A Response to News Within the Southern Baptist Convention
24 Church Family,
Perhaps you’ve seen that the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has been in the news again recently, and not for good reasons. However, if you’re not aware of what’s going on, here’s a brief explanation:
The Southern Baptist Convention in the News
Last Summer at the Southern Baptist Annual Convention, a motion was passed to hire an outside organization to investigate the extent to which sexual abuse was occurring within SBC churches. For several years talk about sexual abuse has hovered over the SBC. Depending on who you talked to, this was either a widespread issue or a mere blip on the radar. To complicate matters, there were accusations that the Executive Committee of the SBC had intentionally bullied victims and covered up allegations in order to maintain a “good face.” The report, which was conducted by Guidepost Solutions, sought to investigate the accusations of abuse, the accusations of coverup, and to propose solutions. The SBC is in the news again because the findings of the report are now public, and they are devastating.
So what did this report find? Well it’s nearly 300 pages long. But this extended quote form Russell Moore helps sum up the larger findings:
The conclusions of the report are so massive as to almost defy summation. It corroborates and details charges of deception, stonewalling, and intimidation of victims and those calling for reform. It includes written conversations among top Executive Committee staff and their lawyers that display the sort of inhumanity one could hardly have scripted for villains in a television crime drama. It documents callous cover-ups by some SBC leaders and credible allegations of sexually predatory behavior by some leaders themselves, including former SBC president Johnny Hunt (who was one of the only figures in SBC life who seemed to be respected across all of the typical divides).
And then there is the documented mistreatment by the Executive Committee of a sexual abuse survivor, whose own story of her abuse was altered to make it seem that her abuse was a consensual “affair”—resulting, as the report corroborates, in years of living hell for her.
For years, leaders in the Executive Committee said a database—to prevent sexual predators from quietly moving from one church to another, to a new set of victims—had been thoroughly investigated and found to be legally impossible, given Baptist church autonomy. My mouth fell open when I read documented proof in the report that these very people not only knew how to have a database, they already had one.
Allegations of sexual violence and assault were placed, the report concludes, in a secret file in the SBC Nashville headquarters. It held over 700 cases. Not only was nothing done to stop these predators from continuing their hellish crimes, staff members were reportedly told not to even engage those asking about how to stop their child from being sexually violated by a minister. Rather than a database to protect sexual abuse victims, the report reveals that these leaders had a database to protect themselves.
There you have it. Pretty grim. If you have the stomach to read further, check out:
This is the Southern Baptist Apocalypse - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/may-web-only/southern-baptist-abuse-apocalypse-russell-moore.html
Southern Baptists Refused to Act of Abuse, Despite Secret List of Pastors - https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/may/southern-baptist-abuse-investigation-sbc-ec-legal-survivors.html
The Full Guidepost Report - https://www.sataskforce.net/updates/guidepost-solutions-report-of-the-independent-investigation
Our History with the Southern Baptist Convention
As a church we have been loosely connected with the SBC since we began. The majority of our staff and pastors grew up in healthy and thriving SBC churches. When 24 Church was planted, it was sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Convention and several other SBC churches. We’ve always affirmed (and still do affirm) the doctrinal statement of Southern Baptists, known as the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. We have participated in Southern Baptist events such as Super Summer and CentriKid, given to Southern Baptist offerings such as the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, and attended Southern Baptist seminaries. If we’re honest, most of us are fairly thankful for our SBC upbringing and the meaningful ways in which we’ve cooperated with the larger family of SBC churches.
However, it’s also true that throughout our history we’ve chosen not to participate in many ways with the SBC. None of our pastors have ever attended the SBC Annual Convention (there’s often a lot of political maneuvering and red tape that just isn’t our style). We’ve given to missions through the SBC and have friends who are on the mission field through the SBC, and yet most of our missions relationships don’t include the SBC—instead these partnerships happen through a direct relationship with the organization we’re sponsoring. Further, we have always distanced ourselves stylistically from some of the common practices within the Southern Baptist landscape. We’ve never wanted to be a suit-and-tie church. We’re a come-as-you-are church. We’ve never made a rule about abstaining from alcohol (as many in the SBC do); we believe that the responsible consumption of alcohol is not sinful. We’ve benefited from some SBC curriculum, but also found much of it lacking. Perhaps most frustratingly, we’ve found at times that our participation in SBC has not been welcomed because we didn’t fit the mold or didn’t have “baptist” in our name.
Our Future as a Church
In light of this report, the pastors and ministers of 24 Church believe it is time for us to formally cut ties with the Southern Baptist Convention. The accusations of the report are gross. We want no part of it.
