Nearly 35 years ago, the world nearly came to an end because Matthew Broderick messed around with his 9-inch floppy disks and played a game of “Global Thermonuclear War” on a government super-computer named Joshua. Fortunately, Joshua was designed to explore all the possible scenarios and learn from its calculations. At the climax of the movie, Joshua realizes something very important. Every single option in Global Thermonuclear War ends with unacceptable losses for everyone and no one wins. Everything goes dark, then the screen pops on with these words.
The only winning move is not to play.
The Southern Baptist Convention is currently embroiled in its own “War Games” and the hope of avoiding global thermonuclear war seems to be fading day by day. I believe what Joshua came to understand. If we fight this battle as a denomination, if we take the Jack Graham vs. Russell Moore conflict to the mattresses there will be no winners.
The only winning move in the current SBC conflict is for nobody to win.
I am not dispassionate in this conflict – it is no secret where my sympathies lie. I believe one side better represents the truth and steers a better course for the future of the SBC. If this thing comes to a head there will not be a moment’s hesitation in me as to which side I will be on.
But if my side “wins” it will be a loss for the SBC. Those churches and their pastors that are upset at Moore’s critique of Trump supporters and his other positions on political issues represent a significant segment of the SBC. Many have announced their willingness to withhold CP giving because of their disdain for Dr. Moore. Can we gather a voting majority at the SBC and “win” a showdown over the ERLC and Dr. Moore’s future? Maybe. I think we would but it’s a pointless argument. We won’t know until the showdown comes and when it does we all lose. More specifically, the CP loses.
Is it worth it to win this war if the CP loses in the process?
The anti-Russell Moore contingent needs to make this same calculation. Forcing Dr. Moore to resign may give a moment of joy, a fleeting sense of victory and vindication. But the damage to the denomination will be devastating. Total. Perhaps irreversible.
Will Moore supporters do what they have criticized Jack Graham for doing? Will we withhold our CP dollars in response to such a thing? I believe it goes beyond that. If Moore is forced out it may well be seen as a symbol that the SBC is establishing one political viewpoint as orthodox and is effectively showing the door to those who do not walk in lock step. Minority churches would likely break ties in droves. Many younger pastors and churches would begin to bleed from the convention. I can envision things reaching the point of a split. The detritus of a forced Moore termination would be thermonuclear.
My intent is not to argue whether Moore supporters or Moore detractors are a larger group or can escrow larger amounts of CP money. My point is simple: when we start down the road the biggest loser is the CP and the SBC, whether Dr. Moore keeps his job or not.
The only solution is to find a path of grace and unity, to apply biblical principles to a difficult situation and seek godly reconciliation. According to Ephesians, Jesus died not only to save sinners by grace but to break down walls and to make the two one. Paul spoke of Jews and Gentiles in that epistle, but surely those principles can apply to Jack Graham and Russell Moore.
They must. They absolutely must.
The only winning move here is for grace to overwhelm anger and wash away grudges and for us to chart a new course of cooperation. Russell Moore cannot win. Jack Graham cannot win. If anyone wins, we all lose. We all have to humble ourselves and be willing to give a little.
I would make the following specific suggestions.
1. We need an understanding on the ERLC’s role in political issues.
The ERLC has two purposes and they sometimes conflict. The ERLC speaks FOR Southern Baptists on religious liberty and on moral issues. They also speak TO Southern Baptists on these issues, calling us to live out our faith in the public arena.
Some act as if Moore should take public opinion polls among Southern Baptists and limit himself to speaking on those issues where a majority in the SBC agree. That is not his job. He is to speak for us on some issues and to us on others. We do not determine right and wrong by majority polls, but by God’s word.
But there has developed a consensus that the political discussion in 2016 crossed lines. Dr. Moore not only addressed issues but he addressed candidates and he did so in a way that offended many Southern Baptists. I agreed with what he said, but even Dr. Moore has admitted he went too far in the way he spoke his mind.
Perhaps, with the help of Dr. Page and others, the two sides in this conflict can come to a semi-formal agreement about how the ERLC will address political issues in the future. It would allow the ERLC president and staff to address spiritual, moral, and ethical issues while avoiding some of the problems of the last election cycle.
- Should the ERLC and its president address specific candidates or limit itself to issues?
- The president of the ERLC should be careful in his public statements to affirm that political opinions differ among Christians and we should not question the sincerity of believers because of political disagreements.
2. You can’t muzzle Moore.
Dr. Russell Moore is a powerful and prophetic voice who speaks to a generation of Christians – and annoys many in the process. The solution to this issue, whatever it is, must allow Moore to continue to be who he is and do what he does.
Any solution that attempts to muffle Moore’s voice will not work. Perhaps Moore can be more gracious toward critics but he is responsible to God’s word and the truth not to public opinion polls of Southern Baptists.
