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Stephen: In 1812, Adoniram Judson sailed for India as a Congregationalist minister, intending to baptize infants in the church he intended to plant. But only a short while after arriving, Judson became convinced that baptism was for believers only. It was a decision that he knew would cost him the precious fellowship of his missionary team, possibly the support of his sending church. Though it may seem like an extreme result over a secondary issue, Judson knew how necessary it was for pioneer mission to be united in doctrine. A few episodes ago, Chad explained why theology matters on the mission field. This week, we're getting a little more specific and practical. Our question comes from Luke, who asks, "How do we handle the question of infant baptism versus believers' baptism in the context of planting elephant churches?"
Chad: It's a really fun question to receive that I'm actually happy to get because Brooks and I are really on different sides of this doctrine. Though I do retain good hope for Brooks. In all seriousness though, it is important that we understand that our doctrine of the church matters. How we see church government and sacraments is really an important question to the task of church planting. The fact is that when we plant a church, we will teach an overarching understanding of the Bible. We will teach about God's covenants and God's people. We will teach about who is included in God's people, at least as far as the visible church is concerned. And we will teach about who we're to baptize and who we're to commune. We'll also teach about how we're commanded to live together as a church. What is the way we will organize and govern our lives together? Is that biblically prescribed or is it just a matter of convenience? And what is prescribed? And what's just a wisdom call?
Now, these aren't the most important questions, though. Our commitment to what we might call the catholic credal doctrines, those universal doctrines that the Christian church holds—the Trinity; Jesus as God and man; the facts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; the coming of the Holy Spirit; the return of Christ; the existence of Christ's church—these are the most important doctrines. And as evangelical Protestants, we know that our supreme authority is the Scriptures alone. And that the evangel, or the gospel of justification by grace alone through faith alone to the glory of God alone, that's all of very high importance. That's why Brooks and I can work together in our endeavors at Radius and Missionary. That's why I can praise the Lord for the work of saving the Yembiyembi even though they're a Baptist church.
With that said, these questions of how we organize and govern the church are all questions that we will wrestle with. And any church planting team that is going after an unreached language group will wrestle with these questions. In fact, it is actually our great hope that they get to the stage in the church plant where they're answering these questions because that means that people have come to know Christ.
So, what does that mean for the composition of your missionary church planting team? Well, we would recommend that your church planting team share a common commitment to the church's doctrine and practice. That is the ideal. William Carey in his Enquiry into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means to Reach the Heathens said this: "I wish with all my heart that everyone who loves our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity would in some way or another engage in it. But in the present divided state of Christendom, it would be more likely for good to be done by each denomination engaging separately in the work than if they were to embark in it conjointly. There is room enough for us all without interfering with each other. And if no unfriendly interference took place, each denomination would bear goodwill to the other and wish and pray for its success, considering it upon the whole friendly to the great cause of true religion. But if all were intermingled, it is likely their private discords might throw a damp upon their spirits and much retard their public usefulness."
So you simply can't have a team that is both Baptist and Presbyterian by conviction. Someone's doctrine and practice will prevail, and those differences could lead to team conflict. Thus ideally you partner with a team that's on the same page.
Now it's also true, however, that the ideal is not always an option. For example, it is difficult if you're a confessional Presbyterian to find an entire team to do this work among the unreached languages with. That's why Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary started a partnership with Radius International: because Baptists were highly engaged already and they wanted the Presbyterians to be highly engaged. That's why we're starting the Paton Society that's being formed for Presbyterians to do this work because evangelicals and Baptists are already doing it quite well. The Presbyterians used to, but in the present day they've kind of given up the ground on this, and we're calling them back to it. We want to see and assist more Presbyterians in this endeavor along with our evangelical and Baptist brothers.
But the reality as it is now is what it is. Thus, you may wrestle with questions like, "Does your conscience permit you to serve on a team where the practice is not shared by you?" In other words, what if your only option is a Baptist team and you're a Presbyterian? Does your conscience permit you to serve on a team where they will not practice the baptism of the children of believers? Perhaps your conscience permits that, perhaps not. Further, will your own elders permit you to serve on a team where the doctrine of practice varies from your home church? Perhaps your elders will. Perhaps not. These are questions that you have to face and wrestle with alongside of your own elders. We at Missionary really can't tell you how to answer them, but answer them you must. So ask the Lord for wisdom. Get together with your elders and seek that wisdom with Him. Ask where you're allowed to make compromises and where you're not. Think that through.
Well, at the end of the day, we all agree that it is better that an unreached language group is Christian, whether Baptist or Presbyterian or Evangelical Free or whatever, than that they do not know the Lord at all. The question is what does our conscience and what do the consciences of our elders and really the convictions of our own church allow us to participate with in with regard to that end. I hope that's helpful.
Stephen: To find out more about sound doctrine and missions, visit our website at missionary.com. There you'll find articles, podcasts, films, and more that are dedicated to encouraging the church in biblical missiology. If you have a question you would like to hear answered on Ask Missionary, drop a comment on this episode, get in touch with us on social media, or send us an email through missionary.com, and your question may be featured on this show. And don't forget to subscribe to the show to get notified when the next episode airs next week. We'll be tackling a question that many of us have faced. How do we explain mission work to non-believers who see it through the lens of historical abuses and cultural imperialism? See you next week.