Further:
We believe that it will be hard for the SBC to meaningfully change. It’s a big convention that moves slow, and there are many forces at work within the convention (some trying to undermine the findings of the report).
Our pastors are not involved in the conventions (essentially business meetings) where change is decided upon. Nor do we feel compelled to spend the time and money that would be required in order to meaningfully participate.
Though we believe that partnership within God’s kingdom is extremely important, we do not need the SBC in order to partner in meaningful ways with larger universal church.
Finally, we do not want to add a stumbling block to the gospel. We never want someone considering the claims of Christ to walk away from belief because of our association with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Our plan as a church is to formally cut ties beginning in January 2023 as part of a larger reworking of our constitution and bylaws. Practically speaking, not much will change in the daily operations of 24 church. Our missions giving will change somewhat, but not much. Our kids and students can still attend camps such as CentriKid (they’re open to all churches and we feel really good about these camps and believe they are safe and wonderful). We will maintain friendships within the SBC (there are a lot of good folks who have nothing to do with these shenanigans and who are fighting for change). And, we’ll still be a baptistic church (our beliefs aren’t changing); however, we will no longer be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Safety at 24 Church
One of our highest priorities as a church is the safety of our people, and especially our children. This is why we have a security team in place every Sunday. It’s why we have preformed background checks on all volunteers since our inception over 17 years ago. And it’s why we always involve law enforcement if we become aware of any accusations of abuse or violence of any sort. Further, we’re in the process of looking over our safety protocols and asking what else we can do to further protect our church from predators.
If you believe something else could help, or if you have further questions, we’d love to chat. Please reach out: welcome@24church.com // 615-746-0024.
The Leadership Team at 24 Church,
Chris, Joey, Nathan, Jason, Ben, & Dave
Communion at Home
Communion is typically the pinnacle of our gatherings together. We remember Christ’s death and resurrection and remember his promises, including his return. We participate in God's hospitality, inviting the needy and broken to eat with him.
In some denominations, communion can only be served by a priest. We at 24 church believe every follower of Jesus is given a priestly role in God’s Kingdom (1 Peter 2:5-9). In the coming weeks, as we are unable to all gather together for worship, we encourage you to continue to celebrate communion in your homes with your family.
Some tips:
While symbolic, it's important to pick elements that honor the practice of communion. Sometimes this is not possible, but do your best. A piece of bread (or cracker) represents Jesus’ broken body, and grape juice or wine represents His shed blood.
To remain vigilant on the viral front, whoever prepares the elements should wash their hands thoroughly, pre-separate the pieces of bread, and avoid sharing a cup.
Scripturally, we are commanded to examine our hearts (1 Corinthians 11) before participating, and the liturgy below will help towards that end.
Remember that communion is only for followers of Jesus, if your kids or other members of your household are not yet followers of Jesus, they shouldn’t participate.
Finally, try to take communion with at least one fellow believer. Communion is a communal act of the church. If no other believers are in your family, Facetime or call a friend who’s a Christian and take communion together digitally.
Here is a basic communion liturgy to help you participate in communion at home with your family.
CONFESSION OF SIN
REPEAT ALOUD TOGETHER:
"Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in Your will, and walk in Your ways, to the glory of Your Name. Amen.”
REFLECT
Take a moment to recount the ways you personally have fallen short of God's ways and wisdom this week. And then confess your sins silently to God.
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
REPEAT ALOUD TOGETHER:
"The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:8-12
WORDS OF INSTITUTION
HOLD UP THE BREAD & HAVE SOMEONE READ:
“On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he blessed it, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
Eat the Bread
HOLD UP THE CUP & HAVE SOMEONE READ:
“After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, ‘Drink this, all of you: This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.’ ”
Take a Sip of Juice
End your time together in prayer, and thank Jesus for his death and resurrection.
* Adapted in part from Doxa Church - https://www.doxa-church.com/blog/post/communion-at-home
Good Friday & Easter at 24 Church
It may be hard to believe, but Good Friday and Easter are right around the corner. In a few short weeks, we will gather as a church family to reflect upon and celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In truth we do this every single week, but these holidays are an especially significant time of remembrance for believers.
Easter Sunday is always an exciting time at 24 church. Our church family will host three different Sunday gatherings, and we’ll have the the opportunity to meet many new people. But beyond this, Easter Sunday has the potential to be the day where many in our community hear the gospel for the very first time. Or, it may be the day when those who are struggling with faith, reconnect with God in a meaningful way.
