Members of the Executive Committee and fellow Southern Baptists, I hope you guys are doing great. It’s been a nice, quiet season for me, so I’m just grateful to be here. When I got nominated to be SBC President, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. I told a lot of people that in some ways I felt like the proverbial dog that had caught the school bus--spent all that time barking, “now what?” I knew there was a lot I needed to learn, and only a fool jumps forward in confidence when he should sit back, examine and learn. I’m reminded of the story of a small plane carrying 4 people … [Read more...] about J.D. Greear’s Address to SBC Executive Committee Last Monday Night, 2/18/19
SBC Institutions & Entities
Bylaws Workgroup Statement Charts Course for Return to 20th Century
It may be the fastest decision a Baptist committee has ever reached. A workgroup within the SBC Executive Committee has assured us that most of the churches named in the Houston Chronicle’s sexual abuse exposé do not warrant any further investigation. Late Saturday, the bylaws workgroup released a statement through Baptist Press. Both the content and the spirit of the statement are at serious odds with what we saw last week from the Executive Committee meeting. Last week we saw leadership, particularly from SBC President J.D. Greear, that showed determination to move us forward in … [Read more...] about Bylaws Workgroup Statement Charts Course for Return to 20th Century
SBC President J.D. Greear Outlines 10 Action Steps in Response to Sexual Abuse Controversy
Last night during the SBC Executive Committee meeting, J.D. Greear outlined action steps based on the work of the presidential study group on sexual abuse. A number of reports were coming out from media outlets via social media during the meeting. It was clear that the meeting, from the beginning, aimed to take the situation with the utmost gravity with calls for repentance and lament. The steps Greear laid out were serious and, in some ways, unprecedented for an SBC President. In my view that accords with the leadership we need as we face this issue. Most helpful twitter coverage came from … [Read more...] about SBC President J.D. Greear Outlines 10 Action Steps in Response to Sexual Abuse Controversy
Addressing Abuse in the SBC: A Proposal (by Keith Whitfield & Malcom Yarnell)
Earlier this week, the Houston Chronicle published three articles – “Abuse of Faith,” “Offend, Then Repeat,” and “Preying on Teens” – concerning some 200 ministers in more than 700 abuse cases occurring in Southern Baptist churches over the past 20 years. These articles properly sparked numerous conversations about how Southern Baptists might respond both as local churches and through our cooperative structures. These conversations increasingly call for both immediate and longer-term responses. Immediate Responses As SBC president J.D. Greear urged, our first immediate response must be grief … [Read more...] about Addressing Abuse in the SBC: A Proposal (by Keith Whitfield & Malcom Yarnell)
An Unreported Component of the Sexual Abuse Problem
By now most of you will have read The Houston Chronicle's second article on sexual abuse in the SBC. I believe that the reporting by The Chronicle, taken together with the responses by various Southern Baptists on this site and in other places, offers us a painful examination of a few undeniable facts: People who want to abuse children sexually are able quite easily to gain access to our pews and our pulpits and are using that proximity to pick off innocent lambs within the flock. If it has served their self-interest to do so, other Southern Baptists have far too often, rather than … [Read more...] about An Unreported Component of the Sexual Abuse Problem
Greear Announces Most Diverse Ever Committee on Committees
Yesterday afternoon through Baptist Press, SBC President J.D. Greear announced his appointments for the 2019 Committee on Committees. The demographic makeup of this committee, which is reported in accordance with a 2015 Executive Committee recommendation (adopted by vote of the entire SBC), includes the following details: 34% of the committee is female, 50% of the committee is ethnic minority, and over 50% come from churches of less than 250 in attendance. The average Cooperative Program giving of the churches represented is 7.66% and the average age of committee members is 43. We are … [Read more...] about Greear Announces Most Diverse Ever Committee on Committees
A Good Step: SBC President Names Diverse Resolutions Committee
A few hours ago, Baptist Press reported that the Resolutions Committee for #SBC19 has been named by SBC President, J.D. Greear. Last week it was reported that the chair of that committee would be Curtis Woods of Kentucky. Now, the rest of the committee has been named. It will not go unnoticed that this resolutions committee is one of the most diverse committees we’ve seen and includes members from a wide spectrum of SBC life. It also should not go unnoticed that the people selected for this committee are of the highest caliber and are well qualified for the task. President Greear has chosen … [Read more...] about A Good Step: SBC President Names Diverse Resolutions Committee
The Man We Need in Nashville
We are shaped by our experiences and my year as president of the SBC Pastors’ Conference opened my eyes in many ways. I saw the very best of the SBC and I saw some things that disturbed me greatly. I was blown away at the support we received from our entities as they helped a group of smaller church pastors put on what our feedback indicated was a successful conference. We also saw resistance from those who felt the conference belonged to the celebrity pastors and that by running and winning that election we had done something wrong. But from the day we found out we had won to the day we … [Read more...] about The Man We Need in Nashville
One SBC pastor’s candid look at SWBTS’ financial challenges
Note to readers: This analysis is from Jon Canler who says, "I often read the SBC Voices blog, but I don't comment. I did notice your question about SWBTS finances, a question I've been interested in since I was made aware of allegations of a significant borrowing of restricted funds for unrestricted use. I'm a graduate of SBTS; however, two of my pastors who have been a massive influence in my life are SWBTS grads. I want to see this SBC institution, from which my life has significantly been influenced for Christ, thrive in all respects; hence, my concern personally, not to mention my concern … [Read more...] about One SBC pastor’s candid look at SWBTS’ financial challenges
SBC of Virginia Young Pastors Summit
Adam Blosser and I were able to attend the Young Pastors Summit today at the SBC of Virginia office near Richmond, Virginia. I've attended this meeting every year since 2014. The fellowship and networking is always refreshing. SBC of Virginia leadership does a good job of a putting together a quality program too. I know we had Tom Elliff a few years ago. Kevin Ezell joined us by video conference one year. This year Clyde Meador of the IMB was with us and Thom Rainer spoke by video conference as well. The Young Pastors Summit is a helpful event that affords pastors the opportunity to … [Read more...] about SBC of Virginia Young Pastors Summit