LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Southern Baptists need to “learn the table manners of denominational life” when discussing the controversial issue of Calvinism, R. Albert Mohler Jr. said during a Nov. 7 on-stage dialogue with Mississippi pastor Eric Hankins at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mohler, president of Southern, and Hankins, pastor of First Baptist Church in Oxford, Miss., co-chaired a 19-member Calvinism Advisory Committee that issued a unanimous report in May to Executive Committee President Frank Page, who assembled the group, acknowledging tension and disagreement within the Southern Baptist Convention. The report urged Southern Baptists to “grant one another liberty” on Calvinism while joining arms for the Great Commission.

In recent years, a debate about Calvinism, a term associated with the doctrine of salvation taught by 16th-century theologian John Calvin and the Synod of Dort that later systematized his teachings, has generated controversy within the SBC, with each side of the debate convening conferences, publishing books and issuing theological statements. Mohler holds to Calvinistic soteriology. Hankins was the primary author of “A Statement of Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation,” issued in 2012 as a retort to Calvinism in SBC ranks.

Mohler invited Hankins to hold the discussion before students and faculty in order to model how Southern Baptists who differ on the often-contentious issue can dialogue with each other while remaining committed to working together. Hankins also preached in Southern Seminary chapel earlier in the day.

Throughout the hour-long conversation, both men affirmed the need for Southern Baptists on both sides of the debate to exercise humility and show grace to those with whom they disagree.

“We have to learn the table manners of denominational life,” Mohler said. “There is a certain etiquette and kindness that is required, just like in the family reunion.”

The Southern Baptist family is made up of both Calvinists and those who are not, Mohler said.

“The decision to be a Southern Baptist is the decision to work with the people” on both sides of the debate, Mohler said. “We should not be surprised by differences of understanding of the issues that are comfortably within the Baptist Faith and Message,” he added, citing the SBC’s confession of faith, most recently revised in 2000.

Hankins said, “There’s been too much ugliness,” noting a friend warned him before issuing the “traditionalist” statement that “Calvinists will maul you. … And he was right.”

“That goes both ways,” Mohler responded, to which Hankins replied, “I absolutely acknowledge that.”

“But enough of that will begin to create the impression that I want to rid the convention of Calvinists,” Hankins noted. “That is absolutely false. I think that would be a terrible thing to do. That was never my intent or [that of] anybody that I have thought this through with.”

Both men agreed that terminology and labels are significant hurdles to better understanding on both sides of the debate.

Hankins flatly rejected the term “Arminian” to describe his theology due to Arminianism’s rejection of eternal security of the believer, among other reasons.

Arminianism is named for late 16th century Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius, who rejected some tenets of John Calvin’s theology of salvation. His followers, known as the “Remonstrants,” issued their views in 1610, to which followers of Calvin responded in the Synod of Dort in 1619. Both Calvinists and Arminians express their convictions with five points addressing various aspects of salvation.

Hankins also said “non-Calvinist” is not a good term—one he “hates”—while conceding, “We do not have good terms.”

Hankins said he used “traditionalist” to attempt to describe his views in contrast to Calvinism, although he acknowledged the term is offensive to some Calvinists who maintain that Calvinistic soteriology also has a long tradition in the SBC.

“I wasn’t trying to insult anyone. I was just trying to come up with a name. … I hope to figure out some way to talk about what the distinctions are, but I don’t have a good answer to that question,” he said.

Mohler said, “I am troubled at times and challenged perpetually about what language to use,” noting the term “Reformed” carries its own misunderstandings.

Hankins said most Southern Baptists who hold to less than four points of classical Calvinism do not consider themselves Calvinists. Mohler noted, however, that Southern Seminary’s confession of faith, the Abstract of Principles, only requires adherence to three points of Calvinism: total depravity, unconditional election and perseverance of the saints. The other two points of Calvinism are limited (or particular) atonement and irresistible (or effectual) grace.

