The Anabaptist Vision

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe allthings that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

Biblically Centered. Distinctively Baptist.

On 21 January 1525, a small group of unlettered, counter-cultural Radicals plodded through the snow and came together in a small home in Zurich, Switzerland. These young men, brought together by the unction of the HolySpirit, came to a decision to reestablish the pattern of a New Testament church, a choice that would ultimately cost them their lives. After an intense time of prayer, one of their leaders, a young evangelist by the name of George Blaurock, arose and, as one account bore witness, “Besought Conrad Grebel for God’s sake to baptize him with the true Christian baptism upon his faith and knowledge” (Estep,The Anabaptist Story, 14).

Like incalculable believer’s before them, this group was tagged with the name, Anabaptist, a term of derision mocking their decision to be baptized a second time. The world and even religious leaders misunderstood their intent was not simply to reject infant baptism as unbiblical, but to establish a Believer’s church which was patterned after the Scripture. They were following God’s Word that one, in order to live a life of grace and victory, must first be saved and then baptized.

Yet, the world not only misunderstood their intent, they underestimated their legacy. This small band of ostracized Christians changed the world by trusting God’s Word and sharing Christ with a lost and dying humanity. The Great Commission of Matthew 28, in its entirety, was their life verse.  They declared that salvation came only to those who professed their faith in Christ (John 3:1-17; Acts 4:12). Centuries ahead of their time, they defended the biblical principle of complete religious liberty (Matt. 13:24-30).  In every aspect of their lives, they held to the inerrance and sufficiency of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17).  Now, nearly 500 years later, we are their debtors, and this institution, Truett-McConnell College, will stand firmly on the shoulders of these giants, carrying forth the same vision.

Truett-McConnell College will stand unashamedly and unequivocally on four non-negotiable truths found within Scripture. Investing in each and every one of our students, we will infuse these four principles:

1. Love for the Lord

A. We fully affirm, without reservation, the fundamentals of the faith including the deity of our Lord, His virgin birth, sinless life, His substitutionary death on the Cross, and His visible, soon coming return.

B. We fully affirm that “There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord” (Baptist Faith and Message, ArticleIV)

C. We fully affirm that Jesus shed His blood for all of humanity, not just for the elect, so that whosoever will may come (I John 2:2).

2. Love for the Word.

A. We fully affirm “The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man” (Baptist Faith andMessage, Article I).

B. We fully affirm the sole sufficiency of Scripture in all areas of life including all academic disciplines.

C. We fully affirm that theology is the Queen of the Sciences. Although not all of us are called to be educators, businessmen, historians, musicians, pastors, missionaries, or the like, we are called to be Christians who have believed on Christ.

D. We fully affirm that the Bible is perfect from the very first verse, and thus the Creator reigns over the sciences.

3. Love for the Local Church

A. We fully affirm that churches should consist of those who have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, subsequently baptized by immersion in a local fellowship, and are accountable to one another.

B. We fully affirm that we are not Baptists by convenience, but by conviction.

C. We fully affirm that along with family, the Lord instituted the church and that, along with family, the church is paramount to the health of any society.

D. We fully affirm that it is the job of the school to serve the churches, not the other way around.

4. Love for the Lost

A. We fully affirm that it is our responsibility to carry out Great Commission in its entirety, sharing Christ, properly baptizing them, and “teaching them to observe all things.”

B. We fully affirm that in order to be a school that truly calls itself Christian, enabling students to obey the Great Commission and hear God’s call to full-time missions is not optional, it is required.

C. We fully affirm that the task of evangelism comes at a great cost. But a faith worth living for is a faith worth dying for.

On 10 March 1528, my hero in the faith, Balthasar Hubmaier, was martyred for following the principles set forth above. His words will be my plea as well:

O Jesus Christ, thou Son of god,

Let us not lack thy favor,

For what shall be our just reward

If the salt shall lose its savor?

With angry flame to efface thy name

In vain shall men endeavor;

Not for a day, the same for aye,

God’s Word stands sure forever.

Praise God, praise God in unity,

Ye Christian people sweetly.

That he his Word has spread abroad –

His Word, his work completely.

No human hand can him withstand,

No name how high soever;

And sing we then our glad Amen!

God’s Word stands sure forever.