It's a Small World

My latest column came out today in the BGCM E-Message, the monthly email newsletter of the Baptist General Convention of Missouri. It is entitled "It's a Small World" and offers some thoughts about the recent welcome events the BGCM hosted for new Baptist World Alliance leader Neville Callam. Here are a few excerpts:

Perhaps one of the best known songs from the world of Disney is "It's a Small World." It is a catchy tune that is easy to remember and fun to sing. But in the midst of this childish song is a very deep and important message: we live in a small world where we are all connected and dependent on each other. As the song's first verse declares:
It's a world of laughter; A world of tears
It's a world of hopes; And a world of fears
There's so much that we share
That it's time we're aware
It's a small world after all
Although there are many times of exciting experiences (besides just the ones at Orlando), there are also those times of pain and sadness.

It is in that context of joy and difficulty that we as Christians are called to work. Hopefully, we are able to bring laughter and hope into a world that already has plenty of tears and fears. That is part of the calling of the Baptist World Alliance.

... Dr. Neville Callam offered two primary messages for Baptists to consider. First, he urged us to not give in to fear.

... A second main point that Dr. Callam made was that we as Baptists need each other.

... We must be reminded that our job is to serve and help our neighbors. To turn our back on our Baptist brothers and sisters would be to deny our biblical calling. We need to remove our blinders so we can become globally-minded. We need each other, which is why the BGCM is proud to be a part of the BWA and was excited to welcome Dr. Callam as its new leader.

When Dr. Callam came to Missouri he brought greetings from Baptists around the world. We cannot ignore the concerns of others because it is a small world (after all). It is time for Baptists to bring laughter and hope to a world full of tears and fears. The BWA and the BGCM are working to accomplish that mission.

The song "It's a Small World" is often called an "earworm," or a song that gets stuck in one's head. Hopefully, the reminder that we as Baptists are connected in a small world that needs our witness will be a concept that will be stuck in our heads and hearts.

For more about Dr. Callam and his visit, check out my previous posts here and here.