I became the interim editor of SBC Voices about a month ago. You may have noticed that nothing has drastically changed around here. I don’t have some grand vision for the site. I’m just holding the fort down for a few months while our fearless leader focuses on the Pastor’s Conference. But I thought it would be good for me to give you an idea of my philosophy in leading the site. So, like a good Baptist preacher, I have three points.
- It’s called SBC Voices
This is a blog focused on the Southern Baptist Convention. Prior to becoming a contributor and now interim editor, I did not come to SBC Voices to do my devotions. I came here to discuss things going on within the Southern Baptist Convention. I came to get news that I had not seen in other places, and discuss that news with people of various perspectives. I intend to maintain that focus.
We do sometimes post articles that are more devotional in nature. We do post articles about various things going on within the broader evangelical world. Some political posts even showed up here from time to time during the election.
But this blog is primarily about the SBC. You can submit articles that are not even remotely related to the SBC and I will consider them. You can certainly submit articles that are loosely related, and they will likely be posted. But the highest priority will be given to articles addressing SBC related issues.
- It’s called SBC Voices.
Okay, this point is the same as the first one. But the emphasis is now on the last word. This site is not about one voice. I desire to have various viewpoints represented on the site. The goal is not to provide a platform for myself and those agree with me. My goal is to have posts that represent a variety of viewpoints across the spectrum of SBC life.
Now, there are limits. Strongly worded posts are fine. Vitriolic hit pieces won’t be posted. It may sometimes appear that SBC Voices is pro this or that. Perhaps it seems that we are on one particular side of a certain issue. If it appears that way, it’s because those are the articles that have been written and submitted.
If you see an article about an issue in SBC life, and you have a different opinion, write an article from your perspective. Send it to me at pastoradamblosser[at]gmail[dot]com. And if it’s a well-written article providing a differing perspective, I’ll be happy to post it. So, keep that in mind as you read. Me allowing an article to be posted does not equal endorsement.
- Light-handed comment moderation.
Everyone has a different idea about this one. I do not like to delete comments. I much prefer to allow the discussion to go on without my interference. That doesn’t mean I’ll never interfere. We’ve had some racists show up before who needed to be shut down and were. Sometimes things turn personal, and I do not plan to allow that. But for the most part, I will allow the discussion to continue.
One of the things that makes this site great is the comments section. It is a place where Southern Baptists can come to discuss the various issues within our convention. It’s good to hear from other pastors and laypeople outside our local areas. It’s good to hear perspectives that are different from our own. It challenges us. And it either causes us to change our mind, or it helps us articulate why it is that we believe what we believe.
I believe I’ve benefited from this site since I first discovered it several years ago. I hope many of you have as well. I trust that SBC Voices will continue to be a place where diverse opinions are welcomed and where civil discourse can flourish.
Dave has done a great job with the site, and you are doing so, as well.
Thanks for making this forum available.
Good job. I like that some new voices have articles.
Well said. Our one aim, our single focus is to see the lost get saved. We may not agree on some topics, but we need to listen, really listen to each other and remind ourselves who is really important…Jesus. Thank you for what you do as our moderator for this forum.
I pushed back on Adam a little about the comments. In general I favor a hands-off comments approach and this website has done well with most participants contributing to healthy discussion. We’ve also had some unhealthy practices displayed and I’ve asked Adam if it’s better to intervene more often than we do. I’m not talking about censoring viewpoints. I’m talking about general practices that cause the comments section to break down and become unhelpful. A few examples: I wonder if we should delete comments that contain false accusations. Why let tabloid rumors and false statements stick around here for our… Read more »
I find SBC Voices to the a great forum for both laymen and pastors in the SBC world. The thing that makes this site especially valuable to me is that it is accessible to the “guy in the pew”. If only pastors and denominational people were hanging out here then there would be a vacuum. Layman should be interested in what is going on. After all, it is us layman that are paying the lion’s share of the bills to keep the operations of the SBC and all of its constituent churches going. As a layman myself I often wonder,… Read more »
Adam, I’ll take your post as an opportunity to share. I’ve been posting on discussion boards and blogs for a long time. Those who know me or have interacted with me know that I am not a Southern Baptist, but it is good from time to time to remind others who might want to put an “asterisk” on my posts. As Baptists we share many of the same interests and same concerns (e.g., theological beliefs, ecclesiological practices and moral principles). In discussing these interests and concerns, we can benefit from one another. Issues relevant to Southern Baptists aren’t necessarily relevant… Read more »