Why a Missionary Should Lead the International Mission Board … tagged: , , , ,

Why a Missionary Should Lead the International Mission Board …

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I suppose that you might classify this post as something of a “counterpoint” to a post on another site last week. I hope that my “counterpoint-ee” will not be too offended. :)

This past Friday, pastor and fellow blogger Robin Foster wrote a post at SBC Today entitled, “Who is Being Served?” I encourage you to check it out, along with the comment thread. It is a most interesting read. In his post Foster made a most curious statement. He stated, “Since the president is to lead the IMB according to the desire of the churches of the Southern Baptist convention, it is questionable as to whether a missionary, who has been out on the field for twenty to thirty years, may serve as the best representative of what the churches in the Convention believe and practice.”

I must admit that this statement dumbfounded me … that a career missionary with decades of faithful cross-cultural missionary service would be the questionable choice for the office of president of the International Mission Board.

As I read deeper into Foster’s post, I discovered that the thesis was quite simple. Citing historical records of the early presidents of the International Mission Board, and multiple other “concerns” resulting from appointing missionaries to that post for the past 60+ years, he sought to make a case for calling a Southern Baptist pastor as the next president of our International Mission Board.

Foster stated his thesis plainly when he said, “Dr. Rankin will one day retire. What I would hope is that the convention allows for the possibility that a pastor may serve as President of the IMB.” He repeated it later when he said, “I believe it would be a tragedy if the convention does not consider some qualified pastors to lead her mission-sending organization.”

I appreciate Robin’s writing and his graciousness, and consider him a friend in the blogosphere. But I vigorously disagreed with his thesis and view in the comment thread of his post, and I must restate my disagreement here … on multiple levels.

I must first disagree with the notion that the “desires” of the Southern Baptist churches in the United States must be funneled through the office of president and that said “desires” should automatically take precedence over the needs and strategies on the mission field. This idea was a recurring theme in Foster’s post. How might these desires (as incredibly diverse as they surely, most undoubtedly, must be) be accurately determined in a convention of over 37,000 churches? And why should the “desires” of the stateside churches be the foundational concern of the IMB president? Isn’t that why we have The Baptist Faith and Message, a consensus document of the desires that we (supposedly) actually agree upon? I suppose that my biggest fear is that the “desires” of our stateside churches might morph into the “desires” of a select few stateside churches … and leaders.

It is my understanding that there already exists an elaborate system of trustees, elected by the SBC, which meets on a regular basis, and is in place to insure doctrinal integrity and maintain open lines of communication between stateside churches and the field. Furthermore, the strategies and needs of the IMB are completely transparent. I submit that we are among the most informed people in Christendom with regard to our convention’s international efforts. Our regular mailings, prayer calendars, magazines, and the IMB web site attest to that fact … not to mention the tens of thousands of SBC volunteers who serve alongside our missionaries on a short-term basis each year.

Secondly, Foster twice used in his post a term to describe current IMB leadership that greatly concerned me. That term is, “inbred.” Indeed, he stated in question form, “Could a string of former missionaries appointed to the presidency of the IMB lead to an in-bred system that no longer recognizes the authority, beliefs, and practices of those churches who support those missionaries?” And near the end of his post he re-stated, “A pastor’s leadership might reveal some flaws of in-breeding that may have occurred since 1945.”

I, personally, do not regard decades of faithful service by our missionaries on the international field as an incubator for an “inbred” system of missions leadership. Far from it. I believe that all of those years of sacrificial service, done in separation from the safety and comfort of family and the familiarity of our SBC churches back home, make our missionary leaders uniquely qualified for their positions of leadership … even at the level of IMB president. I think that the use of, “inbred,’ and “in-breeding” was/is a poor choice of terms.

Indeed, I cannot fathom the notion of calling someone who does not have extensive cross-cultural, international missions service as president of our International Mission Board. Such a notion, to me, makes absolutely no sense. Simply having a seminary education, pastoring an SBC church, and occasionally bumping into a “foreigner” at the mall does not qualify someone to serve as the head of one of the most influential Christian mission-sending entities on the planet.

As I pointed out illustratively in the comment thread of Robin’s post, “…let’s say that the head coach retires from a college football team. The administration is seeking a new head coach for the team. According to your logic, rather than seeking a former football player with field experience, the school should hire a classroom professor to coach the team. Why? Because that professor is much more in tune with the desires of the students and their families who fill the stands … and provide all of the funding and support for the team.” Again, it simply does not make sense to me. The president of the IMB must have intimate knowledge of the work of the missionaries on the field. Our missionaries must work with their president, not “in spite” of him … which is what I fear would happen if a local church pastor is appointed to the president’s position.

And, finally (I know … I know … this post is WAY too long…), I must take issue with the final statement in Robin’s post. In making his final “pitch” for a pastor as head of the IMB, he stated, “This would aid in the continual need for the restoration of our New Testament and Baptist principles.” I guess the word that reaches out and grabs me is, “restoration.” The term means, basically, “a bringing back to a former position or condition.” Which would seem (to me) to indicate that there is something wrong at our International Mission Board … that it is somehow operating outside the parameters of the New Testament or our Baptist principles.

I just respectfully disagree. I believe our missionaries and IMB leaders are doing just fine in the realm of doctrinal orthodoxy. Yes, there may be the occasional “bad apple” in any bunch. Such is the nature of accomplishing the Great Commission with imperfect men and women, saved only by the grace of God. But I appreciate, beyond measure, our missionaries on the field. And I appreciate, beyond measure, the leadership at our International Mission Board. And that most definitely includes the incredible leadership of Dr. Jerry Rankin. Indeed, he will retire someday, as will we all. I just hope that it is a “someday” that is far, far in the future.

But when he does retire, I hope and pray that the “powers that be” will seek out an experienced field missionary (with decades of service) and accomplished missiologist to replace him. To do otherwise would, in my opinion, be folly … and potentially disastrous.

Again, sorry for the “novella.” And Robin … I love you, brother. But I just wanted to take a little more time to offer a differing point of view … with respect and love. I hope that I have accomplished my goal. And I hope that this post has, indeed, spurred us on to deeper thoughts, greater searching of hearts, and good deeds.

Blessings to all on this fine day. I look forward to your interaction.  And please offer up a little prayer for me today.  My oldest takes her road test and gets her full driver’s license today.  I’m getting so old… :(