Transformative Change

By Daniel Vestal
Jan. 5, 2011

In an article “Why Incremental Changes Won’t Work,” Paul M. Dietterich , executive director emeritus of the Center for Parish Development, writes:

“North American church bodies today must learn how to engage in transformative change if they are to be faithful to their calling and effective in their ministry and mission … Transformative change is qualitatively different from incremental change. For North American church bodies, transformative change requires a break with many of the inherited ways of perceiving, thinking, and behaving that characterized both the Imperial church (c.312-1790) and the Establishment Church (c.1790-1960). The old assumptions (1) that the church is merely a personal sanctuary dedicated to a deeply inward and solitary religious experiences for its members, (2) that it functions as society’s chaplain, (3) that its resources (scripture, tradition, doctrine, worship, sacraments) are deemed useful only to the extent that they serve as functional guides for personal belief and morality, (4) that clergy are professionals and lay people are consumers, (5) that the church is an agent rather than the locus of mission, require deliberate dissolution.”

I agree. We are living in a time of cultural, denominational, congregational deconstruction. But I believe that CBF is also part of a Spirit-created reconstruction. For the past 20 years we have been a grand experiment in Baptist life that has resulted in transformational changes. The very language we have used to define ourselves is itself evidence of this transformation and reconstruction.

We are a fellowship of Baptist Christians and Churches

Doing missions in a world without borders

A new way to be Baptist

Being the presence of Christ

Engaging in God’s mission

We speak of spiritual formation and missional church, a biblical vision of justice and ministry among the most neglected. We have become advocates for women in ministry, the least evangelized and most marginalized, the MDGs, ecumenical involvement and interfaith dialogue. Our governing body (Coordinating Council) is a blend of male/female and clergy/laity, and our annual gathering (General Assembly) is anything but a typical ecclesial convention. These are transformative changes.

Now as the “2012 Task Force” works toward making recommendations that will address missional/organizational effectiveness; and as younger/newer leadership is emerging among us, I am very hopeful that this grand experiment will continue. I am also hopeful that it will bring even more transformative change. To foster that hope let me offer some reflections.

First, the resources that are needed for us to thrive into the future are rich and real. I am not afraid to talk about money and ask people to participate with their resources in the mission of God. People will give when they believe in the vision of a ministry and in the integrity of those who are involved in it. There are thousands of Baptists who do believe in this Fellowship, and I believe there will be thousands more.

Second, the Baptist witness to the Gospel is still very important, even in a “post-everything” world. Baptists’ love of freedom and love of Scripture make us viable and vital to today’s culture. The fact that we disagree with one another on many issues but refuse to force conformity makes us attractive and attractional. Local church autonomy and religious liberty are part of our Baptist birthright, and we will not sell it.

Third, we are maturing and becoming “established” and “institutional” in a good way. Partnering seminaries are preparing future leaders, and other ministries are gaining influence and having impact in the public square. We have a “place at the table” in the worldwide Baptist family and the worldwide missionary enterprise.

Fourth, even our challenges (and we have many) are accepted by people of enormous good will and great ability. There is in this Fellowship a significant level of trust and genuine conviction about shared ministry. We are surely not perfect, but we have been blessed with an unusual number of highly motivated and deeply committed followers of Jesus Christ.

Fifth, no one clique/caucus/cluster of individuals in Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is trying to predict or control the future. Let me quote Dietterich again:

“In transformative change, while the vision of the church as a faithful sign, foretaste, and instrument of the reign of God guides the change process, the specific future conditions are unclear. In fact, since it is not certain when the transition period ends (or at least abates), the whole concept of arriving at a specific and precisely-defined future state has little meaning and may even be misleading … Transformative change requires the church body to become a learning system, a system that is constantly in the process of analyzing and learning from its own experience, always in the process of discerning God’s vision afresh, always in the process of becoming a more faithful embodiment of life in the reign of God.”

Again I agree. We are richly blessed by a geographical and demographical diversity that is willing to live with the tension of an uncertain future and seek even greater transformative change without trying to dictate exactly how that change will look. We are aware that we are still learning and have so much yet to learn. Sometimes it seems we will “talk something to death,” but it is our way of being sure we are listening and learning from one another.

Finally, our God is the One who is making all things new. We worship and trust the gracious and loving Creator/Redeemer who is always renewing and remaking, always transforming. We need not be afraid.

Daniel Vestal is executive coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, serving since 1996.

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