cooperate :To work or act together toward a common end or purpose. To acquiesce willingly; be compliant Dictionary.com give me a great definition for Cooperation. Those of us who have grown up in the Southern Baptist Convention have heard the word Cooperate since we can remember. Cooperation was always the key to being a Southern Baptist. Each church is independent, yet for "MISSIONS" we cooperate by pooling our money to share love of Jesus around the world. I see a disturbing trend in the SBC. There is a Landmark movement in the SBC. These leaders have infiltrated our mission board trustees and even the seminaries.

Landmark Baptists hold that the NT model for the church is only the local and visible congregation and that it violates NT principles to speak of a universal, spiritual church. They also believe that Communion should be restricted to members of the local assembly and that baptism is valid only when administered in a properly constituted local Baptist congregation. They also believe that a historic "Baptist succession" may be traced from John the Baptist to modern Baptist churches in which believer's baptism and Landmark principles have prevailed.

What about the other denominations? Does this mean they are not believers? What about those of us who have family members in other denominations or heaven forbid a "non-denominational" church? I come from a "Para-church" background. My father a YFC/Campus Life director for 30+ years. Now he and my mom are missionaries for Campus Crusade's Military Ministry. Here is the link to my parents site. My parents teach a recruit basic training Sunday School class every Sunday @ Ft. Jackson in Columbia, SC. They have led 100's if not 1000's of young men and women to Christ with their ministry!!!! How many SBC churches can say that? They work with military chaplains and teach parenting and marriage seminars all over the world. They are not members of an SBC church. They go to a PCA church when they can attend because of teaching their class at the base. My father was the guest preacher at my installation service here in Charlotte. Does this mean my installation service does not count? This stuff is getting out of hand! Cooperation is essential to winning the world for CHRIST! We are not trying to start a BAPTIST WORLD. I am Follower of Christ first, and a Baptist 2nd. I am a Baptist because I believe in the basic tenets of our theology. Our SBC missionaries have a tough job. They are working in situations that we can't imagine. Now we have power brokers who are dismissing missionaries because they "COOPERATE" with other M's who are not SBC. Read about it here. Who of us wouldn't welcome a CMA, AoG, PCA, PCUS, Anglican, UMC or non-denomination church leading our family members to Christ if the SBC can't? Of course we would. There are millions of people's souls at stake here. Landmarkism has got to go! Cooperation is the key to the survival of the SBC!