The challenges of cross-generational transition

ALPHARETTA (BP) - Let's hope this will be the "Year of the Younger Leader" at the SBC annual meeting. As greats like Adrian Rogers, Jerry Vines, Jim Henry and others begin to transition their leadership, so too must the Southern Baptist Convention. I see four major issues that frame the struggle over younger leadership:

Compromise

It seems like everyone is an expert on compromise. If you don't have a "come forward" invitation, you are compromised. If you don't preach a certain way, you are compromised. If you don't do door-to-door evangelism, you are compromised. There seem to be more rules than biblical texts to mandate them.

We are a denomination struggling with Jude 3 and 1 Corinthians 9:22-23. Many want to "contend for the faith once delivered to the saints"(Jude 3) while others want to be "all things to all men so that by all means possible we might save some"(1 Corinthians 9:22-23). The problem is that, instead of having important conversations about these things, we are arguing over forms and not reaching the lost. As some of our churches have chosen their traditions over their children, we are choosing traditional methods over innovative young leaders.

Contextualization

The church in every generation struggles with contextualization. It struggles with what it should look like - how to be in the world but not of it. Let's be honest here. The issue is not just age. There are many younger leaders who are comfortable with traditional methods, and some will point to them as an example that everything is great. Still, don't we also want innovators who are serious about Scripture and reaching their communities? Didn't Jimmy Draper start this discussion by pointing out that baptisms are down and that younger leaders are leaving? We want younger leaders who are serious about reaching the lost, through innovation or tradition.

Cooperation

If biblically sound and culturally diverse young leaders are going to cooperate with the existing Southern Baptist Convention, we need a moratorium. We need a moratorium on traditional conference leaders speaking against (or making sarcastic comments about) innovative churches. We need a moratorium on younger leaders criticizing traditional churches. If they are reaching and discipling people, let's celebrate traditional, contemporary and emerging churches - and if not, let's help them.

We need a new standard (or perhaps a commitment to our existing standard!). If young and old, contemporary and traditional are biblically sound (as measured by the Baptist Faith and Message), and they are reaching people, then we can celebrate our differences.

Communication

It seems to me that we have a serious communication problem. I know some of the great preachers of the traditional church. I know some of the great young (and not so young) innovative pastors. Ironically, when you ask them, they don't have much bad to say about each other. It just surfaces when we meet in larger groups. That's when well-known preachers start speaking against each other, with "amen lines" or sarcastic comments. OK, it preaches well, but it leaves us smaller and weaker.

This year at the SBC annual meeting, let's try something different. Why don't we covenant together that no one speaks against another's preaching style, clothing, invitation, music, discipleship program or strategy? Let's talk about reaching people - and celebrate biblically sound churches that are doing that, whatever they look like.

Our schools, agencies and entities can begin to talk about these important issues, bringing the best theologians and practitioners together to determine how we can be biblically faithful and missionally appropriate.

That's worth fighting for, and not fighting about.

Ed Stetzer serves as director of research at the North American Mission Board. A missiologist, he is the author of several articles and books on missional ministry.