There is one major difference between the Conservative Resurgence and the Great Commission Resurgence. The Conservative Resurgence made the Southern Baptist Convention inward focused while the GCR is making the SBC outwardly focused.
First, I must show my gratitude for the Conservative Resurgence. The fact that the CR made the SBC more inwardly focused is not a bad thing. We could of easily continued to be outwardly focused under the name of “missions” while out convention withered away into liberalism. The need for the Conservative Resurgence was and is obvious. If it were not for the Conservative Resurgence the SBC would have little to know influence and we would indeed be wasting our time with talk of missions. How about this, look at the PCUSA and put the name SBC on it… That is us without a Conservative Resurgence. The SBC needed to become inwardly focused in order to fix the problems we had at home.
Now is a different time. We have fixed a majority of our theological problems, there are differences yes, but we are no longer asking if the Bible is indeed authoritative. Now that the inward problems have been addressed it is time for us to return to our outward focus, which is exactly what the GCR is poised to do. I am greatly encouraged that the GCR has been passed. I certainly don’t know what exactly will become of it or what a restructuring will look like, but I do know that this is the Resurgence we needed in order to become outwardly focused once again.
Not one Resurgence is better than the other. Both came at a crucial time for the Southern Baptist Convention. Let us rejoice at the work of the generation that went before us. If it were not for them and their work with the Conservative Resurgence the Great Commission Resurgence would be completely meaningless. In my opinion, the GCR is a sign that the SBC is again reestablishing its identity after years of battling for theological integrity. It is also a sign that the younger generation is poised and ready to begin to lead the SBC into the future. By both of these things, I am greatly encouraged.