I join my colleagues here in expressing sorrow and lament for so many victims of horrible abuse in churches and entities of our convention. We may differ on some aspects of recommended changes but not on that. _____________________ Last year after some disastrous Zoom meetings many were calling for the SBC Executive Committee to revert to relative obscurity, to be led by an efficient administrator and to return to properly and quietly carrying out their responsibilities. With the Sex Abuse Task Force, Guidepost investigation, report, recommendations, and reactions, it appears that the … [Read more...] about Our 86 member Executive Committee and sex abuse in the Convention
Remote voting for the SBC Annual Meeting gets yet another kick in the teeth…
...and it's a well-deserved, well-aimed roundhouse kick against remote voting. For the umpteenth time, the Executive Committee had a motion referral that asked for an examination and approval of a form of remote voting for the SBC Annual Meeting. Yawn, here we go again. You have to register and be approved as a messenger, receive your ballots to be optically scanned (a technology at least as old as I am), get your physical self into the convention hall at the time a vote is taken, cast your paper ballot and await the results. No phone votes. No votes from the hallways. No proxy votes. … [Read more...] about Remote voting for the SBC Annual Meeting gets yet another kick in the teeth…
2021 SBC data is out; round up the usual suspects but note a few quirky things
If you want to see autonomy in action, look at all the footnotes from the 2021 Annual Church Profile. The ACP is collected by the state conventions, 41 of them. Fully ten states don't collect some of the data and the vocabulary and terms used for some categories differs. No big deal but each of the state conventions is autonomous and doesn't have to do what LifeWay asks. The states could collect data on left-handed clergy if they wished, not a bad idea. And no church has to give all data or any data. Carol Pipes has an informative story on the 2021 ACP here. Generally, all statistics … [Read more...] about 2021 SBC data is out; round up the usual suspects but note a few quirky things
Guidepost report to be released May 15th; Some EC members get a preview this coming Tuesday
The day is drawing nigh for the report of the Sex Abuse Task Force, the Guidepost Solutions, LLC report that forms the basis and body of the SATF report and "suggestions" for convention action in June. [An important note: I have no complaint about the SATF, their work, their public statements, or anything else on the matter. I was wary of the whole process and wrote about it here and here. It's fair to say that among the SBC Voices team I am the most concerned about where this will lead us as a convention; nonetheless, I remain optimistic about the SATF suggestions, that they will be … [Read more...] about Guidepost report to be released May 15th; Some EC members get a preview this coming Tuesday
The sex abuse database, surely coming to a denomination near you
I am not the SBC Voices expert on sex abuse, nor on any component of SBC sex abuse solutions. But, I do read the things that pertain to it. Last week I wrote an article about the Sex Abuse Task Force and the deadline that is drawing near for the report of the investigative firm, Guidepost Solutions, LLC, to be released to the SATF. We are less than a month from that. The SATF gets an additional week after the report to digest it and make "suggestions" to the SBC. After that week the full Guidepost report plus the SATF suggestions must be released so we can all read it. We have less than … [Read more...] about The sex abuse database, surely coming to a denomination near you
Yea, 25 days until the Guidepost final sex abuse report is released
The SBC has never done anything like this. That is, to have an unelected group (the Sex Abuse Task Force, appointed by SBC president Ed Litton) and give them an undefined and essentially unlimited budget to spend on an independent group which is to "review includes an investigation into any allegations of abuse, mishandling of abuse, mistreatment of victims, a pattern of intimidation of victims or advocates, and resistance to sexual abuse reform initiatives." (The full motion and other questions about the SATF and its work may be found here.) So, here we are less than a month before … [Read more...] about Yea, 25 days until the Guidepost final sex abuse report is released
Wonderful Easter at two churches…to worship, see, and be seen
I was present for worship on Resurrection Sunday morning, not in one but two separate churches. It was a great Lord's Day. In my current church there were three services and my wife was singing in the choir for each one, leaving yours truly with extra time to scout around. Our church is a large, thriving church. It is also my home church from long ago prior to seminary and service as a pastor. I love the family atmosphere on Easter with kids being dressed up - little girls in frilly, lacy, brightly colored dresses. Some little boys in outfits with suspenders and bow ties. Ah, … [Read more...] about Wonderful Easter at two churches…to worship, see, and be seen
The Crucifixion of Jesus
The Crucifixion of Jesus 32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews. … [Read more...] about The Crucifixion of Jesus
Missouri Baptists show us how to trash the Cooperative Program
One would think that Holy Week would be a week for NOT publishing controversial hard SBC news but since the Missouri state paper, The Pathway, chose yesterday to post a piece explaining how their state convention is undermining the venerable Cooperative Program, a timely response is needed. You don't have to agree with my take on this. Just don't complain about political posts being made during this, the holiest week of the Christian calendar. Churches now able to withhold funds from SBC entities in MBC's new 'Plan B' giving option State conventions are the collecting agents for our … [Read more...] about Missouri Baptists show us how to trash the Cooperative Program
Rejoice greatly!
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ________________ Have a great Lord's Day and Holy Week! … [Read more...] about Rejoice greatly!