FOCUS GROUPS

as an isolated community contradicts the great commission. Incarnational ministry means “we are to share the life and feel the needs of our neighbors, and not be visitors.”

Poverty William Epps, in a session on prophetic witness, declared Jimmy Martin, general secretary of the International Baptist

Convention, noted that nones are a growing percentage of the population in certain countries. The nones cohort comprises mainly those of the so-called Generation X population, those born after the Western Post-World War II baby boom; and millennials, also known as generation Y, the demographic cohort following Generation X in Western countries. According to Martin, nones tend to be more male than female,

are largely in their thirties or younger, and are often deeply interested in social issues. Supporting Chaise’s claims, Martin contended that nones are not necessarily atheists or even agnostic. They may not reject the idea of, or belief in, God. Many claim to be spiritual, but reject the idea of being religious. The rise of nones has historical and philosophical

that there is a strong scriptural basis for advocating for the poor and marginalized, pointing to the need to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves [and] for the rights of all who are destitute,” including “God’s instructions which share the care, provision and redemption of the poor and marginalized.” For instance, in the book of Proverbs a number of practices are condemned including “oppressing the poor, mocking the poor, gloating over disaster, shutting our ears to the cry of the poor, exploiting the poor, crushing the needy in court, closing our eyes to the poor, and not being concerned about justice for the poor.” Epps, a Baptist pastor in the city of Los Angles in the US

roots,

Martin explained. Some may have been turned off of religion by the way the church responded to modern claims and theories, such as those of Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin. What they regard as judgmentalism and homophobia may also be factors. Secularism, relativism and pluralization contribute to the rise

of nones as well. It is believed that religion, at best, provides only partial truth, and a number of positions can be equally true. Sin and guilt are seen as social constructs. “The church has not done well in engaging with these shifts,” Martin asserted. Chaise suggested the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman

at the well in John chapter four as a biblical model in reaching nones. Jesus spent time with the woman, engaging in conversation. Martin proposed Acts 17, the episode of Paul having dialogue with philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens, as a model to explore and adopt.

A Commitment to JUSTICE I

n a session on the “Biblical Basis for Justice Advocacy and Peacemaking,” Olu Menjay from Liberia and Walter Klimt from Austria reinforced biblical themes of the creation

narrative in Genesis and the incarnation of Jesus in the gospels as general principles for the church’s response to social concerns. Both presenters emphasized that because all have been

created by the one God in God’s own image, all are to be respected as children of God and all have basic human rights that are to be honored and respected. Drawing upon the incarnation of Christ, Menjay, outgoing Baptist World Alliance vice president, commented, “in the word made flesh, God made good on divine advocacy for all.” Klimt, general secretary of the Baptist Union of Austria and president of the Free Churches of Austria, emphasized that separation of the church from the world

and a former BWA vice president, observed similar examples in the prophets. “We see God speak through the prophets to rebuke Israel for their disobedience, including oppression of the poor and marginalized and a lack of concern for justice.” He averred that “the New Testament echoes God’s heart for the poor and marginalized that we saw displayed throughout the Old Testament.” He stated that “poverty is mentioned in the Bible more than 2,000 times.” He asserted that care for the poor is basic to the Bible’s teachings because issues of poverty and justice “are so deeply enshrined in the Bible’s pages.”

Political Engagement American Old Testament scholar Tony Cartledge asked

attendees at the session on “Effective Political and Societal Engagement,” “would the prophet Micah tweet? Would Isaiah post his Song of the Vineyard on YouTube? Would Jeremiah turn himself into a walking billboard? Would Ezekiel conduct a street demonstration in order to attract the cameras?” Cartledge’s conclusion is that they would, “if they thought it would help to proclaim the message God had given them.” Cartledge, who is the new chair of the BWA Resolutions

Committee and immediate past chair of the Communications Committee, emphasized that “speaking against injustice is not always popular but we must never give up speaking out for freedom and justice in ways that are both just and grace- filled.” Craig Vernall from New Zealand reported that, in

his country, church leaders often engage government representatives on issues of underprivileged children and child poverty, unemployment, welfare benefits, minimum wages, immigration and modern slavery and exploitation. He reported that despite various challenges experienced during dialogues, “we have seen changes to New Zealand society that have been worth our investment of time, energy and prayer.”

Gender Inequality Gender inequality results from human brokenness and

is of longstanding concern. It is pervasive in the very body where there were expected to be no partitions, said Molly Marshall, president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary

(Continued on next page) OCTOBER/DECEMBER 2015 9