When I came on board as pastor, one of the things I heard people speak of was "the Ardmore way." I quickly learned that "the Ardmore way" refers not just to one thing, but many things. For example, the Ardmore way is the way of excellence. We like for things to be done right and done well. That is what we expect. The Ardmore way acknowledges tradition. Although we are forward-looking, we recognize there is much in our past that is to be cherished, maintained, and adapted. Whatever innovation and change we embrace, it must not come at the expense of our roots. Most importantly, however, the Ardmore way is shorthand for the spirit of this congregation!

Over the last year and a half, I have learned that you are gracious, respectful, and big-hearted. You keep looking for ways to widen the circle instead of narrowing it. You want to do things that make a difference, and you want our church to be about Kingdom work. You believe God is bigger than any of us can imagine. The Ardmore way describes a spirit and an outlook. The Ardmore way speaks about the way we do business and the kind of people we are.

Speaking of the Ardmore way seems to provide the best frame of reference for me to respond to the Southern Baptist Convention’s revision of the Baptist Faith and Message. Much ink has been devoted to discussion of the specific changes in the document itself. A comparison of the revised statement with its predecessor reveals that some of the changes are of little consequence. Others, however, have far-reaching significance, reflecting a revision not just of the document itself but also of our understanding of what it means to be Baptist. Beyond the revisions themselves, there is a great deal of concern as to how the revised statement will be utilized. Is it a confession or a creed? Is it a broad statement of general beliefs or will it instead become a test of fellowship among Baptist churches? Will church leaders and congregations have to affirm the statement in order to be considered a "cooperating church?" Recent history suggests that despite all pronouncements to the contrary, the new statement of faith may well be used as a way of determining who’s in and who’s out on all levels—nationally, statewide, and perhaps even locally.

That’s a situation that bears watching. We’ll have to see how this new situation begins to play out. In the meantime, however, I believe the best way to respond is to claim our strengths and affirm some things that matter to us. I believe the best way to respond is to say again what we are for rather than what we are against. In short, I believe the best way to respond is to speak very clearly about the Ardmore way.

It’s the Ardmore way to affirm the competency of every soul before God. One of the bedrock principles of our faith is that every human being is capable of sorting out his or her relationship to God directly. No priest, no minister is required. I have seen that principle lived out in this congregation time and again. The Spirit has moved in an individual’s life, and that person has responded directly to God. You have celebrated that whenever it has happened. As well, you recognize that an individual’s conscience is holy ground and sacred territory. Genuine faith cannot be coerced; instead, it comes as a result of an individual encounter with God. Consequently, beliefs born of conscience, even if we disagree with them, have to be respected. And so, you work hard to understand one another. You work hard to respect one another, especially when you see things differently. It’s the Ardmore way.

It’s the Ardmore way to affirm the priesthood of all believers. By that we acknowledge that we are all works in progress. None of us has arrived in faith; none of us has it all figured out. For that reason, we need each other. We believe the best way to learn how to be like Jesus is to jump into the rough and tumble of relationships based on faith. We believe we have a lot to learn from one another. As a result, everyone matters: young and old, male and female, rich and poor, single and married. God has poured his Spirit out on all flesh and given gifts to his people so that all of us might minister in the name of Jesus. In particular, here at Ardmore, we have affirmed that women are full partners in ministry, able to lead and serve wherever God leads because we believe we’re at our best when all of us are using our gifts and serving together. We believe that’s the best way to do church. It’s the Ardmore way.

It’s the Ardmore way to affirm the importance of Scripture. One glance at Sunday School and our Wednesday night program will tell you that scripture matters here. You value highly the teaching and preaching of Scripture. For my part, I believe the Bible is inspired. I believe it bears witness without fail to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. I believe that reading Scripture, studying it, and conversing with it through personal devotion and public worship are absolutely essential to a healthy faith. As important as we believe Scripture to be, I don’t believe any of us is ready to claim more for the Bible than the Bible claims for itself. In that respect, we recognize that Jesus is the Living Word of God; that means he cannot be confined to the words on a page. We worship Christ as Lord, not Scripture as Lord. It’s the Ardmore way.

It’s the Ardmore way to invest ourselves in mission and ministry. Wow! Is that ever the truth! I have often said to others that this church never saw a mission project that it didn’t like! In putting together our mission statement last year, we found it helpful to articulate our values. Right off the bat, we were able to say that Ardmore Baptist Church possesses "a passionate missionary heart." We believe it’s our calling to serve others and promote the gospel. Why do we send people to Bolivia? Why do we send folks to Kosovo and Honduras? Why do our people journey to Alaska? Why do we bother to make sure our youth learn the importance of mission work through projects and trips? Why do we conduct Operation Inasmuch? The answer to that question is simple: we believe in missions! We believe a healthy church is a mission church. We believe we are called to be on mission. So strongly do we believe in the cause of missions that we have stated over and over again our willingness to partner with anyone who can help us fulfill our stated mission. As a result, we have worked on SBC projects, CBF projects, BSCNC projects, and Ardmore projects. As long as we’re welcome and as long as we have something to offer, we’ve said that those partnerships are important. We’re interested in open doors and opportunities, not closed doors and narrow constraints. I believe that’s the right way to go. It’s the Ardmore way.

You can add to the definition of the Ardmore way, I’m sure. But as you can see, I am much more interested in us knowing exactly who we are and what we are for. That has been a sure guide for us in the past and will continue to be in the future. That’s the best I can offer all of you for the time being. Please be assured of my willingness to discuss any and all of these matters with you at any time and in any place—even if we disagree! After all, that’s the Ardmore way.

Grace and peace