“So it is a very interesting thing in that I think most people would look at the Abstract of Principles and say it was Calvinist, and I think that would be right,” Mohler said, adding that “from the very beginning” of the seminary, there were faculty “who were more or less Calvinist on some of these very questions.”

Hankins said a “real problem” is Calvinists who consider his soteriological views to be “deficient.” That attitude “propelled me to say something,” responding to what he considered to be a new “tone” among Calvinists.

Mohler responded, “Well, I do think your soteriology is deficient,” while adding that in truth Hankins would say the same about his soteriology.

He said “theological humility” requires both sides to acknowledge “we’re doing the very best we can” and that both sides are still capable of cooperating in the Great Commission and other ministries, as long as they can both affirm the Baptist Faith and Message.

Mohler and Hankins agreed that the BF&M in its current form is sufficient for both sides of the debate.

“I need to say publicly in this conversation with you —I do not want our Baptist Faith and Message to be any narrower than it is now,” Mohler said. Hankins responded, “I sense zero interest in having the Baptist Faith and Message be this battleground and we’re going to fix it there.”

Mohler asked Hankins to outline areas of Calvinist “misbehavior.”

Hankins said Calvinists should not dismiss those who disagree with them as “stupid.” Some young, aggressive Calvinists make older pastors who reject Calvinism “feel inadequate.”

Hankins noted, “Those who hold to non-Calvinism can do so with a robust seriousness about the sovereignty of God, a robust seriousness [about] the absolute ruination of sin over humankind, and the singularity of the gospel in bringing about salvation and the absolute necessity of the prior working of the Holy Spirit to bring about salvation.”

Another problem are Calvinists who fail to disclose their convictions when under consideration by pulpit committees, Hankins said.

“The lack of understanding is on both ends. Sometimes when the word ‘Calvinist’ is heard by laypeople, that can mean almost anything,” Hankins added. “We’re probably still a distance from dialing in how a prospective pastor and a congregation can have that conversation together without it being, ‘Are you a Calvinist?’… and if you check ‘yes’ they’re going to wad it up and throw it in the trash—which does not need to happen.”

Mohler responded that it’s good that young believers are interested in these issues. “I don’t think you can be too excited about theology or the truths of God’s Word,” he said. “You can just be too excited about your system.”

Mohler added, “If there’s a young, Reformed guy who’s more interested in traveling across the state to argue about John Calvin when he’s not talking to his next-door neighbor about the gospel, then there’s a huge problem.”

Hankins suggested a “rule” for both sides of the debate: “You only get seven days to talk about [Calvinism] and for another seven days you have to actually share the gospel.” The truth is, he added, all Southern Baptists are failing to share the gospel.

Hankins said his hope for the future of the SBC is based on cooperation to carry out the Great Commission.

“The concept of cooperating together to do the work of missions and evangelism is beautiful and it’s brilliant,” he said, adding that seminarians need to be engaged in the denomination. “This seminary exists because of that cooperative movement.”

Hankins addressed the audience, speaking a word of advice and caution to Calvinists from the perspective of someone whose soteriology differs.

“Before you lay into somebody, sit down. Have a cup of coffee. Listen to somebody and where they’re coming from and how did they get where they are,” Hankins said. “Earn the right to be heard and to engage, and you’ll find that you agree about more things than you think you do. …But you’re recognizing that [the things you disagree about] aren’t going to be reasons not to do the gospel together.”

Mohler said in a “post-Christian culture” all Southern Baptists “need each other because we’re going to be up against unbelievable ethical, moral, leadership, discipleship challenges. … I feel right now we desperately need one another and we need the resources we all bring to this.”

He added, “What we need to think about is what it means to have healthy gospel churches in a hostile culture ready to be faithful to Christ.”

In his chapel sermon, Hankins preached about “A Great Commission Hermeneutic” from Luke 24:44-49, asserting the need for “Christ-centered preaching.”

Audio and video from the discussion with Mohler and Hankins’ sermon are available at sbts.edu/resources.

