Back in January I did a “things to watch in 2017” piece.
Here’s my list:
- What will be the response to the revamped Pastors Conference in Phoenix? I thought it was very well done and well received.
- Will we start to see leadership transitions in southern states? Nope.
- Will limitless missionaries start to become a reality in 2017? I’m not seeing much different.
- Will we continue to see increasingly diverse representation on trustee boards? Well, I don’t know.
- What’s to come of the Russell Moore controversy? He apologized. I hope that was the last time we let an unelected megapastor hold an entity hostage.
- Will NAMB’s annual report on church plants reveal anything interesting about their SEND planting program? I haven’t heard complaints…yet.
- Will some Baptist Faith and Message loving Southern Baptist finally challenge a church doctrinal grounds? Nope. Seems we only get serious about the BFM if the question is about female pastors or the church’s approval of homosexuals.
- What state convention will sell their expensive, underutilized, dinosaur of a headquarters building? The Florida Convention did. Their $6.15 million sale (of which they gave 51% to the CP) is chump change compared to the Georgia convention building which is 8-10 times as valuable. The GBMB has indicated a willingness to sell. The building is the most underutilized state convention HQ in the SBC.
- What will happen in Phoenix when a non-male is the parliamentarian for one of the SBC annual meeting sessions? Good job.
- Will any major SBC entity have changes at the top? Nope.
SBC This Week had their own list. I stole several of theirs for my list above. The rest of theirs:
3. How will a Trump presidency affect religious liberty? I don’t see any change. The Johnson Amendment may be in the tax bill.
4. How will the new CSB translation from LifeWay be received? Can’t answer this. I’m still getting over the “Brave Girl Bible” at the LW convention bookstore.
5. Will the LifeWay building be occupied in 2017? Yeah, I think. I don’t believe this was on most SBCers agenda, though.
6. How will the changing online education landscape affect SBC seminaries and baptist colleges? Not sure how much of the new lanscape accounts for SWBTS’ financial troubles (they terminated about 10% of their fulltime workforce) but I’d guess that we will see more changes at all the schools as time passes.
9. How might Guidestone and their constituents be impacted by changes in health care and the possible elimination of the ACA? I’m not sure. GS’ prices on MediCare supplements aren’t much of a bargain. This is an area where state conventions could help pastors assess their options but I’m not sure they will.
10. How will the rural/urban divide in America influence SBC churches and revitalization efforts? Everyone has a revitalization program. I’m not seeing much measurable success. In my circles many rural churches are probably not a great place to invest a lot of revitalization resources. Call that ecclesiastical darwinianism.
Maybe I missed some things that happened. My SBC radar screen is only so large, doesn’t cover the whole SBC universe.
Using my ministerial measurement license, I’ll rule that I’m batting 1.000.
William – Will limitless missionaries start to become a reality in 2017? I’m not seeing much different.
Not limitless by any means but more happening than most realize. Comments from one living internationally and am seeing a difference.
Here are some random comments: I’ve heard rumors that Dr. Patterson will retire from Southwestern Seminary next summer. The common wisdom among seminary folks is that Liberty University’s online program is hurting enrollments at residential seminaries, and not just SBC seminaries. For sure “limitless” is the key word at the IMB these days. I have not seen any statistics on this, but I’ll pass them along if I do. I believe it is wonderful to have a female parliamentarian. We need to continue to push for more women and minorities on the boards of our institutions and agencies. In general… Read more »
Interesting scuttlebutt about Patterson….
Other SBC seminaries seem to be making adjustments, growing and therefore not struggling like SWBTS.
As an LUO Adjunct – your comment about our program may be right but the positive is on Liberty and their vision to educate as many with a Biblical worldview taught is real and happening.
If SWBTS is behind the ball on this one, it lies with SWBTS.
As many SBC leaders who have served on LU Trustee board over the years, we SBCers could have learned a few things about how to catch the wave of digital change.
My prediction was that David R Brumbelow was going to convert to the beer drinking baptists. However I was wrong. In the alternative, there are rumors he was seen in the scrub west of Robbstown, eating peyote buds and howling at the moon.
I have had plenty of battles with David, but he is neither drinking nor taking peyote. Please – no more of that.
Jake Barker, I haven’t heard from you in a while, hope you’re doing well. You seem to be your same cantankerous self. To give you an update, you’re right, I haven’t started drinking beer. I stay away from recreational, mind-altering drugs. Years ago I was in the Robstown, TX area, San Diego, TX to be more exact. Wasn’t looking for peyote (or partaking), but did a little hunting javelina and quail, trapped a coyote and hawk or two. Don’t worry about illegalities, I released the hawks uninjured. As for howling at the moon, I will neither confirm nor deny that… Read more »
My comment about Liberty University online was not meant as a criticism of Liberty. Liberty got ahead of the wave in regard to online education. Our SBC seminaries are way behind in that regard, though they are working hard to catch up. Several were dragged kicking and screaming into online education. Basically, market forces pushed them to develop online programs.
Mark – I didn’t think you were negative – I just didn’t know how others would read you. I was simply trying to comment.
LUO is 100,000+ strong. Lot’s of great things being done to build upon what is happening. Even on the adjuncts end. I’m loving it – the challenge and daily interaction with my students.
We have lot’s of military – that is exciting.
“In my circles many rural churches are probably not a great place to invest a lot of revitalization resources. Call that ecclesiastical darwinianism.” William, to me, this is the most interesting part of your post. It’s a tough call on whether certain churches would be better invested in or closed and the members join a nearby church. For many, it is a church of maybe 25-30 people, in an “area” with a name that has several hundred residents… that is maybe a 15 minute drive from a larger city of 2-10 thousand, with some churches that have 75-200 or more… Read more »