Other images went over my head -- I didn't know anything about the horrible atrocities of the medieval "Crusades" to recapture the Holy Land from "the infidel," so I watched Billy Graham's evangelistic "crusades" without a second thought. Likewise, missionary terminology like "winning the lost" seemed rather innocuous, since the focus seemed to be on rescuing people from sin rather than conquering their culture. In a world marked by religiously motivated wars, such language seems less innocent now.
The most extreme example of "jihad for Jesus" that I've run across lately was a chapel service at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary earlier this month, when seminary president Paige Patterson announced a new campaign to evangelize everyone within a mile of the school's location on "Seminary Hill."Introduced, no doubt, by dramatic lighting and music, Patterson "stormed onto the chapel stage," according to Baptist Press, driving a militarized dune buggy dubbed a "Fast Attack Vehicle." Patterson, clad in a camouflage shirt, fired off a burst of blanks from a .50 caliber machine gun before emerging to announce a seminary-sponsored 50-day door-to-door evangelistic campaign called "Taking the Hill." A promotional video on Southwestern's website is filled with images of war and a description of "our assignment" and "our target."
To his credit, Patterson acknowledged the need for something beyond military might. Pointing to his vehicle's mounted guns, he said "That weaponry brings sorrow and heartache. We need weaponry that brings joy and happiness. This weaponry has the prospect of bringing things to an end. We need weaponry that opens eternity."
I appreciate his expressed concern. Even so, the whole idea of using "weaponry" in evangelistic engagement is troubling. It's precisely the sort of talk, I fear, that helps to fuel the sermons of extremists in the Muslim world who see little difference between Christian evangelism and American Imperialism.
I don't doubt that Patterson and others who see confrontational evangelism as the heart of the gospel imperative have a real passion about it: belief in a hard doctrine of an eternal burning hell for non-Christians can be quite motivational for both the witness and his or her "target" audience.
I don't see that as the main concern of Jesus, however. The strategy behind a militaristic approach to evangelism is bound to result in added strife, not the peaceable kingdom to which Christ calls us. Those who follow Jesus should be good stewards of all that we have, including our vocabulary and the way we portray ourselves to the world.
It's compassion that our global neighbors need, not conquest.
21 comments:
Pseudo-warrior Patterson's "Baptist predators" baggage is of considerable concern for others who have reviewed his machine-gun musical: Baptist Planet (briefly) and Stop Baptist Predators' detailed examination of the related issues.
"Belief in a hard doctrine of an eternal burning hell for non-Christians can be quite motivational for both the witness and his or her 'target' audience.
"I don't see that as the main concern of Jesus, however."
Tony, are you serious? The eternal destiny of lost people was not a main concern of Jesus? Whether people went to heaven or hell was not a main concern of Jesus? Have I misunderstood you?
I think many of us have misunderstood Jesus, who talked about hell mainly in the terms used by his opponents and while addressing them, a rhetorical manner of speaking that doesn't necessitate an assumption that he endorsed their views.
The hope of eternal life with Christ doesn't need an eternal torture chamber for its antithesis; death alone serves quite nicely.
I don't expect everyone to agree on that point and I'm confident it's a minority view among Baptists, but I believe it is a legitimate approach to understanding scripture.
To piggy-back on Dr. Cartledge's response, it is interesting who Jesus assigned a place in "hell" in his teachings. It was the Religious leaders - those who "believed" in God. Those who Jesus identified as blessed, are the sinners.
And, in Paul's writings, death and resurrection are the main concerns of Paul, not heaven and hell.
Finally, the main concern of Jesus was the Kingdom of God. This is the heart of the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. It is not a place that you go when you die. Rather, it is an era that is coming. It's God's administration, when the world will look like a world ruled by an all-loving and all-powerful God. Revelation speaks of God's dwelling coming to earth, and not humans going to heaven.
I do believe that people will miss being with God...thus, hell. But, it may not be those who you think :)
A side note: Patterson's tactics are sick and sad.
Tony, thanks for your honesty, but I am afraid you just explained how Jesus engaged in double-speak. Did I misunderstand you?
I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "doublespeak," David, but I think Jesus had a gift for speaking in ways that communicated best to the people with whom he was conversing.
The Patterson rant is so typical of this ego-driven, power-hungry, take-no-prisoners, insecure and genuinely phony little man.
I have spoken with Baptists who believe that a hell without eternal fire is pointless. I believe nothing imaginable (evening being on fire eternally) would be as awful as being completed and permanently separated from God.
