think the part of the name, “Southern” is a liability. Hmm.

Apparently the popular name that is being passed around is “The Great Commission”

Great Commission Baptists. Does that mean the rest of us do not embrace the Great Commission (Matthew 28)?

Baptists have a gift of splitting and starting new groups and normally the new group would embrace a name that truly described what kind of Baptists they were. For example:

Northern Baptists

Progressive Baptists

Regular Baptists (they eat a lot of prunes)

General Association of Regular Baptists (they eat prunes and fiber cereal)

Landmark Baptists (they are pro state and federal parks)

7^th Day Baptists (as opposed to those darn 8 Day Baptists)

6 Principle Baptists

Two Seed in the Spirit Predestinarian  Baptists (big into farming)

These were names that said something about who they were and what they stood for. Now there is a break-off region from the American Baptists that is called “Growing Healthy Churches,” and the SBC is thinking about going to “Great Commission Baptists” These are not good names.

Again, what does “Great Commission Baptists” mean? Are they now going to take seriously the idea of spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth and plant churches in the Artic and Antarctica? Are they suggesting that all the other Baptists do not believe in the Great Commission? Or… is this an act of panic and desperation because churches are diminishing and members are dropping?

Why doesn’t anyone just adopt the name, “Baptist”?

“What are you?”

“I’m a Baptist!”

“What kind of Baptist?”

“The Baptist kind of Baptist.”

Wouldn’t that be fun?

Really, the name shouldn’t matter in the small scope. People choose churches by community, members, and to a degree their denominational/theological affiliations. In fact, we shouldn’t pick our names/titles at all, but let others do it. Wouldn’t it be interesting if people in the community named the churches in the community?

“That is the white church. That is the Pancake Supper church. That is the big pipe organ church. That is the dying church (wouldn’t that describe them all?).”

Let’s talk language for a bit. Meaning is ascribed to words by the community (however you understand the notion of community). Southern Baptist has taken on a certain meaning by many people. Changing the name does not negate the meaning, but instead confuses the language itself. If you are worried that people may have a negative sense of part or all of your name, then work to change the impression, not the name. I am not a positivist. I do not believe that words have set meanings which cannot be changed. Instead the meanings of words can change as the use and understanding changes. Try to be good Christians, good Baptists, good churches and don’t worry about your name.

Besides, it will cost a bundle to change all of the web sites, stationary, and everything else.

I just got a tattoo stating: Not Southern Baptist and Proud

I really don’t want to remove it.