After following the annual meeting for a few years, I’ve noticed that there is always a few surprises. This is good because it gives us bloggers something to talk about. Louisville is getting close, so here’s your chance to put your foot into your mouth.
What Do You Predict For The SBC 2009 Meeting?
Here is what I expect, correct me in the comments and leave your own predictions.
- They will vote for a study committee to explore merging IMB and NAMB.
- They will vote for a study committee to explore the name change.
- They will keep pressure on State Conventions to send more CP down to Nashville.
- Attendance will be up thanks to location, but all other statistics will show our convention is still declining.
- Few or zero dissenting opinions will be heard. This one will be all about building unity around GCR.
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1. They will vote for a study to study doing a study about the effectiveness of doing studies.
2. During meal times the BI guys will blame the younger, reformed, calvinists…heck anyone for the decline….and the younger, reformed, calvinists will blame the BI and just about anyone else.
3. Drastic changes could be made to existing leadership structures but they won’t.
4. The GCR will be embraced and by doing so we will safely avoid having to actually change anything.
5. Many chickens will lose their lives.
Hopefully, Broadway Baptist will be declared to no longer be in friendly cooperation with the SBC due to its completely unbiblical handling of unrepentant, openly homosexual members.
Joe Blackmons last blog post..Book Review: Christianity in Crisis-21st Century
Jerry Corbelay and Wade Burleson will sing a duet.
Darby Livingstons last blog post..A Scalpel or a Sword: Surgery or Slaughter?
Calvinism will be poked in the eye and blamed for many things, both directly and indirectly. Scriptural sufficiency will not be addressed at all. The direction of the convention will not change, and the lack of CP funds from the largest churches will not be addressed.
Frank Turks last blog post..Weekend Red Meat
Cent. the optimist… or realist.
Darby Livingstons last blog post..A Scalpel or a Sword: Surgery or Slaughter?
Calvinism and alcohol will be demonized.
Stan McCullarss last blog post..Reagan at the 40th Anniversary of D-day
1. the Pastor’s Conference will be more enjoyable than the business meetings.
2. the post meeting blog bickering will be mostly about resolutions passed/not passed/not presented.
3. exceptional bargains will be available in the “bookstore”
4. most votes will be by affirmation meaning that any meaningful decisions will be void of debate and hence decided by the ruling elite rather than the convention
5. if a resolution to affirm Barrack Hussein Obama as the first black POTUS is brought forward I will dissent unless his atrocities are included in it…such as in this example:
Whereas Barak Hussein Obama, though he may not have evidence of his Constitutional eligibility to be president, and whereas his policies are neo-Marxist and whereas he has no regard for unborn children, and whereas he uses race as a litmus,
We resolve to acknowledge the historic occasion of a black man being elected President of the United States of America. God help us all.
E. Scott Harts last blog post..Blog End
1. I will run into an old friend with whom I had lost contact.
2. I will meet someone new and be encouraged in the Lord because of what God is doing in and through their ministry.
3. I will have a conversation about some controversial SBC topic with someone who has a different view than me and will walk away with a sense of sweet fellowship despite our opposing views.
4. I will hear something in one of the messages that God wanted me to hear and it will stick with me.
5. I will be motivated to come back to my church and lead by example toward greater commitment and participation in world evangelization.
Whereas Barak Hussein Obama, though he may not have evidence of his Constitutional eligibility to be president, and whereas his policies are neo-Marxist and whereas he has no regard for unborn children, and whereas he uses race as a litmus,
Joe Blackmons last blog post..Book Review: Christianity in Crisis-21st Century
I get the feeling that I’m the only one who is foolish enough to try a real prediction. Any takers for real SBC headlines to expect?
Tony,
What part of my point 5 did you not think was a real prediction? I’m completely serious.
Although, the GCR may garner some momentum for discussion it lacks teeth for real impact and will wind up giving warm fuzzies for few moments.
IMB/NAMB merger has merit but not likely secondary to funding offerings/traditions and mission dissimilarties.
I expect the Finnians (Arminians) will probably try to gut the Doctrine of Grace (Calvinist) adherents in some sort of CBF style belly aching instigated by one side or the other. Then the Calvinists will whine and threaten to go to Advance instead of standing their ground for biblical truths. Or the Arminians will moan and threaten another John 3:16 conference.
And the bookstore will have bargains!!
E. Scott Harts last blog post..Blog End
Scott & Todd – you guys are ok
The whole angle on Obama will play bad in the press either way.
1. The phrase “the young Pastors are leaving the SBC,” or something very similar to this phrase, will be used 1,001 times.
2. The phrase “We’ve got to get away from the 1950’s model of Church” will be used 848 times.
3. In the hallways, there will be some people moaning and groaning about those landmark, fundamentalists wanting to hold the SBC down.
4. Several young Pastors will bring a 6 pack into the convention hall, and will drink them openly, in order to put the drinking issue in everyone’s face.
5. There will be many Pastors there with bed heads, or with spiked hair….they will be wearing a little goattee, and they will be dressed like they just walked out of Aeropostale. They will probably have some cool sunglasses on their bodies somewhere, and they will have ipods on their person. They will drink Starbucks coffee, and they will eat healthy snacks of carrots and celery and Quaker Oats Energy bars.
David
1. Someone will write a blog or a story in BP about more under-40 people at the Annual Meeting, but that will only be because of the Meeting right down the street from SBTS.
2. The toothless GCR statement will be embraced in BP and by speakers but nothing will really change.
3. Anything meaningful from the floor will be referred to the Executive Committee where it will die.
I’m a glass half empty guy when it comes to the SBC, if you can’t tell.