No doubt we are at war with evil forces. But lost people are not our enemy - Satan is. God has already beaten him. Now the "fields are white unto harvest". Maybe better symbolism would be farmers or harvesters. Paul called us ambassadors. There are probably countless images that would serve our purposes better.
I can't help but feel compassion for those who use the facade of war and violence as a vehicle for the message of Christ. I'm sure Dr. Patterson means well, but how can we be warriors in the name of the Prince of Peace? How can we think of the gospel in terms of an offensive strategy, rather than a source of healing to a broken world - a world devastated by war and violence? I look at this and I see confusion.
Every time I say that I'm embarrassed to be a graduate of SWBTS, something worse happens. Now, I'm really beginning to think the sanity of Dr. Patterson may be a topic for discussion.
Friends, you will be happy to know that four teams went into the community around SWBTS to do door-to-door evangelism.
By 5:00 p.m. today, six persons had given themselves to Christ.My team saw a 15 year old young man and a 40 year old woman turn to the Lord. Personally, I was stunned at how ready and eager they were. Something positive is happening out there that I do not yet understand.
Please pray for these new brothers and sisters that they will follow Christ in baptism, church membership, and sanctification.
David Mills,
I am excited to hear about how God is using your evangelism efforts.
I hope that it is obvious that it is the good news of Jesus Christ and not the military promotional tactics that God is using.
Tony,
Mr. Patterson's showmanship is as foreign to the gospel as is your ridiculous contention that Jesus didn't really believe in hell.
That notwithstanding, so far as militaristic symbolism, the Bible is full of it. But, then again, if Bible precedent held any sway in forming your religious opinions, you wouldn't be what you are.
Mark Osgatharp
Wynne, Arkansas
Admittedly, both images are a bit disturbing given the current climate.
But I'm a lot more disturbed by a prominent Baptist divinity school professor who doesn't believe in a literal Hell than I am a prominent Baptist seminary president who creatively (albeit over the top) motivates his students to share the Gospel with the school's neighbors. A minority Baptist opinion indeed.
For the record, the latter--not the former--demonstrates genuine compassion to needy neighbors.
Tim,
You are exactly right--the gospel did the work.
To be honest, I am not sure our community would care one way or the other about our use of militaristic materials. We are in Texas after all. Military imagery is very popular here, as in much of the USA. People get metaphor, too.
I will say that the campus is still buzzing about Dr. Patterson's chapel presentation. I have seen a significant increase in the number of students doing evangelism.
To all, I would suggest you view Tony's link to the chapel service where Dr Patterson announced the effort. Tony had some fair things to say about it, but there is much more than what can be reasonably discussed in a blog. I believe will move you to think more about lost people and evangelism.
BTW, I forgot to mention--the Taking the Hill imagery is the internal/on-campus campaign element; the external campaign consists of NAMB'S "Find it Here" material that we use in the community.
"People get metaphor," the commenter says.
I wonder.
How many people get how many metaphors? How many metaphors go by un-got?
What happens to a metaphor when nobody gets it?
Jesus occasionally had similar problems with un-got metaphors. Many never got 'em. Others He had to explain so they'd get got by those He wanted to get. Got it?
Apparently, for Paige Patterson's metaphor, you really had to be there. Sounds like those who were really got it.
I got it (or I get it). I am still trying to figure out what you all are saying.
I got it (or get it).
Billy Graham said, "There is much we don't know about hell ..." With this is mind perhaps we should avoid dogmatism concerning the exact nature of hell.
Graham went on to say, "[W]e know all we need to know [about hell]. And the most important thing we know about hell is that we don't have to go there! Yes, we have sinned, and we deserve only God's judgment. But God loves us, and Christ came to deliver us from hell and welcome us into heaven forever."
I am glad to hear about the efforts to evangelize Seminary Hill. But Patterson's tactics in announcing the mission were over the top.
Worries about dogmatism aside, Jesus was certain about the nature of hell. He spoke of eschatological realities in both spiritual and material terms (John 5:28-29, see Matt 10:28 especially--do not fear those who can kill the body only, but fear Him who can kill both body and soul in hell).
Besides, creation, incarnation, and resurrection were both spiritual and material. What is there to keep the future world from being both? God seems to favor both spiritual and material; He apparently does not endorse radical dichotomies.
About Dr P begin "over the top"--excuse my impertinence, but with about 1 lost adult dying every second and entering hell, no one is really over the top in evangelism. Some are just not as lazy and indifferent about evangelism as others.
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