VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS – 7/17/09)—“You have a choice,” Dr. David Coffey, president of the Baptist World Alliance, told the American Baptist Biennial on Sunday morning, June 28. “You can do it Jesus’ way, or choose to do it your way.”
Preaching on Philippians 2:1-11, he noted that the Sinatra mantra, “My Way”, is the most asked for song at funerals in Britain, and was played by Slobodan Milosevich in his prison cell as he was being tried for crimes against humanity and genocide for his role during the wars in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo.
“If we are to be transformed into the likeness of Christ, especially in mission, privileges will have to be forfeited,” he noted. To serve as the hands and feet of Christ, you must “loosen your grip on power and privilege, and stop grasping at positions.”
Though Coffey has traveled the world representing the Baptist World Alliance, and has served as General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and as moderator of the Free Churches Group which has given him a seat beside the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, he contends that his highest calling has been to serve as a Baptist pastor.
“We have a tendency to look to our own interests,” he told those present. “The genius of Christianity is not great programs, but a great Savior.”
“Go back to where you’re going, and keep on keeping on. If you have to crawl for Jesus…keep moving!”
Coffey ended by asking participants to stand together in affirmation of their commitment to serve, and to sing “O Jesus, I Have Promised”.
Coffey’s sermon ended a worship service that included music from The West Virginians, of Alderson-Broaddus College, Rainbow Acres’ Ranchers Choir, The Anointed Spirit, Thomas Miller, and the Los Angeles Combined Choir.
Rev. Marie Onwubuariri, pastor of McArthur Community Baptist Church in San Pablo, CA, spoke about her call to a small church that had gone through many pastors. “They just want to be loved” she noted upon accepting the call. Three years later the church has grown and is busy serving its community.
Jesus took the disciples he had, as imperfect as they were, and “poured all he could into them,” she noted. “Let’s stop beating up on each other.” Onwubuariri spoke as an “emerging voice,” one of the many young clergy in the denomination.
“If we aim to be the hands and feet of Christ,” she concluded, “we have to live out the story of Jesus.”
Robert and Margene Phares are doing just that. Active members of their church, First Baptist, and their community, North Platte, NE, they were honored at the Sunday morning worship service with the prestigious Cora and John Sparrowk President’s Award, presented by ABCUSA president Rev. Mary Armagost Hulst.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with 5,500 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.