—Texan reporter Rob Collingsworth contributed additional content to this article.

AMARILLO—Stan Coffey, longtime Amarillo pastor who served as the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s founding president, died Dec. 26 after an extended illness. He was 68.

Coffey served Southern Baptist churches in Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas for 40-plus years. He was pastor of The Church at Quail Creek in Amarillo (formerly San Jacinto Baptist Church) for nearly 35 years, from 1975-79 and from 1984 until his death.

Coffey, who played a significant role in the founding of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, gave considerable support to the fledgling convention as pastor of the large Church at Quail Creek.

After the convention was formed he was tapped as its first president, serving from 1998-2000.

“Prior to the existence of the SBTC, Stan Coffey pastored the largest church in the reformation group pushing for the formation of a new convention,” SBTC Executive Director Jim Richards told the Southern Baptist TEXAN. “Being a man of conviction, Stan was willing to put his reputation on the line for the cause of biblical inerrancy and cooperative work among Baptists. He paid a high price for his efforts with challenges to his health and ministry. Through it all he remained faithful to win people to Jesus.

In comments to the Amarillo Globe-News, Richards said Coffey’s “contributions were immeasurable” to the state convention. “What he did in the early stages of the SBTC will be told for all eternity.” Coffey helped Southern Baptist causes “until his final days,” Richards said.

“Earth’s loss is heaven’s gain,” Richards told the TEXAN. “Pray for the family and church during this time of sorrow.”

Coffey was a recipient of the SBTC’s W.A. Criswell Award for Pastoral Evangelism and the H. Paul Pressler Distinguished Service Award for his work during the SBC’s Conservative Resurgence and his key role in the founding of the SBTC.

Coffey also served Southern Baptists in a variety of other positions; he was a trustee of the North American Mission Board, a member of the SBC Executive Committee; and president and vice president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference.

Known as a passionate evangelist, Coffey’s church was consistently recognized for its high number of baptisms—nearly 10,000 during his 35-year tenure.

Gene Jeter, a deacon and 40-year member of the Church at Quail Creek, told the Globe-News, “What I loved about Stan is that he always preached the gospel of Christ.” Coffey “always gave everyone an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Thousands of people have accepted Jesus Christ through his preaching over the course of his career.”

In recent years, Coffey spoke out as a prominent voice for biblical values. During the recent debates over same-sex marriage, he consistently pointed to Scripture as the definer of marriage. His convictions politically were rooted in his longstanding commitment to biblical inerrancy.

Last summer, Coffey became a public advocate for what he regarded as compassionate immigration reform, including involvement in a coalition of evangelicals who launched an ad campaign urging Republican House members to support immigration reform that included a path to citizenship.

Coffey was the author of several books, including “Building the Greatest Churches Since Pentecost”; “Comfort, Peace and Hope: Help for Hurting Hearts in the Time of Grief” and “The Return,” according to business profile site ZoomInfo cited by the Globe-News.

The Return, Coffey’s last book, focused on biblical prophecy. The funeral home obituary noted that Coffey had conducted conferences on prophecy across the nation, with engagements booked well into 2015.

Coffey’s other pastorates included First Baptist Church in Albuquerque, N.M.; three Texas churches, County Line Baptist in Morton, Hurlwood Baptist in Lubbock; and First Baptist in Josephine; and Trinity Baptist Church in Texarkana, Ark.

Raised in Sweetwater, Okla., Coffey was saved at age 6 and took his first pastorate at age 20. He earned degrees from Wayland Baptist University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and California Graduate School of Theology.

Coffey is survived by his wife Glenda, a son, Scott Coffey of North Carolina; a daughter, Natalie Coffey Archer of Amarillo; and nine grandchildren.

Former Amarillo Mayor Trent Sisemore who formerly served on staff with Coffey at The Church at Quail Creek, told the Globe-News, “Stan was my pastor, mentor and friend. For 26 years, I had the honor and privilege of serving as his music minister. He was a humble, meek, godly man, but was an eloquent spiritual giant in the pulpit. He was one of the great leaders of the SBC.”

