An untold number of Americans continue processing what boldly taking the gospel to our culture and the public square looks like — and how each of us might make a difference within our little slice of the world.
The Sept. 10 assassination of cultural activist Charlie Kirk, who was gaining notoriety for his personal style of blending faith and politics, sent shockwaves and emotional responses across the nation — no matter how individuals might have felt about him.
Those who followed him mourned and vowed to step into the gap; those who didn’t are attempting to learn more about him and understand the full picture of how he chose to engage the society at large.
What may or may not happen is yet to be known, but the conversations taking place provide an opportunity for all believers to dive deeper into their relationship with Jesus — listening to Him alone and looking for ways to model His light.
It’s important to prevent hate from consuming the situation, and Christians are the only ones truly equipped to take on the challenge.
About a week after Kirk’s murder, the suspected shooter was charged with seven counts including aggravated murder and witness tampering. Utah prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Taking place the same day (Sept. 16) of 22-year-old Tyler Robinson’s first of many court appearances was a much lighter event — but one also related to engaging culture.
The Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission named an interim president to provide leadership while the presidential search committee does its work.
ERLC board members and staff aren’t new to the idea of engaging culture and the public square with the gospel, but recent years have proven Southern Baptists can’t quite agree on what that actually looks like.
‘Walking a tightrope’
Illinois Baptist editor Eric Reed shared in a recent article the question: Can anyone speak for Southern Baptists without making them mad?
“Learning how to speak for people with strong views on some issues, such as religious freedom and pro-life while holding a broader range of opinions on others will mean walking a tightrope,” Reed wrote.
More than 4-in-10 messengers voted twice at the most recent SBC annual meetings to pull the plug on ERLC, he added, and the social media discussion continues among leaders who advocated against it.
But ERLC board of trustees chair Scott Foshie is optimistic for a new chapter, according to Reed.
Foshie said the trustees are listening, as will the search committee. The best conduit for church members’ input is to talk with their state’s ERLC trustees. “We will be continuing to listen to God and relying on feedback we receive to show us what God wants in the next season for the ERLC.”
To read about interim president Gary Hollingsworth, visit tbponline.org/Hollingsworth. To apply for the position, visit erlc.com/employment.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Jennifer Davis Rash, president and editor-in-chief of TAB Media Group. This editorial will appear in the September 25 edition of The Baptist Paper. Click here to subscribe.
