In the 27 years that I have been a member of a Baptist church, I’ve heard countless messages, interviews and statements by various pastors and SBC leaders stating “why I’m a Southern Baptist.” I suppose other denominations find it important to also declare, “why I’m a Presbyterian,” “why I’m a Catholic,” or “why I’m a Methodist,” though I’ve never heard such.
I can’t really answer the question “why I’m a Southern Baptist,” because I consider myself to be a Christian – a follower of Jesus Christ – who attends a Baptist church. I could be a follower of Christ and also attend a Presbyterian, Methodist or Bible church, as many thousands do. My own spiritual roots are non-denominational and I am so thankful for those who taught and guided me to Christ.
The question I think I can answer, though, is “what do Baptists do best?” And while it is true that I currently work in a Baptist church and dearly love my coworkers and friends, there is a different side of Baptist life where I feel they are champs – and that is education.
My sister and I are graduates of the same Baptist university. We met our husbands there. My son has just entered a different Baptist university. Many of our friends, coworkers and associates represent a variety of Baptist undergraduate schools. My sister and I both have dear, lifelong friends from college and all of them now have or have had successful careers in their fields of study, as well as children of their own who now attend.
I love the community that Baylor University provided in my life and that the school my son attends is already building for him. The atmosphere feels right and comfortable and safe - coupled with challenge and excellence in coursework, plus campus worship, fellowship and unity that no other denominational schools I know of provide. All that, with exposure to ideals both to the left and to the right of where we may line up - just as life will continually present.
Baptists definitely got it right when they entered the education business centuries ago. Our family is still reaping the benefits!
Comments