Amazing. Southern Baptists have a four-year decline in baptisms, and what’s their response? A 20,000 mile bus tour by the denominational president and a year-long “Everyone Can” Kingdom Challenge for Evangelism with a stated goal of witnessing to, winning, and baptizing 1 million people.

I’m stunned how out of touch with reality this is. Stunned. They still think it’s about the national organization. They still think it’s about programs. They still think it’s about initiatives. They still think it’s about “winning” people, about conquering or colonizing or arguing them into the kingdom of God.

It’s not.

It’s about people, it’s about relationships, it’s about living life in community, it’s about being centered on what God is doing in the kingdom, not what a professional religionist is doing on his bus tour.

Jesus never used the language of conquest except when he was talking about the religious leaders and Jesus tearing down the temple (and rebuilding it 3 days later). He talked about drawing people to himself and into a kingdom life, not conquering them as if they’re the enemy.

Unbelievable.