I witnessed two passionate pleas for the GCR report tonight. One offended me and the other moved me deeply.
Ronnie Floyd took a few minutes to harangue us about the need to vote for the GCR. It was a full court press for votes that would have made Bobby Knight proud. He asserted that God’s Spirit was behind the report and made it pretty much impossible to love the gospel and disapprove of the GCR. It was a prototypical, high-pressure emotional appeal.
I hate emotional manipulation and pressure tactics. They should not be necessary to anyone who is doing the work of God. If God is in something, if it is his will, the Spirit will move hearts to come in line. If the GCR is God’s will (as Floyd clearly believes) he does not need to emotionally manipulate and pressure the messengers. Put the truth forward and trust the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts.
I was especially taken aback at something Mac Brunson said. He told us that the Task Force are the leaders of the convention on this issue. I inferred (and I do not think I am being unfair here) that he was saying that we should submit to the will of the Task Force and stop questioning the Report. I found it unseemly.
I have argued strongly for the the GCR, but Floyd and Brunson’s pressure tactics and manipulation could have turned me off to the report if it went on much longer.
But, then David Platt stepped to the stage. What a difference that was. Here was a young pastor, humble and straightforward – none of the high-pressure stuff. He opened the Book of Romans and challenged us – not so much to vote on a report, but to sacrifice “our lives, our churches, even our entire convention” to bring the gospel to the 6000+ unreached people groups. He was passionate, biblical and forceful. Go online and get the CD! He did not play to emotion but he moved my heart. He challenged us to lives of sacrifice and commitment.
He said, “God help us if we cannot sacrifice percentages and programs when God has called us to sacrifice our very lives!” He laid it on the line and asked us, in the light of the glory of God, the truth of the gospel, and the needs of a lost world, how we could continue to keep our resources to ourselves in the Southern United States.
What was the difference? David Platt pulled out his Bible and demonstrated a biblical imperative – sacrifice in the cause of Christ. He convinced me, he did not bully me or pressure me. He challenged me to a life of sacrifice in the name of Christ.
Thank you, David Platt, for ending the night on a very high note.
I hate to point this out Dave, but I appreciate you showing how the young guy showed up the old guys! 😉
More seriously, I am very thankful for Platts heart and ministry. Who would have thought the Bible and the Holy Spirit would be enough? Im grateful for Platts example!
If the SBC has many David Platts coming along, the future is BRIGHT!
I’m 52 and an overseas missionary. Your report indicates the divide between the “get-its” and those who don’t. The days of emotional appeals that point to denominational loyalty are over (they should have been over long ago). Thanks for the insider look.
Vance Pitman won.
I would love to get the CDs. Unfortunately, the convention’s outside contracting of their audio/video resources for the pastor’s conference requires that I take out a small mortgage in order to do so.
from the sounds of it, he basically preached much of one of his chapters from Radical: “There is no Plan B”.
David,
Thanks for the reporting.
Who was elected president of Pastor’s Conference?
David R. Brumbelow
Vance Pitman was elected. One of my favorite parts of the day. I don’t know much about Pitman, but I know enough about Gramling to be quite happy he didn’t get it.
David and Chris,
Thanks for the information. Interesting election.
A couple more interesting votes coming up.
David R. Brumbelow
What are yall making of Wade Burleson’s blog this morning about all the intrigue of the Closed Door EC meeting yesterday and the relatively close vote 44-30 bringing Page officially in?
I appreciate the tone of the author of this blog, David Miller. He speaks after my own heart, when he says he does not care for manipulation. Many of those who are raising questions about the GCR are not doing so just to be contentious and cantankerous. I might not agree with Morris Chapman, theologically, but I do recognize that he has a right to raise legitimate questions about the possible impact of the GCR on the Cooperative Program. And I think he has done so, and we ought to listen. Dr. Larry Lewis also issued 12 questions about the… Read more »
And then this morning in the President’s Message, Dr. Hunt was very clear that if we disagree about the task force conclusions and recommendations that we are to be numbered with the 10 who refused to believe and forced everyone else to stay in the wilderness.
All we must really do is listen to the younger pastors who will teach us what it really means to be sacrificial and great commission oriented.
This is getting a little overbearing.
Ranks right up there with the pastor in Bossier City, LA who equated those who were against his church building a 200 ft. cross to being against the Cross of Christ.
I’m starting to think either one of two things:
1. There is a overt push about this GCR report in all that is going on in order to turn people against it.
2. There is a great amount of discord that hasn’t come to the surface and they’re racing to try and squelch it before the vote.
Not much to add other than I appreciate your post/perspective.