Perhaps, you are reading this because you are highly intrigued with the title of this article. On the contrary, I wrote this article to discuss the reality of how some people think about denomination and about Christianity.
Before I start, I would like to make my statement: My allegiance is with Christ and not on my denomination. Sound interesting isn’t it? But this is a challenge that I want to point out to people who have been very critical and wrongly accusing me of departing from being a Southern Baptist and especially to people who are worshipping their denomination. My reaction? Laugh out loud. Sorry guys, but my allegiance is with Christ and not on my denomination, I’m not sure where’s yours.
There are many pastors these days who have been more focused on their denomination. But should it really be our denomination be lifted up above Christ? When we do Bible study, do we introduce ourselves with the brand of our denomination or we let other people know that we are simply. Christians?
When Jesus himself said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:35-36. Jesus did not say, “so that you will be known as Southern Baptist.”
I know I know, some of you will certainly react on this. And that’s the reason why some pastors are trying to make stories that I am no longer a Southern Baptist. But then again, I would like to ask if who’s lost, a pastor who preaches Christ, or a pastor who preaches his denomination? There is a big difference between the two.
A pastor who preaches Christ is a pastor who follows the Bible. A pastor who preaches his denomination is a pastor who works within the boundaries of his denomination. Who are you then? Revelation 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
This is just a simple truth. There are tons of pastors across the globe that is literally lost because of their denominational identity. If for the sake of being a Southern Baptist, I would probably be one of those people who will be given a loyalty award just like those students who have been a student of the same school from elementary to college. We are already in Southern Baptist when I was born. My family’s home church is University Baptist Church in Morayta, Manila when I was born, my sending church to seminary was a Southern Baptist; my home church in both Manila and in Leyte are Southern Baptists; I graduated from Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary which is a Southern Baptist Seminary.
But should these credentials be my basis of being a Christian? The answer is obviously no. I am a Christian because I have Christ, I am a believer and I am a follower of Christ. Rereading my Bible tells me that my first love should be Christ, that I should be known as Christ disciple by loving others.
I am not saying that denominations are bad. No. Absolutely no. I believe that denominations are good and it helps us in many ways, identity, corporate discipleship, corporate work, and many other things. But it should never precede our loyalty to Christ.
So Ptr. Vince do you admit that you are no longer a Southern Baptist? My answer is very simple, if you think that by doing God’s will and putting my allegiance to Christ first and foremost makes me lose my denomination, then I would rather lose it. On the other hand, if you think that I am doing the right thing just like any other Christians should do, then I am still a Southern Baptist.
My advice, don’t be a denominational addict. It will lead you to nowhere.
What are your thoughts?
Thank you for responding to my comment on your article. What draws me to your website is that you are the only minister in the Philippines who seems to be doing a great deal of work in the internet. It is innovative, imaginative and creative. Also I happen to surf on your church website and you seem to be doing a lot of good work in your community. You seem to be projecting yourself not only a religious leader but a community leader as well. I believe this what is lacking in our seminary training. It taught us to be church leaders but we do not have the skills to be leaders in the secular world. Both are needed, I think. I hope you will continue to post pictures chronicling your and your church activities in addition to insightful articles you write on your website. I hope your father has not forgotten me. Tell him that I now live and work in Southern California as a social worker with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services.
Thank you for those kind words. And yes you are right, I do a lot of things over the internet. I am a webmaster, blogger and I am working online as my sideline. Have to earn extra for a living and with the same skills, I also use that to extend ministry work. 🙂 You are also right that our church is not only working now just as a church, but as real people living in a community were we can also share the gospel. 🙂
I will sure mention you to my father. 🙂 I will probably see him on Wednesday and hopeful that I will not forget it. Hehehe..
You seem to be evolving to being your own man so to speak. Having been a graduate of PBTS and New Orleans Baptist Seminary myself, I do feel a deep sense of gratitude to the denomination. I do not have as much struggle as you do because I am no longer in pastoral ministry. In your situation, there seems to be some difficulties in terms of your identity as a Christian minister. By identifying yourself as a Southern Baptist minister to people in your community, it appears that in your experience it raises more questions than answers. What I’m reading from your article is that by establishing yourself as someone who welcomes everyone to your parish, you establish more rapport and eventually persuade them to the gospel of Christ. I hope that your fellow ministers including your father will see this search for a new identity as a plus rather than a loss. By the way, I know your father Virgelio Olaer. Say hi to your dad. Tell him I used to be at Sampaloc Baptist Church. I enjoy reading your articles. Thanks
Thanks for reading sir! First, I would like to make it clear that just like you, I also have a deep gratitude of to the denomination.
Identity as an SB is not really an issue. But somehow, I do not believe that it should be highlighted more than highlighting Christ. I just felt so disgusted with some pastors making it a big issue. I was born under a Southern Baptist denomination, I was raised in Southern Baptist Churches, I was educated in a Southern Baptist Seminary, I interned in a Southern Baptist Church, and I am pastoring a Southern Baptist Church. And “just because” our Church name does not have a “Southern Baptist” name, some are making it an issue that my church and me “are not Southern Baptists”.
I strongly believe that we as Southern Baptist pastors should “realign” our thinking and our love. I don’t like to be branded as someone “who have forsaken our first love”. Do you? Or for any pastor who is and will be reading this, I think it’s just time to wake up.
Thank you sir Danilo Reyes. I will tell my dad about you. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