the occasional blogger

I have enjoyed being part of the discussion over at Pastor Tom Messer's blog on the future of the Baptist Movement. Having grown up and been trained in that movement I know this is a discussion that is both vital and timely. This week Pastor Messer released a third post (if you haven't read 1 and 2 you should) called A New Generation. I am part of that new generation and felt I wanted to send a message to those that have gone before. I am utterly in awe of God's goodness in allowing me to be born and raised in the context I was. I am also in awe of where God has me serving now. Below is what I wrote on the blog and I believe to be the position shared by many of those in my generation as well. 

I will be one of the first to say a huge thank you to the generations of Baptists before me. I was raised in a church and Pastor's home that gave me good doctrine, taught a strong work ethic and a passion for serving Jesus. For this I am eternally grateful. I was raised and trained in ministries with strong theological positions and certain methodological preferences. 

I have not been in ministry long but I can say I have observed a marked divergence between this generation and the last in certain areas of ministry. You might ask… "does this generation of ministers not live for Jesus, adhere to strong doctrine, or treasure and share the gospel?" Thankfully that is not what the generational divergence is. I speak for many in my generation when I say that we deeply love Jesus and are committed to seeing the gospel preached and Christ formed in people. 

Today I believe the great generational divide revolves around style and methodology. We all would agree heartily on the same doctrinal and Biblical distinctives but come to different stylistic and methodological conclusions. This is not a bad thing, though some would claim it is. We are ministering in a very distinct context and will face challenges that are very different from those that the last generation faced. I am not different from them just to be different. I am different because the context of my ministry is different. 

My message to the generation before me is this: We need you, we need your support and your encouragement. Please lend us your knowledge and wisdom of years in areas of strong doctrine, theology, and gospel centeredness. Guide us to walk with God,  build strong families and see Christ formed in people.  Please encourage us to reach people with effective methodologies and contextualized approaches though our style may be different than yours. Let us try, fail, succeed and be what God wants us to be for the glory of God and the sake of the gospel. 

Blessings 

Gabriel Spence