In the North American Missions Board (NAMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), there is a concept of “Emerging Regions.” Emerging Regions are states and provinces (NAMB encompasses Canada as well as all 50 states of the USA) where the presence of Christian churches (esp. SBC churches) is not as strong as in the “Bible Belt” (states south of the Mason-Dixon Line plus CA, TX and MO). The most ironic issue concerning these Emerging Regions is that all major SBC conferences and workshops are help in the Bible Belt while the largest SBC convention center is located in an Emergent Region (Glorietta, NM) where Student Week (the largest summer conference hosted by the SBC) is hosted.
The real problem with this situation is that Emerging Regions get left out! Astonishing conferences and seminars that would be abundantly helpful to ministries in these Emerging Regions are out of reach. Ministers of the Gospel from MT, WY, the Dakotas, etc… aren’t capable of making the long trek to FL, MS, VA, et al. thereby, leaving them out of fellowship. Cities like Denver, CO; Omaha, NE; St. Paul, MN; and Spokane, WA; rarely have large conventions from the SBC roll through when they can support the efforts (The only large event in the emerging regions I know of was the 1998 Convention – when they adopted the section on the family). NAMB incessantly talks about mobilizing missionaries to Emerging Regions, but refuses to organize major events in these places.
As I like am fond of saying: drunkards won’t come to church of their own volition, so we need to take church to them. This Bible Belt paradigm is another venture into the “Christians only” social club mentality that the modern church really needs to work on amending.
Is this something to be outrages over? Is there truly a problem here? Don’t be complacent and satisfied with convenience and mediocrity. God has formed and destined us to be more than what we are and are doing.
