The disagreements Christians share over practices like baptism seem trivial when compared to the need for missionaries to go and make disciples around the world. Billions of people have never heard the gospel. Shouldn’t Presbyterians, Baptists, and Anglicans lay aside their distinctives, get more catholic, and plant churches together? Joining efforts would provide more people, money, and experience. Such cooperation seems like a no-brainer. Right?
As apparent as this solution sounds, dismissing ecclesiology in the name of catholicity is a mistake. Such a trade makes missions harder, not easier.
Let’s say the Presbyterians, Baptists, and Anglicans all show up on the same missionary team. They decide to plant a church. What kind of church is it going to be? For that church to exist, someone on that team (and probably more than one someone) must agree to go against their convictions regarding Jesus’s command to be baptized or who possesses final authority. Furthermore, the lack of open theological discussions will stunt the growth of team members and eventually church members. In other words, by supposedly removing the tension of different convictions from the missionary team, this strategy inadvertently applies the same tension to an entire church. “He said this, but
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