SBC Issues

I don't think that any member of any church I ever pastored knew what the Executive Committee of the SBC was. The exception to that might have been the guy who pastored SBC churches for some years who paid much closer attention to all the SBC inside baseball talk. Aside from him, the EC might as well have been some group of no-name SBCphiles who look, feel, and sound important but do little that affects my local church. The EC is not even a tiny blip on the average SBC member's radar. 'Obscure' wouldn't be the word for it in regard to the many million SBC members. 'Unknown' would be a better … [Read more...] about The obscure and mysterious SBC Executive Committee

I wrote an article suggesting that the IMB should hire a president with field experience. I wrote an article (maybe more than one) detailing the qualities we needed in an Executive Board president - none of which was heeded. I wrote that the presence of five entity openings was a perfect time for the SBC to break our all-white history. We have long believed that NOBTS was the best chance and most appropriate place for that to happen. Clearly, my writings carried great weight! Literally, NOTHING I wanted, argued or appealed for happened. What should a person like me do? I have … [Read more...] about I Didn’t Get My Way. What Do I Do Now ? Living in the SBC

Dennis Ellingburg is one of the authors at  Smallchurchshepherds, It is devoted to assisting those who serve smaller churches in the SBC. Every year, thousands of men and women from across the country gather in cities from Phoenix, Arizona to Atlanta, Georgia to meet with other members of the Southern Baptist Convention for the Annual Meeting. This year, I am planning on going to Birmingham for the meetings and am excited to give you three reasons why I think you should go to. We need CONNECTION One of the main reasons why I love conventions and conferences is because of the … [Read more...] about Why I’m Going to the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention (Dennis Ellingburg)

I always had an interest in the people in my congregations who served in World War II. I can only recall a single person who was killed while serving and, thus, is one for whom we have this Memorial Day observance and holiday. Numerous relatives served in that war and many of these were wounded. My father-in-law was only a couple hundred yards from battleship row at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He saw it all but his ship, a destroyer, was not attacked nor hit. He later was only feet from where a Kamikaze hit that same destroyer a few years later. He was wounded but not killed. My … [Read more...] about A Memorial Day weekend story

Just prior to each SBC annual meeting LifeWay releases the compiled statistics for the previous year just in time for anyone who was feeling pretty smug about how the sun never sets on the SBC to be jostled back to reality. Here's the positive-spin Facts and Trends article title: GIVING INCREASES IN 2018 FOR SBC, BAPTISMS, ATTENDANCE CONTINUE DECLINE. Thank God we have a few more dollars to spend on things, many of which don't positively impact folks being saved and baptized. Ronnie Floyd, in his first chance as SBC Executive Committee CEO to react to the statistical report said, “While … [Read more...] about The annual SBC statistical weepfest now available

Some things to keep in mind about this study: The study is about "sexual misconduct" a broad category that includes sexual harrassment, abuse, etc. Surveys did not ask respondents if they were victims "of child sexual abuse or sex assault because of mandatory reporting requirements." While the survey was of Protestant churchgoers, there are more Southern Baptist respondents than random sampling would yield. When weighted, the responses are sufficient (LR says) to be accurate in regard to Southern Baptists.   Some interesting results: High percentages of churchgoers say … [Read more...] about LifeWay researches sexual misconduct

I am glad Bart is on his sabbatical on Mt. Ararat or Disneyworld or wherever, because I may say some things about him I would hate for him to hear. Better to speak behind his back. A few years ago he mentioned needing someone to minister to a UUPG his church had identified next to his UUPG called the Bayot in the Casamance region of Southern Senegal. I was looking for something like this and I said I would go. I hung out with Bart for a week and had a great time. Here's the part I am not sure I have ever told Dr. Barber. I spent much of that week trying to concoct a reasonable excuse … [Read more...] about “You Want Me to Do WHAT?”

I can't think of any topic that will dominate the SBC Annual Meeting in Birmingham moreso than sex abuse. While the SBC is meeting in Birmingham, sex abuse victim advocates and victims will hold a rally. This is the ForSuchATimeAsThisRally. It will be held outside the convention center on Tuesday, June 11, from 5 to 6:45 pm. Stated goals include: Women should be respected and honored within the SBC. The low view of women has contributed to an abuse-empowering church culture. A clergy abuse database must be established documenting confessed, convicted or credibly accused abusers. … [Read more...] about Sex abuse victim advocates and victims will rally in Birmingham #SBC19

We are now just 21 days from the start of 2019 Southern Baptist Convention. You know by now that the theme established by SBC President JD Greear is Gospel Above All from 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. I am looking forward to being in Birmingham for a couple of days as we hear reports, consider recommendations, and celebrate what God is doing in and through our convention of churches. The schedule for this year's annual meeting was released a few weeks ago. You can find it on the annual meeting website or at Baptist Press. The proposed schedule must be approved by the messengers once we arrive in … [Read more...] about 2019 SBC Annual Meeting Schedule