Yesterday I posted on the "hundreds" gathered for a New Baptist Covenant gathering in Atlanta.  This is further proof of my inability to estimate time, size, and numbers in a crowd.  Apparently, registration at the NBC exceeded 16,000.  Just a few off from my estimate. Just wanted to get that corrected.

Onto the second day of the gathering.

I arrived late (sue me) to the morning gathering and was only able to hear part of Tony Campolo’s address to the gathering on "The Bible Speaks about the Poor."  I know I missed out.  You, like I, will have to rely on the video posting of Campolo’s message which you can find here. I heard several comments throughout the day about how amazing it was which I would expect nothing less from Campolo.  He’s a straight-shooter.

The testimony of Naw Blooming Night Zan, Joint General Secretary of the Karen Women’s Organization in Burma was incredibly powerful as she spoke about the ravages of oppression these past 60 years in Burma at the hand of the Burmese military regime. Her presentation was so humble, so unlike the intensity of the facts she presented. In outlining what is needed, Night Zan stated that praying is not sufficient. Some might take offense at that statement but they would be wrong to do so.  How true it is that we are quick to pray but to not recognize that our steps of action are an indispensable part of prayer.  This is a common strand throughout the NBC.

Marian Wright Edleman, Founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, was a force to be reckon with as she presented statistic after statistic about poverty among children. She nailed it and nailed "apathy" to the wall.  She talked about the cradle-to-prison pipeline in America that is supported by the unlevel playing field.  When she talked about America’s low rank among nations in the area of education among children, she correctly challenged us on the fact that Americans throw a fit over being out-ranked in the Olympics but not over being out-ranked in the areas that really matter like science and math.  One of the many quotes that I loved was "Church ought to be the locomotive and not the caboose" in regards to social justice issues. You can see her message here.

I attended the breakout session "Breaking Cycles of Poverty" this afternoon with panelists Tom Prevost, CBF Together for Hope Coordinator; Chris Gray, FCS Urban Ministries, Atlanta; and Diana Garland, Dean of Baylor University School of Social Work, Waco, Texas.   It was exactly as I hoped it would be with a wonderful discussion of practical ideas on breaking cycles of poverty.  You can read a very informative article on the session here. This was my first choice among the many sessions offered due to personal passions but especially in regard to some new responsibilities at the church I serve. Faith organizations are needed to step up and take a very active and engaged role in alleviating poverty. Churches have been fairly decent in their charitable responses; however, charity is not what is needed.  Transformation is needed and churches need to lead the way. The church I serve is beginning this Sunday the CBF study "It’s Time".  Our prayer as we begin this journey is that our congregation will catch this same heart for being the presence of Christ in our community.  After this breakout session today, I have some very practical ideas to suggest to the family back home as we finish our study and ask the question, "What next?"

There is so much to process and take in here.Tonight the question was posed to the participants, "What’s next?" We have gathered together.  We have celebrated our diversity.  We have spoken of issues that are to be owned by faith communities. What are the next steps?  Not only for us as individual communities and churches but as a New Baptist Covenant.   We don’t need to have a convention for a sake of having a convention. What will this really look like after the family celebration here in Atlanta ends?  No one has the answer to that question yet.  And I like that.  I like it because it makes me feel like I am part of the decisions.  The planners of this event don’t have it planned out.  They brought us all to the table and they are listening. And I appreciate that and as a result, I feel ownership and a responsibility to the next steps.

Blessings.

The Celebration of the New Baptist Covenant is underway in Atlanta. Hundreds[Update: 16,000 are registered here for NBC] gathered at the Georgia World Dome this evening for the first plenary session of a historic Baptist event.  Hopes and dreams abound among organizers and attendees as we seek unity among Baptists throughout North America. As several older leaders shared their dedication and commitment to making this covenant a reality, I imagine there is a mixture of emotions.  Obviously, there is excitement and hope regarding a potential new day for Baptists. It is a new beginning.  Yet, a beginning means just that.  A beginning.  We are setting out on a new journey.  A journey made possible by the hard work and faithfulness of a group of older and wiser Baptists.  As a younger person in attendance, I am aware that the hard work of staying the course set this week will depend on us.  Out of years of fighting and division, our elders are determine to set a new course for the next generation of Baptists. They are doing everything they can to shape a healthy and blessed Baptist future. But they will not be able to see it through.  I imagine that there are times when they ache for this to have started years ago and are sad that they will not see the fruit of their labor. Nevertheless, they are faithful. A great mantle is being passed on to the next generation of Baptists.  I am hopeful that out of all the harm we have witnessed as a result of Christian brothers and sisters at war among themselves, the next generations will be committed to harmony, humility, and unity.

Tonight’s session was an outstanding beginning with a powerful greeting given by Dr. William Underwood, President of Mercer University and Co-Chair of the New Baptist Covenant.  Worship and responses to worship were diverse and inspiring – the very picture of what the covenant is about. The highlight for me was the preaching of William Shaw, Pastor at White Rock Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA. He was powerful, funny, relational and prophetic as he spoke about peace with justice. Shaw’s exegetical work on the Luke 4 passage of Jesus’s claim of the fulfillment of the Isaiah passage was so refreshing and rich.  He reminded us that Jesus was not about charity. He was about change.  Jesus was not about relief.  He was about reversal. There is a common challenge throughout this gathering regarding the command by God of God’s people to preach good news to the poor. To proclaim freedom and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18-19)  This cannot be done by writing checks from a distance (physically or emotionally) nor can it be accomplished with divisiveness among believers.  As Shaw stated at the beginning of his sermon quoting the wisdom of Scripture – our oneness will bear witness to the gospel.  Shaw also spoke powerfully about the fact that there can be no peace without justice.  There can be (and often is) calm without justice but there is never peace without justice.   One of the great exegetical truths that Shaw brought to the group was based on the phrase by the Jewish gatherers in the synagogue who stated to Jesus "We be born of Abraham" as a claim of fame.  How often we use a similar claim to avoid listening to God, Shaw stated.  "We be born white; We be born of America; We be born of Baptists; etc." All are claims of privilege that are used as excused to not hear the Spirit of God. You can view Shaw’s message here.

Jimmy Carter also spoke this evening and was greeted with a standing ovation. Carter spoke spoke candidly about why we are gathered in this new venture together and what is at stake.  Divisions have been "a cancer metastasizing in the body of Christ."   These divisions are nothing new as Paul must address them in his letters to the early church.  Carter did a honest summation of some of the major issues that cause divisions among believers today – issues of women leadership in the church, homosexuality, abortion, separation of church and state, etc. – and acknowledged the significance of these issues.  But he challenged us to remember what is essential and to unify around these things – the grace of God and the sharing of the Gospel.  Do not let the deeply felt differences divide us or surpass the message of Christ. View Carter’s speech here.

The Covenant is about being bound together in Christ in the spirit of peace, love, and the spirit of common purpose. 

The next two days will be focused more on that common purpose and the call to action.

Blessings.