As reported in recent articles in the Wall Street Journal and Christianity Today, Dr. Russell Moore is again the focus of criticism among some Southern Baptists for positions that he took during the Presidential campaign, things that he said, and the way that he said them.
At the 2016 meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the Executive Board took under advisement a motion to “study the recent actions of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission with regard to issues of concern to Louisiana Baptists.”
We are pulling for Dr. Moore. Here’s why.
Dr. Moore speaks with a prophetic voice to our faith community about how to live for Christ and his kingdom in our culture. We don’t expect him to gauge our opinions on social, political, and economic issues and then promote our consensus position. He’s a leader raised up by God to help guide us in this new day.
He doesn’t speak just to us. He also speaks to our culture and to those who shape it. Should we be embarrassed that Dr. Moore has rebuked the behavior of persons who have risen to positions of political power? Should we de-fund the ERLC because a person whose character he’s criticized has achieved the highest office in the land, besting another candidate whose behavior and policies he also rebuked?
Dr. Moore has demonstrated that he will not “go along” in order to “get along” with persons in political office. Are there Southern Baptists who expect this of the person who leads the ERLC? We don’t. Moreover, we believe that Dr. Moore is especially well-suited to engage the culture with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and, as such, is ideal for this post.
Some note that Dr. Moore’s tone has been, at times, direct, sharp, and critical, and that it hasn’t always been as statesmanlike as perhaps it could have been. If, in his zeal for righteousness, Dr. Moore has offended brothers in the cause of Christ, then he should reflect, confess, and seek to make amends, where appropriate. We were not surprised to read just such an apology from Dr. Moore in his Christmas letter. You may read it in its entirety here.
Dr. Moore has also been a zealous advocate on behalf of the unborn, the family, the vulnerable, the weak, and the strangers among us, and vigorous in his defense of religious liberty and against racism. We commend him for his leadership, and pray that God will continue to grant him wisdom to know the right, strength to stand for it, and voice to speak it.
Southern Baptists also will be held to account for how we respond to the prophetic voices that God has given us.
Martin Luther King was another during our lifetime that spoke with a prophetic voice on important issues of social justice. He, too, was a Baptist preacher. Many in the mainstream rejected his message and despised him. Despite the opposition, he did not shrink back. As a faith community, we have still not made up the ground that we lost decades ago because of our rejection of his message of justice.
Dr. Moore speaks with a prophetic voice to this generation. We may not like everything that he says, but we fear what our faith community may become if we lose his voice.
Our allegiance is not to a political party or majority opinion, but rather to the person of Jesus Christ and to his kingdom. We are grateful for the clarion voice that God has given Dr. Russell Moore. He has helped us navigate the intersection of the faith once given to the saints and contemporary culture.
We’re praying that Dr. Moore’s heart will be kept humble before God and his people, and that he will continue to call us to Christ and the gospel despite this latest round of criticism.
For Christ and his kingdom,
Fred Luter, Jr. Chad Gilbert
David Crosby Page Brooks
Mike Miller Anna Palmer
Geovanny Gomez Jay Adkins
Larry Johnson Jack Hunter
Comments(12)
Ken Taylor says
December 28, 2016 at 8:16 amAmen!
Tom Bilderback says
December 28, 2016 at 9:24 amI’m glad to be associated with a group of men who aren’t afraid to stand when truly prompted to. Dr. Moore has a Kingdom mindset which will not always be tolerated in the kingdom of America.
arvan campbell says
December 28, 2016 at 9:36 amPerhaps the greatest weakness of the SBC is its inability to respect those who they do not agree with. That lack of respect also meant not working with someone even when you agree on many other things. The SBC seem to have a mine way or the highway attitude. Over the last 20 years, the SBC while down in attendance, baptisms, and the lack of diversity in their Agencies has increased each year in the political arena. The SBC emphasizes its Great Commission status. Less so, is the SBC talking about the Great Commandment which emphasizes love for our brothers and sisters. Most of the “world” is made up of brown people. The SBC needs more Dr. Moores not less if we are going to win the “world” for Christ.
Andrew Bailey says
December 28, 2016 at 10:45 amAmen.
Cara Cochran says
December 28, 2016 at 11:22 amThankful for the stand Dr. Moore is taking, and the manner in which he represents our Lord.
Seth Dunn says
December 28, 2016 at 12:39 pmWhich of the prophets pulled a $4M budget to aggravate their brothers and sisters in Christ?
Gwen Williams (Ms Chocolate says
December 28, 2016 at 3:00 pmAlthough I’ve moved to Mississippi, I join with the LBC in this matter. I am so proud of Louisiana Baptists. Dr. Moore is a fantastic Christian and love his attitude. SBC needs men like him to guide in a godly direction. Thank you LBC.
Darwin Sokoken says
December 29, 2016 at 1:50 amMay God bless New Orleans. My prayer is that God will raise more Dr. Moore in SBC and other Baptist groups.
Scott Shaver says
December 29, 2016 at 2:36 amYou would think that that baptist pastors and professors would know the difference between a prophet and a pundit. Obviously not the case when it comes to one Russell Moore. Let somebody else pay the bills for “nobody’s man”. We wouldn’t want to tarnish his halo with our compromised, non-evangelical convictions.
Russell Moore is not a prophet, he’s an opportunist.
Scott Hill says
December 29, 2016 at 12:15 pmI remember when I was kid, there was a neighborhood kid who would try and get everyone to stop playing with certain kids because he didn’t get his way.
I think Dr. Moore needs to learn that 140 characters isn’t sufficient for airing differences within the SBC ranks.
I also think that certain Pastors need to stop acting like children when someone disagrees with them. It is the very definition of arrogance. As well as a little hypocritical.
I support Dr. Moore as head of the ERLC. I happen to also agree with him about the necessary changes needed in the SBC.
Joe McKeever says
December 29, 2016 at 7:23 pmI agree. Thanks for not taking a poll, guys, to decide what position you would take. Let’s support Russell.
Scott Shaver says
December 30, 2016 at 11:36 amYou are right Scott Hill. I remember when Page Patterson, Paul Pressler and Al Mohler conducted themselves exactly in that vein during the 70’s and 80’s.
Maybe a “poll” on Russell would be exactly in line as he obviously checked them frequently during his monologues of election year.