Mitch Randall on the Evangelicalism of the New Baptist Covenant

Mitch Randall, pastor of NorthHaven Church in Norman, Oklahoma, has written a response on his weblog to critics who have publicly questioned the evangelical fervency of those involved in the New Baptist Covenant. Here's a quote:

Some critics of this effort continue to espouse that the event is nothing more than a "left wing liberal" effort. They even suggest the leaders of the Covenant are not interested in sharing the gospel with the lost. Southern Baptist President Frank Page recently responded to a question regarding the Covenant by saying, "to be a 'true Baptist witness' any group must see the winning of souls to Christ as the cohesive factor in our fellowship."

In my opinion, herein lies the different perspectives of what it means to be Baptist. For critics of the Covenant, they continue to offer rhetoric that promotes the "go-it-alone" mentality. They also, for some reason, cannot conceive the idea that reaching out to the hungry and calling for social justice is a grand attempt by concerned Christians to reach out to those who do not know Jesus. The very essence of the Covenant will be evangelical, proclaiming the entire message of Jesus to the world and making it applicable for those to participate. What can be more evangelical than that mission? So, while some still try to commandeer the identity of being a "true Baptist," the North American Baptist Covenant participants will work on feeding the poor, demanding justice for the inequalities of the world, and being the presence of Christ to a world that needs hope.