That's the assessment of Charles Wade, president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) and a leader in Texas Baptists Committed, a moderate group which opposes efforts to turn the 2.5 million-member state convention to the right.

Wade offered his analysis at a Sept. 23 gathering in Ft. Worth, Texas. It was one of 17 rallies being sponsored by Texas Baptists Committed leading up to the state convention's annual meeting, scheduled Nov. 10-11 in Austin.

People frequently ask why the BGCT has not fallen to the conservative movement that captured control of the 15.6 million-member SBC, said Wade, pastor of First Church in Arlington, Texas.

"First, we know each other well enough that they can't lie about us without having to face up to their lies," Wade said.

Wade said when he ran for the state convention presidency in 1995, political opponents circulated rumors that he does not believe in the virgin birth of Christ. Baptists in Texas knew him well enough to know such rumors were lies, he continued.

But similar tactics worked when another Texan, Winfred Moore, ran for president of the SBC in 1986, Wade continued. Accusations circulated that the longtime pastor of First Church in Amarillo was a "liberal," and messengers voted against him, even though Moore is actually a theological conservative.

In addition to knowing each other, Texas Baptists started early to head off a conservative takeover, Wade said. In 1987, conservative leader Paige Patterson announced intentions to gain control of the Texas convention, as well as Baylor University and the Baptist Standard newspaper.

"Thanks to Paige's threat," Texas Baptists prepared early to resist a takeover, Wade said. And that led to the third factor, the work of Texas Baptists Committed, he said, which "found out the truth" about the positive work of the state convention and the threats of political takeover.

Texas Baptists Committed's executive director, David Currie of San Angelo, said his group has several "serious" differences with conservatives controlling the SBC, including their view of the nature of God. "A traditional Baptist believes in the grace of God," Currie said. God freely extends grace to unworthy humans, he said. In contrast, he claimed his opponents have "thrown rocks" at individuals, Woman's Missionary Union, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Texas Baptists for several years.

"Why do they throw rocks?" he asked. "Because they see themselves as morally superior to you and me. ... We don't think that way. We don't have one among us who is better than [SBC leaders] Paul Pressler, Paige Patterson, Al Mohler and [Southern Baptists of Texas President] Miles Seaborn. We're wholly dependent on the grace of God."

Both Wade and Currie affirmed the recent report of the BGCT Effectiveness/Efficiency (E/E) Committee, which will be considered by messengers to the Convention's annual meeting this fall. Both of them said the report and its recommendations frankly acknowledge the differences and challenges facing Texas Baptists.

"I'm pleased with the E/E report," Wade said. "Some people will try to under-sell the report. It does not call for a radical break, but you need to know this document will enable some changes to be made." Those changes include expanded educational opportunities for bivocational ministers, new options for Sunday School literature, a stronger emphasis on families and "where people live," and increased opportunities for missions education and missions action, Currie reported. The report developed out of differences, he acknowledged, but he stressed the response is positive.

Currie recalled SBC leaders' response in 1994, when Texas Baptists broadened their definition of cooperative funding for denominational ministries. "The SBC said, 'The sky is falling!'" he said. "But what happened? Gifts to the BGCT and the SBC have soared. When we gave Texas Baptists freedom, they responded and gave more."

The same response will happen again, he predicted. "What Texas Baptists are saying is we have differences, and we need to be responsible for what God has called us to do," Currie said. "I think God is calling Texas Baptists away from the [denominational] fight. ... We've got a state that needs Christ desperately, and a world that we can never lose sight of."