Muzzling the man is not a solution. Giving some structure in which he speaks his mind and heart is one thing. Telling him what to say is something else.
3. We must agree to agree about our disagreements.
I hate cliches and “agree to disagree” is a common one. But it is the nature of a cooperative denomination like the SBC. We are old and young, Calvinist and non-Calvinist, including Traditionalists, traditional and contemporary, large and small. And right now, one of our most severe disagreements is political. I don’t believe any of our leaders are actually racist, but we have significant differences about how to approach racial reconciliation. We disagree about immigration, about refugees, about dealing with Muslims and religious freedom. Most of all about whether Donald Trump is a qualified leader.
Are we going to seek to enforce conformity on such issues? Are we going to make either the Moore position or the old-line culture warrior stances a point of fellowship in the SBC?
The SBC only works if Calvinists and non-Calvinist, old and young, traditional and contemporary, big and small, and political views of various stripes operate by their convictions in their churches, advocate their positions as they see fit, accept one another as brothers and sisters within the boundaries of the BF&M, and cooperate to support missions.
The SBC dies a little every time we enforce conformity on a tertiary issue.
4. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.
“But Russell Moore said terrible things…”
“But Jack Graham is holding missionaries hostage…”
“But…”
If I could go back to the fall of 2015, when the GOP primaries were just heating up, I would do a couple of things differently. I wouldn’t change my convictions or what I said. But I would do two things.
- I would speak more clearly to differentiate my views about varieties of Trump supporters.
- I would affirm more clearly that political opinion is not a matter of biblical orthodoxy but of personal preference. We can disagree politically – even sharply – and maintain fellowship.
I said these things in my posts, but in discussions these truths often got lost.
I took a fair amount of abuse during the election. As a vocal NeverTrumper I was called names and accused of things I think were unfair. People said and did things that hurt me. Angered me.
And we cannot go back and undo any of it. Not a word.
So now, I have a choice and so do you. We can put the 2016 election under the grace of God and seek to move forward or we can continue to prosecute one another and enforce our grudges until we burn down the entire house and the 2020 election gives us an opportunity to repeat our mistakes.
Grace is better.
5. Remember, the world is watching.
I had a call yesterday from a reporter who had read several articles here at SBC Voices. The Russell Moore/Jack Graham brouhaha is national news. The world is watching,
Why not show them real Christianity in action?
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control. Loving our enemies. Forgiveness and forbearance. Grace. Returning good for evil.
These are not signs of weakness or a jelly-legged lack of conviction. They are godly. Christlike. They are weapons of warfare that have the power of God to tear down the strongholds of the enemy.
The world is watching Dr. Page and Dr. Moore and Jack Graham and the rest of us. How about we show them godly men walking in the fullness of the Spirit and bringing glory to God. Too often the world has watched us demonstrate the power of our flesh. Maybe it is time we showed them the power of God’s Spirit.
The only way we win is if we all lose…just a little.
It’s simple Christianity. It’s walking in the Spirit instead of the flesh. It’s putting the Kingdom of God ahead of my own kingdom.
A Bible Story to Ponder
Remember when Joshua (the biblical man, not the mythical computer) was wandering near Jericho and came upon the strange figure in Joshua 5? He asked the man whether he was on his side or on his enemies side.
“Are you for us or for our adversaries?” (Are you on Russell Moore’s side or Jack Graham’s?)
The man replied, in verse 14.
“Neither; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the LORD.” (the preacher’s favorite line – I’m not here to take sides but to take charge)
Joshua fell on his face in submission.
Do you need me to drive home the point of application or can you figure it out on your own?
AMEN!!! Thank you, sir, for putting this so clearly and strongly. May we heed this word.
I agree Steve, this is a powerful word on this issue.
Yes the world is watching. The ERLC has become more representative of the SBC than our own President and the Pastors of the SBC churches. But what is the world seeing? When this started I was just searching to what the Biblical justification was, as there is certainly Scripture that demonstrates that the Lord does not favor anything to do with a false god. I was astonished to see such a position presented in the name of the SBC. However a Biblical justification has not been forthcoming as if Acts 17:11 does not apply to the ERLC. Looking into the… Read more »
This is the Kobayashi Maru.
Wow
Brother Dave, this is your best post that I can recall. I hope that like Joshua the computer the sides will lay down arms. We serve but one King and he has already given us our commission. Let us get back to the work he has prepared for us. The harvest needs workers and cooperation.
Some acknowledgment of ‘legitimate issues’ with Moore and the ERLC and an indication more consideration will be made in the future to statements made and positions taken would have AND still will make this controversy go away. Yes, Grace is needed. But Grace will take some kind of acknowledging action. Perhaps a letter from Moore apologizing the the controversy and promising to be more considerate of all voices would do it.
I think something along those lines may be forthcoming.
You are essentially demanding a win for your anti-Moore side, are you not?
