A Baptist reality check.

It's 2009. Baptists' 400th anniversary has arrived. This year provides wonderful opportunities to assess Baptist history and identity. Three points occur to me. First, Baptists have made enormous contributions to human civilization and to the forward progress of Christianity. Second, Baptists have suffered under many delusions about their identity and status. Third, Baptists hold in their hands vast possibilities for making a substantial mark on the future.

A Legacy of Bold Traditions--Beginning with John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, Baptists created five remarkable traditions: (1) they injected a spirit of sacrifice into their defense of the Lordship of Christ and of biblical ideals and values; (2) they demanded believer's baptism, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state in a world dominated by infant baptism and state-churches; (3) they established a dissenting tradition driven by a spirit of voluntarism; (4) they built churches comprised of believers only and based on democratic principles; and (5) they covenanted together and confessed their faith. Later Baptists added more bold traditions: global missions ventures; support for basic, higher, and theological education; participation in significant social ministries; and sponsorship of civil and human rights initiatives.

Add up the contributions of Baptist heroes whom you and I know or have read about. Quickly, we will get a feel for the overwhelmingly powerful influences of Baptists on Christian developments.

A Time for Honest Confession--At times, Baptists have missed the mark of the ethical and spiritual character of Christ, the mark of biblical imperatives, and the mark of their own ideals, principles, and values. Two troublesome examples follow relating to the nature of the church and to freedom of the press.

Baptists are occasionally gifted at exalting themselves, sometimes to the point of calling themselves the only true church. Let's be honest. That attitude hampers communication, destroys the ...