Editor’s Observe: Our August 2024 mini-series on the BCC Grace and Fact weblog supplies a take a look at totally different sides of the BCC ministry, written by choose members of our Board of Administrators. On this first article, Steve Viars shares concerning the creation and imaginative and prescient of the BCC Doctrinal and Confessional Statements. In different contributions to the collection, Curtis Solomon discusses the BCC Annual Management Summit, John Henderson explains how the BCC occasions calendar aligns with our mission and imaginative and prescient, and Betty-Anne Van Rees describes the distinctive advantages of the BCC Grace and Fact weblog.
When the unique BCC steering committee of Garrett Higbee, Randy Patten, Bob Kellemen, David Powlison, and I started discussing the group, one core query concerned the specified breadth of the group. That led to the creation of two of my favourite BCC paperwork, our Doctrinal and Confessional Statements.
We knew from the outset that the objective was to carry higher unity and friendship to all kinds of biblical counseling organizations and leaders. The motion had grown so quickly that point had not at all times been given to constructing collegial relationships and sharing greatest practices. That created, not less than in our minds, an excessively siloed strategy to ministry the place these desirous about studying about biblical counseling had been nearly instantly confronted with an alphabet soup of various organizations from which to decide on. Over time, it started to really feel like residing in 1 Corinthians 1 (“I’m of Paul, I’m of Apollos…”), the place new members had to decide on between allegiance to 1 group or one other. This lack of synergy typically produced misunderstandings and distrust. There needed to be a greater manner.
We tried to keep away from two extremes as we mulled over this resolution. On the one hand, we didn’t want to be a certifying group. There have been and nonetheless are a number of biblical counseling teams whose mission consists of that type of necessary work. So, our official statements needed to be sufficiently broad to permit for selection amongst our members. If this want was not achieved, we’d find yourself aligning ourselves with one group or one other to the neglect of others we hoped would take part.
One the opposite hand, we had been tremendously involved about having statements that had been so watered down or non-existent that we’d inadvertently ignore or reduce core values all of us maintain pricey. That mistake might have really carried out hurt to the motion by way of wrongful compromise or confusion.
Garrett, Randy, Bob, and David had been an incredible workforce. They knew this step couldn’t be rushed. Bob Kellemen, being the unimaginable workhorse that he’s, typically crafted the unique drafts. David Powlison would then add nuance and wordsmithing as solely David might do. Then, the 5 of us would have cellphone conferences and hammer out every part. I nonetheless marvel on the quantity of brainpower energy, myself excluded, that existed on these calls. It really was the seed of what we hoped the BCC would finally change into–5 individuals from totally different biblical counseling organizations working collectively to create one thing bigger than ourselves.
The Doctrinal Assertion was the better of the 2 to craft. We didn’t merely pull one thing off the shelf, however loads of work had already been carried out by dedicated evangelicals, so we had been hardly ranging from scratch. We wished to emphasise the fantastic thing about Christ, the centrality of the gospel, and the sufficiency of God’s Phrase.
The Confessional Assertion was a heavier raise. A few of our cellphone calls centered on a single phrase or idea. We anticipated, I believe rightly so, that these ideas would information our group within the years to come back. We ceaselessly return to this doc as we attempt to analyze a brand new biblical counseling idea or pattern.
Through the years, quite a few church buildings and counseling facilities have requested the liberty to make use of one or each statements as a part of their organizing paperwork. We’re more than pleased to share them on this manner.
Others have chosen to make use of them as educating instruments for coaching elders, deacons, counseling heart workers members, and many others. Our angle has at all times been to freely share regardless of the Lord has given us.
In case you have by no means learn the BCC Doctrinal and Confessional statements or if it has been some time since you’ve got carried out so, I’d encourage you to learn and research them. By God’s grace, the BCC has made a number of modest contributions to the sphere. These two paperwork symbolize a few of our perfect work.
Click on right here to learn the BCC Doctrinal Assertion.
Click on right here to learn the BCC Confessional Assertion.
Questions for Reflection
- What do you consider the BCC Doctrinal and Confessional statements? In the event you had been writing them your self, what would you alter and why?
- Are there methods you would additional incorporate these paperwork in your educating and coaching ministries?
