SIR: A decision by the SBC Executive Committee to recommend that the SBC withdraw complete funding support for the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) would be tragic. Should that happen, my prayer is that convention messengers will vote it down and restore full support.

Historically, Southern Baptists have placed high emphasis on the absolute authority of the Bible, evangelism/missions, local church autonomy, the priesthood of all believers, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state. We have celebrated our “unity in diversity” and have respected differences of opinion on issues that were subject to interpretation. These same kind of Baptists make up the member bodies of the BWA.

The BWA is a beautiful example of global Baptist witness and cooperation. It has modeled servant leadership in its service to Baptist bodies now numbering above 200. I have been personally involved in the BWA for many years, serving on the General Council, commissions, and committees. Charges that the BWA is influenced by liberalism are patently false. Baptists may disagree on certain issues like the ordination of women or on methodology, but we do not disagree on essential doctrines.

SBC messengers should prayerfully ask: How will this decision impact global gospel witness? What difficulties will this create for missionaries that relate to national Baptist bodies (conventions)? Do we realize how much of our witness to the world will be harmed because we cannot work together? What would Jesus think about this as a response to His prayer “that they may all be one…so that the world may believe (John 17:21)? Why should the global Baptist family be further fragmented? Why should we have to reinvent the wheel by establishing another global Baptist fellowship?

I plead with fellow Southern Baptists to keep our historic relationship with the BWA in place.