If you’re part of 24 church, we’re asking you to pray that God would move powerfully in our midst during our Good Friday and Easter gatherings. Additionally, we want to ask you to consider who you might invite to church for one of these gatherings.
Here are two interesting statistics to ponder:
“among people who don’t go to church, 79% don’t mind their friends talking about their faith and 73% disagree that their friends talk about their faith too much.”
“63% of Americans say a personal invitation from a friend or neighbor would be very or somewhat effective in getting them to visit a church.”
With this in mind, let us ask, “Is God leading you to invite a friend, co-worker, neighbor, or family member to church this Easter?”
That invitation might be vastly more effective than you realize.
4/19 - Good Friday - 7:00pm
4/21 - Easter Sunday - 8:30am, 9:45am, 11:00am
Links:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2017/april/why-we-should-be-inviting-our-non-christian-friends-and-nei.html
https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/july/power-of-invitation-our-god-pursues-lost-and-so-should-we.html
We Have An App!
We have a new App for your smartphone. It doesn’t do everything, but it does a few things really well. It will help you give online, find a Micro Church, register for an event, and update your information in our database.
All you have to do to take advantage is search “Church Center App” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and install it. Once it’s installed, you can easily find 24 church from the listed churches in our area, login to the app via email, and start using that bad boy. We hope you love it!
Christmas Eve
We love gathering the 24 church family each year on Christmas Eve for a time of worship together. Don’t miss one of our favorite events of the year! This is a brief, fun, all-ages worship service for the whole family. If you have small children, we do offer limited childcare for preschool only.
Come celebrate the risen Christ with us on Christmas Eve at 8pm!
Starlight: A Celebration of Christmas
This Sunday we begin our annual celebration and reflection on Christmas.
Christmas means lots of things to lots of people, but for believers especially, it’s the time of year where we remember that Jesus willingly came to earth as a human to live among us. He lived, cried, and laughed as we do. He experienced everything we experience, yet he was without sin. Ultimately Jesus would give his life so that we could be redeemed.
Join us for the next three weeks as we celebrate Christmas.
Sunday, Dec 9th - 9am & 10:45am
Sunday, Dec 16th - 9am & 10:45am
Sunday, Dec 23rd - 9am & 10:45am
Christmas Eve, Dec 24th - 8pm
Angel Tree 2018
This Sunday you’ll begin to see Angel Tree Angels in the lobby of 24 church. If you’d like to support a needy child this Christmas, grab an angel off the tree and sign your name to the sheet at the Welcome Desk. Then, shop accordingly and spoil your angel with clothes and toys! Remember that everything you buy needs to be wrapped, put in a large trash bag with tag attached, and brought back at 24church by Sunday, December 16th.
If you have any questions, Debbie Shearon will be happy to help!
New Resource: Making Sense of God
We are always striving to put good resources in the hands of our people. This is why we keep good Bibles and a few books we really believe in at the Welcome Desk each Sunday. This Sunday, you'll see a new book: Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical, by Tim Keller available for purchase in the lobby at the Welcome Desk.
Tim Keller ministers in New York City where he regularly interacts with people who are understandably skeptical about the Christian faith. Ministering in this environment, as well as embracing his own questions about God, has led Keller to write this book. If you have doubts about God, or struggle with christianity, this book is a great way to begin thinking through why the christian faith is plausible. Making Sense of God is an accessible read, but we wouldn’t call it an easy one either. However, if you’re really struggling with faith, Keller’s wisdom is worth your time.
"Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians."
—Christianity Today
Available for purchase at the Welcome Desk for $10. (cash or check - we're working on digital payment solutions).
New Resource: You Can Change
We are always striving to put good resources in the hands of our people. This is why we keep good Bibles and a few books we really believe in at the Welcome Desk each Sunday. This Sunday, you'll see a new book: You Can Change, by Tim Chester available for purchase in the lobby at the Welcome Desk.
This book has been out for several years and is perhaps the best resource available about how the gospel transforms our bad behaviors and negative emotions. Are there sins that it seems you'll never defeat? That feeling is normal, but it's not true. Change is possible because of Jesus! And this book can help you understand how that process works.
"There are few books that are shockingly honest, carefully theological, and gloriously hopeful all at the same time. You Can Change is all of these and more. It is wonderful to be reminded that you and I are not stuck, and it's comforting to be guided by someone who knows well the road from where we are to where we need to be."
- Paul Tripp
Available for purchase at the Welcome Desk for $10. (cash or check - we're working on digital payment solutions).