As we continue the journey from our recent Delegates Gathering and prepare our hearts and minds for the upcoming Annual Meeting, I invite us to reflect deeply on what it truly means to be a Beloved/Covenantal Community. These are not mere ideals or aspirational words—they are the practical embodiment of our call to walk in the way of Jesus as a body of Baptist Churches, to live by the rule of love, and to give witness to a reconciling gospel in a divided world.
The vision of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community of Churches is grounded in valuing key commitments:
- A Loving Body, Determined to Love
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when together we seek to be a body of believers who, echoing the words of Helen Barrett Montgomery, “agree to disagree to disagree, but remain steadfast in our resolve to love one another.” Love is not dependent on uniformity but rooted in covenantal commitment. - Preferring One Another in Christ
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when together we strive to embody Christ-centered empathy, intentionally choosing to “prefer one another” as siblings in Christ. This requires humility, listening, and a willingness to enter each other’s experiences with compassion. - Unity in Mission, Freedom in Theology
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when, together, we unapologetically affirm the right of every believer and congregation to hold differing theological views. Yet we choose to stand together on common ground to serve, witness, and do missions for the sake of the Gospel. - Rooted in Christ’s Teaching, Guided by Love
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when together we are committed to the way of Jesus—the radical, transformative, and often costly way of love. His teachings are our compass; the rule of love is our binding force. - Self-Awareness and Inclusion
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when, together, we seek to become increasingly aware of the personal and cultural biases that can unconsciously exclude those seeking God, and we intentionally widen our welcome to them. - A Spirit of Repentance and Accountability
We will reach the goal of being a Beloved/Covenantal Community when together we are not afraid to name and repent of words, attitudes, or behaviors that wound our brothers and sisters. Grace calls us to accountability—not to shame, but to healing and transformation.
This is the Beloved Community we are being called to build—not someday, but now. A community shaped by covenant, sustained by grace, and sent to love a broken world.
I invite you to pray with me that we can move forward together in the power of the Holy Spirit.