The funeral was Dec. 30 at The Church at Quail Creek. Burial was at Buffalo Cemetery in Erick, Okla.

Bowie County, Texas and Montreal, Canada, have almost nothing in common. Bowie County is a rural area with fewer than 100,000 residents in the entire country and Montreal boasts 3.5 million inhabitants.  Bowie County is in the heart of the Bible Belt and Montreal is considered one of the great lost cities in North America with less than 1 percent of the population calling themselves evangelicals.

While they differ in size and scope, Bowie County and Montreal are connecting through two small churches that feel the call to reach the people of Montreal with the gospel as part of SEND Montreal.

Pastor Brian Leverett of Malta Baptist Church, DeKalb, began to feel a call to SEND Montreal during an SBTC New Pastors’ Banquet last February.   

Leverett and his wife headed to Montreal and caught a vision of the work of SEND Montreal. “Following the vision trip in May, we shared with Malta Baptist Church what we learned and experienced. Within a couple of months we voted to support Le Contact, a church pastored by Joel St-Cyr.”

Already, Malta is seeing fruit from its partnership with Le Contact Church. Recently, Leverett received an exciting report from Pastor St-Cyr. “Yesterday we had a wonderful morning with 193 people showing up at our two services. After the sermon, nine persons gave their life to Christ and were saved!” said St.-Cyr.

“For the past weeks, we sent invitations to the new comers from the past months to a lunch after church and 40 people showed up, most of them non-Christian. The pastors and I were able to have lunch with them, and I did a presentation of our church and our vision to transform our city for Christ. The atmosphere was indescribable!

“We are starting to see more and more new Christians, not only giving their lives to Christ but already starting to invite their friends to Church. To me, this is just awesome!”

Currently, Malta sends $100 a month to support Le Contact, as well as prayer support, but Leverett hopes to see that involvement expand in the future.  “As of right now, I am working with Jim Turnbo of the Bowie Baptist Association in putting together a vision trip through our association,” said Leverett. “We would also like to take a trip during the summer of 2014. I am hoping to get several members from Malta to go.”

Mark Ritchey, pastor of FBC Maud, is one of those pastors planning to go on the SEND Montreal Vision Trip. He first heard about SEND Montreal at the SEND Conference in August. “We were praying and looking for a mission project,” said Ritchey. “I asked which city is the most unreached and it was Montreal.”

This February, Ritchey is planning to be part of a four-person team visiting Montreal and seeing how his church can be involved. “We are going to widen our vision,” said Ritchey. “I have a sense that we need to be doing something else.”

FBC Maud is a church of about 170 people, but Ritchey says his congregation is becoming enthusiastic about the possibilities of reaching outside their usual area of ministry. “They are excited to go and be a part. God has given us a vision to go plant churches and that’s really going to build long-term. We have to evangelize outside of Bowie County.”

The next nine months will be crucial as FBC Maud, gets involved in SEND Montreal, according to Ritchey. In addition to the vision trip, he is also hoping to send at least one mission team from FBC Maud, to Montreal. “We have caught the vision in evangelism and grabbed a hold of it.”

“As we get more involved with seeing and doing ministry in locations like Montreal, our church will also be gaining experience and wisdom for ministering to our neighborhoods and communities around us at home.”

Both Ritchey and Leverett encourage other churches like theirs to get involved in projects like SEND Montreal. “Don’t have the mindset that this is for someone else,” said Leverett. “Get involved. Pray. Give. Seek God’s will and direction for how you can get personally involved with going on mission trips. We’re a church of less than 100 active members. If God can use us to impact Montreal, he can use you too!”

For many Texans, the church-on-every-corner sort of town is more than a stereotype—it’s a commonplace reality. The thought of a town where one church exists for every 105,000 people could seem far fetched.