Russell Moore apologized three months ago: http://www.russellmoore.com/2016/12/19/election-thoughts-christmastime/
But the media didn’t carry that on the front page…. duh! A Christian leader acting like a Christian leader and acknowledging that he, like others, is imperfect and sometime misspeaks or is misunderstood is not front page news or even back page news, it’s not news at all or at least it shouldn’t be in normal times. But we don’t live in normal times. The overlooking by the secular media, and who knows perhaps even our Baptist media, essentially allowed the wounds to fester. I suggest we all lance our own wounds, bind them up with salve, and being walking… Read more »
No one I know from our side considers that an apology.
It was more like, “Shame on you for not understanding what I was saying. You were just too stupid to know that I wasn’t insulting you, but if you THOUGHT I was being disrespectful, I apologize.”
Frankly, it only made matters worse.
If you read that into Dr. Moore’s statement, you demonstrated a complete lack of grace.
Rick, how did you get that from Dr. Moore’s statement? That is really harsh and he didn’t seem to be saying that at all.
At some point, Alan, we simply have to walk forward with those who wish to do so in the grace of Christ. There are always those who will not come along.
Sometimes, even pastors have trouble separating intent and context from personal interpretation.
Seriously? When one spends eighteen months insulting an entire class of people, one cannot simply offer something like this: “Not long ago, I was in a small group of people and made a statement, only later to learn that people thought I meant something else. If THAT’S what you heard, I truly apologize.” Believe me, we KNOW what he said that was insulting and he said a WHOLE LOT and it wasn’t to a small group at the water cooler. Accept it or not, but what I’m telling you is this: “NO true and genuine apology has been HEARD from… Read more »
Your words are not only untrue, they are ungracious and unworthy.
Rick it’s quite simple: Dr. Moore wasn’t saying what they thought he said. So he really doesn’t have anything to apologize for.
Moore stated… “But there were also pastors and friends who told me when they read my comments they thought I was criticizing anyone who voted for Donald Trump. I told them then, and I would tell anyone now: if that’s what you heard me say, that was not at all my intention, and I apologize”
A clear explanation of his intentions would have taken this apology to a level needed.
“Rick it’s quite simple: Dr. Moore wasn’t saying what they thought he said. So he really doesn’t have anything to apologize for.”
I’m hoping this is sarcasm. Moore knew exactly what he was saying, to whom he was saying it, and repeatedly said it.
Nate, I said that Dr. Moore didn’t say what “they” thought he said. Not that he didn’t know what he said. Of course he knew what he said, to whom he said it, and repeated it. Because it was true. It just wasn’t directed at the rank and file voter in what he was referencing.
Pastor Patrick, Your refusal to forgive in this matter until a more appropriate pound of flesh is offered by the other side is first and foremost an issue between you and God. Likewise, Moore’s misdeeds are also an offense to God. “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” “And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us*… For if you forgive other… Read more »
LFB, beautiful words–For all of us–about forgiveness and being ready to forgive. You presented that in a way I hadn’t thought about. Also I would throw in, “or until they asked for it.”
Allen,
I think Miller’s point is that perhaps there should be better understanding, grace and compassion from everyone.
And maybe an acknowledgement from those who so enthusiastically embraced a deeply morally flawed individual and boasted how he was the Lord’s man that they might just have stepped over the line too? Or how about not. How about just burying the hatchet on the past and come to an agreement going forward that in the heat of politics we all remember we are all on the same side for the big question. If someone is waiting for an apology then the fight will never end because all have sinned and fallen short…. I think I read that somewhere.
What about a “J. D. Greear” option?
This deserves a response and I’m choosing not to give it, in the spirit of Dave’s post.
Maybe a “Richard Land” option, then?
This kind of snark is de rigueur on certain Facebook discussions, but I would request that you raise the level here to something more in line with biblical principles and Christlike character.
Thank you, David.
Lessons from Sci-fi movies but not from SBC history? Why is a voluntary Moore resignation not a noble, conciliatory act?
Mostly because this isn’t up to a vote on two candidates and Dr. Moore did nothing wrong.
David Pitman,
JD did not resign…he had no office to resign.
Perhaps it time for Dr. Graham and Prestonwood BC to abjure the tactics of intimation that they have employed??
It is interesting that PWBC is being presented as an enemy to SBC (through a decision in their autonomous church) to escrow funds as they investigate how to proceed with their CP donations than Moore is as one who precious SBCers found themselves offended by.
So many seem to be offended that PWBC would escrow their collected funds while finding no offense in those who believed they were being labeled in an ungodly manner.
Would any of you accept an apology from PWBC if they said they were misinterpreted about the CP funds but never gave clarity to what was misinterpreted?
Personally I don’t care whether PWBC apologizes or not. And they can give to CP or not, as is their right. Or if they do apologize, they can say whatever they want. This is just petty and political.