5 Facts about George Liele, America’s first Baptist missionary

Last year the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention voted to approve the first Sunday in February as the annual George Liele Church Planting, Evangelism and Missions Day. “My hope is that all Southern Baptist churches will share about the life and mission work of George Liele to inspire current and future generations to spread the Gospel around the world,” said Marshal Ausberry, leader of the SBC’s National African American Fellowship George. “Liele’s life shows that despite adverse circumstances God can still use us in a mighty way.”

Here are five facts you should know about the pioneering Baptist missionary:

1. George Liele was born into slavery in colonial Virginia around 1750, but was moved to Georgia during his childhood. Although separated from his parents at an early age, Liele says he was told his father was the “only black person to know the Lord in a spiritual way in that country.” He says he also had a “natural fear of God from my youth” and that was often “checked in conscience with thoughts of death which barred me from many sins and bad company.” At the time, he says he knew of “no hope for salvation but only in performance of my good works.” Later, around 1773, he would express relief in finding that his only hope for salvation came “through the merits of my dying Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

This Week at the ERLC

• Russell Moore was quoted in Baptist Press urging support for pro-life riders like the Hyde Amendment in upcoming appropriations measures.
   
• Jason Thacker was featured at Biblical Recorder talking about how to teach our kids to use technology during a pandemic.
   
• The ERLC published a free, downloadable bulletin insert for your church to use on Racial Reconciliation Sunday.

What You Need to Read

Josh Wester with Parents and politics

Thinking through the factors that shape our political decisions can help us show more grace and understanding when fellow believers come to different conclusions than our own. In terms of knowledge, when these disagreements show up among evangelicals, it is usually not because we are appealing to different sources of authority. Across these generations, we use the same Bible. We read the same passages. And as I mentioned, Christians of all ages are generally agreed at the level of principle when it comes to recognizing significant moral and political implications within the Scriptures.

Jason Thacker with Is content moderation stifling public discourse?

When Christians engage in these important debates over content moderation and online speech, we must do so with a distinct view of human dignity in mind. It is far too easy in a world of memes, caricatures, and 280 character posts to dehumanize those with whom we disagree or seek to be disagreeable in order to gain a following. We must champion the dignity of all people because we know that all people are created in the image of God and thus are worthy of all honor and respect. 

Policy Staff with 5 pro-life riders Southern Baptists should know about

Each year, Congress must pass twelve appropriations bills that fund the federal government. These bills are “must pass” pieces of legislation in that they are needed to keep the government funded and operating. Since Roe v. Wade, Congress has added pro-life “riders” to the appropriations bill, which modify with common sense limits the way appropriated funds can be spent. The riders must be reattached to appropriations bills each year, because they aren’t permanent policy. 

News From Capitol Hill

This week, Russell Moore sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to adhere to critical pro-life policy riders, like the Hyde Amendment, in federal appropriations legislation. For more on these pro-life polices, see the following articles written this week by our policy staff:

• What you should know about the Hyde Amendment

• 5 pro-life riders Southern Baptists should know about

In his letter, Moore called upon the Congressional leaders to support these amendments “because of what they represent and their importance in this time of deep division in our nation.” Moore continued:

“These amendments save lives and protect American consciences. Protecting them would be an act of courageous leadership that recognizes our great democratic republic experiment is strongest when we respect one another in the midst of our disagreements. Such an act of across-the-aisle courage is desperately needed.”

For more on why we send advocacy letters in D.C., Chelsea Patterson Sobolik and Jeff Pickering wrote a new explainer.

“In a newscycle driven by soundbites and hot takes, one tool that helps our advocacy efforts rise above the fray is the traditional letter. We send letters to Congressional leaders, the President of the United States, and other policymakers and administration officials to advocate on the issues of our day. Sometimes, these letters are written and sent by Russell Moore directly as president of the ERLC, and other times the ERLC leads or joins a coalition letter drafted with multiple signatories.”

“Our goal when sending such letters is not only to provide an opinion on legislation, but also to provide expertise on the underlying issue.”

“Thankfully, in our advocacy, we are also often able to share about the incredible work of Southern Baptists in disaster relief in the wake of a hurricane, child welfare providers in adoption and foster care, and feeding the hungry in their communities and globally. Sharing our perspective as Christians helps influence public policy.”

Check out the explainer for an inside story of how one coalition letter about religious freedom in China made its way around the West Wing and national security staff in the summer of 2019.

“Like so much else in public policy advocacy, we never fully know what the effect of a letter will be, or who all will read it, until it has been sent," noted Sobolik and Pickering.

Featured Podcasts

From The Public Square