KING OF PRUSSIA, PA (ABNS 9/5/24)—ABCUSA President Rev. Nikita McCalister and General Secretary Rev. Dr. Gina C. Jacobs-Strain on Thursday, September 5, shared a letter entitled, “Love Never Fails.” View the letter in its entirety below:
LOVE Never Fails
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:4-8
One of the most sacred principles of being American Baptist is encompassed in our Baptist freedoms (i.e. the soul freedom, church freedom, Biblical freedom, etc.). We proudly state on our website that our “tradition has emphasized the Lordship and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Believers’ Baptism, the competency of all believers to be in direct relationship with God and to interpret Scripture, the importance of the local church, the assurance of freedom in worship and opinion, and the need to be Christ’s witnesses within society.”
We proudly boast that we are the most diverse protestant denomination comprised of different races, languages, ethnicities, theological perspectives and ideologies. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one family. We are the multitudes described in Scripture who choose to be “United in Christ, Together in Mission.” Our diversity is one of our most cherished and sacred historical distinctives as American Baptists.
We strive to be the gold standard for modeling public civility, Christian maturity and the praxis of the beloved community. We champion what it means to celebrate the fullness of our diversity even as we live with the challenges, complexities and difficulties of this embodied reality.
Notably, this means that our denomination, regions and individual local churches from time to time will have disagreements or difficulties articulating our joint responsibility to communicate the distinctiveness of our family. We must continue to have dialogue that wrestles with the tension between the associational principle, local church autonomy and the covenantal ties among us in order to advance the Kingdom of God together. This means that each of us are implored to risk love. We are invited to allow the Holy Spirit to transform our biases, prejudices, preferences and perspectives as we surrender to sacrificial incarnational love of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we enlist each of us to hold sacred one another as people created in God’s image (Imago Dei). Moreover, we entrust you with the care of our American Baptist family. No matter where we fall on the theological spectrum, we are still connected as the body of Christ and part of the American Baptist family. We are challenged to lean into Christ’s love when we see difference and division and to pursue the transformative power of Christ’s love which strengthens our resolve to be harmonious.
The Word of God says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Likewise, nothing can separate American Baptists who agree and chose to be “United in Christ, Together in Mission.” As the Rev. Deborah L. Shumake, President McCalister’s mother would say, “laws can be broken but love never fails.” ABCUSA will continue to demonstrate that in Christ, love never fails.
We would like to share some insight regarding our existing policy about the use of the ABCUSA logo that differs from other’s depiction and characterization of ABCUSA. In particular, recently there have been publications regarding the non-discriminatory request and application of a stated ABCUSA policy, which were sent to multiple organizations simultaneously about the use of the ABCUSA logo and partnership terminology. It was also a necessary part of risk management as use of the ABCUSA logo and partnership terminology may infer a legal relationship. On the ABCUSA website under the resource tab you will read these words:
“The American Baptist Churches USA logos and graphics are for the exclusive use of churches, organizations, and institutions officially related to American Baptist Churches USA.”
Thus, in July 2024 a cease-and-desist letter was sent to several organizations. The letter included legal terminology that the organization cease and desist use of the ABCUSA logo and partnership terminology.
The text states the fact of the enforcement request of our policy. We acknowledge that the “cease and desist” termination may seem harsh to the recipients, but in the litigious world we live in, we must maintain clear separation from all non-ABCUSA entities to protect our values and adhere to our bylaws and policies. A similar practice was followed in 2017 when it was disclosed to ABCUSA that a few organizations were also not in compliance in their use of the ABCUSA logo and terminology. Applying a non-discriminatory policy to several organizations simultaneously that are not part of the corporate structure of ABCUSA is an appropriate action.
We will continue to have open and sincere conversations with a wide variety of organizations as well as our partners and ecumenical organizations to foster and cultivate practices of healthy, productive, civil discourse while maintaining constructive behaviors when disagreements occur. We believe we can accomplish more thorough collaborative actions that draw people to Christ. We further understand and appreciate the ministry and work many organizations do to support various constituents within the American Baptist family. We are one spiritual family that share the same spiritual DNA and distinctiveness that embraces all Baptist freedoms while recognizing that even in our differences we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” individuals, churches, and regions that are united in Christ together in mission. We seek to have harmony and make space for all voices. We will continue to lean into the love of God and the love of one another. We will continue to have open lines of communication to demonstrate that love is an action word.
We were disappointed to read the article in Baptist News Global published on August 25, 2024, as we felt this was an irresponsible characterization and narrative of ABCUSA and did not report all of the facts. The author noted that he did not receive a response from Rev. Dr. Jacobs-Strain – the author did, however, receive an automatic response notification stating that all emails would be responded to by Aug. 26, 2024. The Director of Communications and ABCUSA President were not contacted for comment.
In closing, we pray that the matchless love of Christ will overwhelm each of us as individuals, churches, regions, and our denomination. We pray that the unrelenting, unconditional, sacrificial love of Christ that reconciles, redeems, and chases after each of us will be so contagious that more churches are invited, welcomed and embraced within our big beautiful American Baptist family.
Afterall, we are a people who understand that “love never fails,” seeking to strengthen our American Baptist identity as we seek the advancement of the Kingdom of God believing that we are American Baptist “United in Christ, Together in Mission.” To God be the Glory!
In Christ’s Service,
Rev. Nikita McCalister, President and Rev. Dr. Gina C. Jacobs-Strain, General Secretary
American Baptist Churches USA