Tony,
I would be absolutely shocked if either a IMB/NAMB merger or name change motion/committee move was made.
Matt Privetts last blog post..Jon & Kate: “The Hills” for old people
With people like Dr. York and others supporting a NAMB and IMB merger there could possibly me a motion made. I am very hopeful, but doubtful about the name change.
Tony,
Perhaps you should have a post of predictions on what will not happen. As in, there will be no serious nominations for SBC President because of the two-year tradition.
Matt Privetts last blog post..Jon & Kate: “The Hills” for old people
Thanks. I’ll work on it.
Does anyone know of any resolutions that have at least been submitted for review by the Resolutions Committee?
Matt Privetts last blog post..Jon & Kate: “The Hills” for old people
Just Dr. Moore on Adoption
I know of one submitted asking churches to consider increasing CP giving by 1% of budget.
The attempt was made to make sure it was worded as a request to consider, not any form of insistence. We’ll see what happens to it.
.-= Doug´s last blog ..SBC Organization =-.
LOL!!
Wait…
That wasn’t a joke was it? Increase our churches CP by 1% and there won’t be electricity or water. We contribute regularly but not at the expense of the local mission of the church.
Decrease the expenditures and administration costs of the many and varied so-called SBC entities by 1% and the savings alone from that would surpass the “tax” on the local church.
.-= E. Scott Hart´s last blog ..Blog End =-.
No, it wasn’t a joke. And it isn’t a tax, anymore than the rest of the money your church sends to the CP and your local association is a tax. It’s an encouragement to look at whether or not we are doing what we can as churches to provide the support to our missionaries.
If your church is at the point that moving 1 penny for every dollar over to the Cooperative Program will cause you to lose your electricity and water, then I hope things get better soon.
Cut expenditures? Certainly, that’s going on. IMB has cut out new missionary appointments and suspended to international missions programs. I know each seminary is making cuts. I’m not sure what NAMB is doing, but I’m sure they’re doing something.
Most Southern Baptist churches can at the very least consider the possibility. There are certainly some that can’t afford it all. Some churches might, perhaps, find they can cut administration costs enough to increase what they use to support our cooperative efforts.
The Cooperative Program is a part of who we are as Southern Baptists. It’s been a part of what unites uswhether Calvinist or non-Calvinist; traditional music or contemporary; KJV, HCSB, NIV, NASB, or ESV; it’s really more important than the energy we’ve poured into and against political candidates over the last 20 years, since it’s about sharing the Gospel.
I support finding ways to improve efficiency. But we can’t cut off our people until those ways are found.
Doug
.-= Doug Hibbard´s last blog ..The resolution I sent to the SBC Resolutions Committee =-.
That will be interesting . . .
.-= Tony Kummer´s last blog ..Father’s Day & Kids Who Have Lost Their Dad =-.
1. Someone from KY or FL will be elected 1st vice president (gotta love those SBC traditions with no basis!)
2. Someone will name someone outlandish for 2nd VP (another term for Wiley Drake, anybody?)
3. Some interesting motions will be made…and buried by the EC
4. Some strange motions will be made…and we will all wonder why they were made
5. The Midwestern Seminary booth will have the most awesome staff (see you there!)…but will be overshadowed by and maybe pushed out of the way by the massive Southern Seminary display (no transportation costs!)
Andrews last blog post..Something more wholesome and kind!
David,
Several young Pastors will bring a 6 pack into the convention hall, and will drink them openly, in order to put the drinking issue in everyone’s face.
Someone has leaked this to the press… This was supposed to remain an absolute secret until we all get inside the building… now they will be searching our bags and we may not all get in…
I want to know who squealed?
Greg Alfords last blog post..The Disenfranchised in the SBC
Greg,
All I can tell you is that the squealer was drunk. That’s how we got it out of him. Drunks talk.
David
David,
Brother, I just spewed coffee all over my desk… LOL
Greg Alfords last blog post..The Disenfranchised in the SBC
1. There will be multiple motions in support of GCR. Those that fit the rules of order will pass.
2. There will be a surprise motion that undermines GCR but is worded in a way that seems like a vote against it would be a vote against Jesus. It will pass.
3. Following the approval of multiple, conflicting motions and/or resolutions, each SBC entity will interpret the will of the convention in whichever way is most convenient.
4. There will be proposals to create committees to study a name change, denominational restructuring, and the affect of Calvinism in the SBC. The former two committees will be approved, but the latter will not.
5. Johnny Hunt’s passion for missions and evangelism will inspire many pastors and will result in increased efforts by local churches to spread the gospel.
Daniel – good list
Greg,
I always try to be a blessing to someone every day!
David
All joking aside, I would hate for #1 to be truee… working on missions this week for VBS. This is my umpteeth time being the missions teacher and I love it. After having lived in Okinawa, and gone to the Philippines on a mission trip, plus working in a few stateside missions areas, I can promise you their needs are very different.
.-= Sallie´s last blog ..Trying to regroup after a virus…. =-.
Sallie,
I think number one would be a positive. I think it is time we stop viewing missions as territorial. Maybe I can get Dr. York to write why he thinks it needs to be done.
1) After breaking away from the Northern Baptists because our missionaries wanted to take their slaves onto the mission field, we will congratulate ourselves for an act of racial reconciliation.
2) There will be boos when Obama is mentioned.
3) Someone from one of the gay and lesbian re-closeting ministries will speak.
4) Broadway Baptist will be kicked out.
5) Wiley Drake will remain.
oh, and….
6) The Calvinists will say it was all predestined.