Yet that is the reality about 2,000 miles north in Montreal, Canada. Only 0.7 percent of those living in Montreal are considered evangelical. In the province of Quebec, that percent drops even lower to 0.5 percent.

Chad Vandiver, coordinator for SEND Montreal, has been working in Quebec for the past eight months to help organize church planting and mission work among the indigenous Quebecois people and the ethnic people who have moved there from all over the world. He says the people are not so much hardened to the gospel as they are ignorant of Christ and his salvation.

“As I walked the streets in Montreal, I realized that they didn’t know who the savior was. It was not that they were anti-Christian, they just didn’t know about the savior.”

—Chad Vandiver, coordinator for SEND Montreal

“As I walked the streets in Montreal, I realized that they didn’t know who the savior was,” Vandiver said. “It was not that they were anti-Christian, they just didn’t know about the savior.”

It is within this environment that Vandiver and his fellow workers set out to plant 50 churches in a five-year period, which, he said, they are set to accomplish by the end of this year. The work is far from finished, though, and really only beginning in the effort to reach the 3.5 million people living in the Montreal area. And that, Vandiver says, is where he seeks the help of Texans and Texas churches.

“We ask churches to dream with us,” Vandiver said. “We need all sorts of ideas. It’s a blank slate. There’re so many opportunities to minister there. Our response to a church is, ‘Yes.’”

Vandiver said there are four levels of partnership for churches to consider when looking for ways to join the evangelism effort in Montreal: supporting church, sending church, multiplying church and lead-partner church.

A supporting church is considered a basic level of engagement, meaning that the church commits to pray, participate and help provide for various needs.

A sending church is responsible for a new church plant until the plant is self-sustaining. At this level, a church will work alongside NAMB to send a planting pastor, send funds and possibly even send a core group. One innovative piece of this level is the opportunity for lay people to sign up to become a core member. A core member, while not being called to full-time ministry, can become an integral part of the evangelistic effort by moving to Montreal to continue in his own vocation and be a part of the new church plant. Vandiver says relationships have even been made in some instances where business owners from various industries have told him that if a person comes as a core member, he may be able to arrange a job for them beforehand.

A multiplying church, Vandiver said, is a church committed to having an intentional process for discovering, developing and deploying missionaries from within their church. NAMB offers a church training event for churches that desire to become multiplying churches and offers more information on the process at namb.net/SendNetwork.

A lead-partner church, he said, helps lead the SEND Montreal mission strategy in five ways.

1) They commit to partner with a church plant for a minimum of five years.
2) They commit to give a minimum of $30,000 each year for five years to a SEND Montreal church plant.
3) They commit to mobilize five other Southern Baptist churches to give $5,000 a year for five years.
4) They work with Vandiver to host at least one Catch the Vision tour each year.
5) They commit to become a multiplying church that intentionally raises up missionaries to serve in North America and throughout the world.
Vandiver invites Southern Baptists to join them on one of the five upcoming vision tours in 2014 that will introduce them to Montreal and allow them to see the opportunities available to serve and support the ministry God has begun there.

Five vision tours are set for 2014:

• March 10-12
• April 14-16
• May 12-14
• Sept. 8-10
• Oct. 27-29

Ten variously sized Southern Baptist churches from Texas currently partner with SEND Montreal, Vandiver said, explaining that there is a need and a way for even small churches to become involved. He said one of the partnering churches gives $100 a month—an amount that might not seem large but that makes an incredible impact in Montreal.

“Even $100 a month is a huge, huge support for us,” Vandiver said.

Vandiver said he simply asks that churches pray for those serving in Montreal, pray for the hearts of the people in Montreal and pray about whether God might have for their church or for them personally to get further involved in reaching Montreal.

“God is starting to open the eyes of Southern Baptists to Quebec,” Vandiver said. “It’s cool to be a part of that, because for 20-25 years, pastors in the area have prayed that that would happen.”

To find out more about how to support SEND Montreal, visit sbtexas.com/mobilization.