Guarneri calls for renewed vision for cooperation among Texas Baptists

DALLAS – During his report to the Executive Board on Monday, Feb. 23, Texas Baptists Executive Director Julio Guarneri emphasized the importance of a renewed vision for cooperation, for Texas Baptists to be a reawakened people and to look toward a realignment for the mission. 

Celebrating 140 years since the founding of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Guarneri discussed the importance of cooperation for missions that united five conventions together in 1886 and continues to be true of cooperating churches today. 

“The vision was one of cooperation for the sake of God’s mission,” said Guarneri. “Together, Baptists in Texas could undertake educational enterprises, benevolence ministries, evangelism and missions initiatives.”

Cooperation, reawakening and realignment

Drawing from Acts 10:9-16, Guarneri shared that to be a part of the gospel movement, Texas Baptists need a renewed vision for cooperation.

“Anytime God advances his mission through his people, he enlarges their vision,” said Guarneri. “[God] desires to give us, like he did for Peter, an enlarged vision that takes us from tribalism to unity in diversity… We need to return to our commitment of cooperation.” 

Guarneri said Texas Baptists need a reawakening as the people of God. 

“What is evident [in Acts 10] is that the renewed vision is leading [Peter] to have a reawakened heart,” said Guarneri. “We need God to reawaken our hearts… We need a Great Commandment, Great Commission reawakening. We need a reawakening to cooperative missions.” 

Guarneri also discussed the need for a realigned mission. 

“The church today would honor God most and would be most effective when, while every local congregation retains their identity and uniqueness, it recognizes we are one body in Christ,” said Guarneri. “We are called to unity in diversity for the sake of God’s glory.” 

Continued commitment to scripture

During his remarks, Guarneri stressed the importance of both orthodox Christian doctrine and sufficient room for diversity on secondary and tertiary matters. Despite differences, “we can still cooperate for the sake of God’s mission,” said Guarneri. 

Addressing the topic of biblical authority, Guarneri explained that though some interpretations differ among affiliated churches, Texas Baptists remain committed to the “authority, inspiration, sufficiency, infallibility and trustworthiness of the Scriptures.”

Neither the 2000 nor the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message contains the word “inerrancy” in its Scriptures sections, Guarneri pointed out, noting that the word has become politically loaded.

“Texas Baptists believe the Bible. We are a people of the Book. Do not let anyone deceive you otherwise,” Guarneri said.

GC2 Strong update

Guarneri also provided a brief update on the developing GC2 Strong strategy, which aims to help Texas Baptists churches “strengthen their Great Commandment and Great Commission practice.” 

Guarneri said a GC2 Strong pilot project will launch this spring with approximately 20 churches. The GC2 Design Team will enlist and train “navigators,” who will walk with churches through the GC2 Discovery process.

Guarneri explained that the GC2 Discovery Process consists of three steps: learn and pray, assess and reflect and pathway pursuit.

To align ministry staff around this strategy and focus, he noted that there have been some realignments, including recent changes to the Center for Cultural Engagement.

Guarneri closed by encouraging Texas Baptists to “rise up and claim our legacy and identity as a Baptist people who cooperate together” for God’s mission.