JACKSON, Tenn. — Oct. 12, 2009 — Southern Baptists can look forward to a hopeful future if the denomination remains faithful to the Bible as well as open to change, seminary president Danny Akin said at 51社区 Oct. 8.
Akin, president of Southeastern Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., spoke as part of the 鈥淪outhern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism鈥� conference Oct. 6-9.
Akin noted four big changes in the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention over the past months, as well as the declining nature of many Southern Baptist churches.
鈥淚t would not be difficult for one to be less than optimistic about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention,鈥� Akin said. 鈥淭he fact is, I鈥檓 not optimistic, but I鈥檓 hopeful. And I鈥檓 hopeful not because of my confidence in Southern Baptists 鈥� sinners saved by grace though we are 鈥� but because of my confidence in our God, his word and his promises.鈥�
Akin offered eight reasons he believes Southern Baptists have a 鈥渉opeful future.鈥� First, and most importantly, he said, the SBC must 鈥渞eturn to our first love and surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ.鈥�
鈥淚t must set and establish the foundation for any future agenda for Southern Baptists,鈥� Akin said. 鈥淵et it has been passed over and quickly dismissed with the wave of a hand and words like, 鈥榃e all believe that.鈥� However, the question is not 鈥楧o we believe it?鈥� but the question is, 鈥楧o we live it?鈥欌�� If we fail here, we fail everywhere.鈥�
Akin explained that, as a denomination, the SBC needs to unite around its statement of faith, the 鈥淏aptist Faith & Message 2000.鈥� Before this, however, he said the denomination also must commit itself to a ministry based on the inerrant word of God.
鈥淭o deny inerrancy is to say Jesus was wrong, or that he willfully deceived,鈥� Akin said. 鈥淭hat is both heresy and blasphemy, and it is spiritually suicidal.鈥�
Akin acknowledged certain 鈥渆ssential, non-negotiable鈥� beliefs of the SBC, but he discussed the importance of diversity within the denomination.
鈥淪ome things are worth fighting over and dying over,鈥� Akin said. 鈥淪ome things are not. Some things are worth dividing over; some things are not.鈥�
Southern Baptists have a history of racism, Akin said, and the denomination remains mainly white and Southern. Akin encouraged Southern Baptists to have 鈥渁 new vision鈥� for planting churches in demographically diverse areas. He cited locations such as New York City, where there are far fewer SBC churches per capita than in the South.
Akin鈥檚 final point centered on cooperation and remaining gospel-centered as a denomination.
鈥淲hat will unite Southern Baptists in the future?鈥� Akin asked. 鈥淚t will not be style, methodology and liturgy鈥� How we do things will be expansive and diverse, and that鈥檚 OK. The key鈥� will be that what we do is filtered through the purifying waters of Scripture so that we honor Jesus and glorify the Father in all that we do.鈥�
Audio from Akin鈥檚 address and other conference speakers is available at .