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Southern Baptists signaled their intention to broaden ethnic involvement, passing a set of proactive recommendations last year at the annual meeting in Phoenix. In his new role as presidential ambassador for ethnic church relations, Ken Weathersby has begun the task of helping implement those recommendations by simply listening.
“The main goal is to make sure we focus on the task at hand, that is to penetrate lostness in North America and the world,” Weathersby told the TEXAN. “The way I have approached that, first of all, is by listening to the direction of where we’re going in convention life and how we want to be inclusive in anything we’re doing.”
Weathersby most recently served as associate vice president for ethnic mobilization at NAMB. He has previously served in leadership positions in NAMB’s church planting and evangelism areas as well. He has also served in an evangelism leadership role with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and pastored churches in Baton Rouge, La., and Cincinnati.
With over 10,000 ethnic and African American churches among more than 45,000 that make up the Southern Baptist Convention, Weathersby is convinced there is plenty to celebrate.
An exhibit at the annual meeting in New Orleans will illustrate the many faces of the denomination to show its diversity, he said.
“We have to highlight what God has already done in the life of Southern Baptists. For many years people have labored and worked hard to make sure we, as Southern Baptists, penetrate communities with the gospel,” he explained. “In doing so, we have been planting healthy, New Testament churches among all ethnic groups. We’re grateful to God for that.”
“We probably are the most diverse Protestant denomination because of the number of non-Anglo churches that are a part of our convention,” Weathersby said.
There’s no mechanism for counting diversity within predominantly Anglo churches, but Weathersby has seen enough multiethnic congregations to be encouraged. “It’s just amazing to see what God is doing based on building relationships and getting to know people in the community.”
Three advisory councils jointly appointed by the presidents of the Executive Committee and North American Mission Board will provide Weathersby and other SBC entity leaders an opportunity to hear from representatives of non-Anglo groups. An Hispanic Advisory Council appointed last September as a three-year ministry initiative will offer the perspectives Hispanic churches and church leaders bring to the common task of reaching the United States and other nations with the gospel. A similar group made up of African American representatives was formed next and a multiethnic group is yet to be named.
“We’re going to be listening to our church leaders and getting information from them on how we approach working together for the cause of Christ,” Weathersby said. “Right now we are in the listening mode.”
In meeting with various groups, Weathersby wants them to understand how their ministries can be magnified through giving to the Cooperative Program and the two mission offerings to send missionaries throughout North America and around the world. “As one writer said, we are not giving to the Cooperative Program. We are giving through the Cooperative Program,” he reminded.
As he coordinates efforts to implement the components of the SBC’s ethnic study report that was approved overwhelmingly last year, Weathersby will encourage ethnic churches to be full participants in Southern Baptist life.
He is encouraged by the election of four African Americans at state convention meetings last fall. “At the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention we are grateful to God that the convention called Bro. Terry Turner to be state president. That helps,” Weathersby said. “We have Roscoe Belton as state president in Michigan, Mark Croston as state president in the Baptist General Association of Virginia and Kendrick Curry in the D.C. Convention.”
Weathersby has no doubt that there will be a greater increase in the diversity of people serving on SBC committees, boards and commissions in the coming years.
Those expectations are a part of the recommendations passed by messengers to last year’s annual meeting. The notebook for the next SBC president will include an encouragement “to give special attention to appointing individuals who represent the diversity within the Convention.” The president will report the total number of ethnic appointees when names of the committees are released next year to Baptist Press.
The SBC president and Committee on Order of Business will be asked to give “due consideration to the ethnic identity of program personalities” enlisted for the annual meeting in 2013.
This year’s Committee on Nominations will include in its annual report in New Orleans the total number among its nominees that represent the ethnic diversity within Southern Baptist life.
“We see signs right now,” Weathersby said when asked if he expects to see progress in the inclusion of varied races and ethnicities.
“Here we are going to the convention in New Orleans with the potential of nominating the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Pastor Fred Luter of New Orleans, and as first vice president Pastor Nathan Lino of Texas” who is white but of South African heritage.
“We see God is certainly at work,” Weathersby said. “I’m so glad that God has us on purpose making disciples among all ethnic groups. In doing so, people are getting to know one another and are recognizing because of the blood-stained banner of Christ we must work together for his cause.”
