There's been some discussion lately about the appropriateness of employees of SBC entities serving as messengers to the SBC Meeting. Much of this was sparked by a post on Twitter from Tom Buck. Undeniable fact: If the votes of SBC employees were removed from the vote in Nashville... and only the votes of everyday SBC pastors and church members were left... Mike Stone would've won in a landslide. — Tom Buck (Five Point Buck) (@TomBuck) August 12, 2021 While it's impossible to know the truth of Pastor Buck's statement without assuming the motives and votes … [Read more...] about Should SBC employees be allowed as messengers at the Annual Meeting?
SBC Issues
Autonomy, abuse, and the Executive Committee
While the subject is before us, it may be helpful to provide some context. The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention is critically important even though it has a small budget (around $6 million, set at 2.95% of Cooperative Program national receipts) and a small staff. They do a lot. But here's what they don't do: They don't ordain ministers (and, thus, they cannot revoke ordinations). They don't assign pastors to SBC churches. They don't supervise pastors of any SBC church. They don't fire pastors or staff of any SBC church. They don't supervise … [Read more...] about Autonomy, abuse, and the Executive Committee
The independent Sex Abuse Task Force: Questions and observations [unusually long, but read it anyway].
The Sex Abuse Task Force authorized by convention motion in June is living and active and has a website with updates. On June 16, 2021 the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, TN overwhelming passed the following motion: “I move that the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting June 15-16, 2021, in Nashville, TN, ask the newly elected president of the SBC to appoint a task force within 30 days of the date of this Convention that shall be comprised of members of Baptist churches cooperating with this Convention and experts in sexual abuse and the handling of sexual abuse-related … [Read more...] about The independent Sex Abuse Task Force: Questions and observations [unusually long, but read it anyway].
Obituaries and news reports in the COVID-19 era
A well-known Southern Baptist evangelist died yesterday of pneumonia and COVID-19. While I wasn't acquainted with the 51-year old man, the Baptist Press report of his death quoted a couple of pastors local to me. It was a tragic death that is being mourned all over the SBC. I join those who pray for comfort and peace for his family and friends. Notable in the Baptist Press article was this sentence: "Baptist Press was unable to confirm whether he had received the COVID-19 vaccine." Vaccination, I have been reminded, sometimes brusquely, is a personal choice and a private matter. I don't … [Read more...] about Obituaries and news reports in the COVID-19 era
Most SBCers, naturally, live in SEC country
The SEC ventures west of the Mississippi to poach the University of Texas and Oklahoma University from the Big 12. The Big 12 was mostly the Big 1 and Eleven Others. Whatever, the SEC was already the dominant college athletic conference and adding Oklahoma, four college playoff appearances, enhanced that. Maybe Texas being in the SEC will motivate them to find a way to join the top tier in ways other than big hat talk. Credit to the Longhorns for beating Georgia in a less meaningful non-playoff bowl a few years ago. A win is a win and this Dawg fan doesn't make excuses for his team's losing, … [Read more...] about Most SBCers, naturally, live in SEC country
Are SBC Annual Meeting resolutions more harmful than helpful?
Answer: Absolutely...sometimes. Recent history makes this longtime SBC observer wonder if we would not be better off to find another approach to issues of note. What would that approach look like? I'm not sure but if the current system is a net negative then smart SBC people should find the more positive alternative. For some years I've taken the more radical position that we should eliminate resolutions entirely as an agenda item for the annual meeting. We've had, supposedly, the smartest people around to lead and populate the Committee on Resolutions, a committee that is directly … [Read more...] about Are SBC Annual Meeting resolutions more harmful than helpful?
I’m all vaxxed up. What to do as the delta variant revs up?
My wife and I went to our small town farmers market last Saturday. It was located behind the court house and there were a dozen or so vendors, hobbyists, veggie and fruit sellers. As soon as we had we walked into the area, I spotted a young guy headed for me. "Man," I thought, "this is some aggressive squash seller." Turns out he was with the health department which had a tent giving free COVID vaccines. "I'm all vaxxed up." I told him. "Have been since March." I'm pleased that local health people are semi-aggressive in promoting vaccinations. Frankly, it's a drop dead easy … [Read more...] about I’m all vaxxed up. What to do as the delta variant revs up?
Why I Am Glad I Joined the Conservative Baptist Network (Greg Davidson)
(Editor's Note: We often open our pages to counterpoint posts. Greg is an "SBC Voice" and even though none of us on the Voices team are CBN and generally oppose the organization strongly, we are willing to give opposing views.) I am a California pastor who loves pastoring in the great state of California with some of the most courageous pastors I have ever had the privilege of knowing and serving alongside. This past year we have stood as brothers through persecution, financial distress, declining church attendance, and a spiritual, mental, and emotional crisis among our church members that … [Read more...] about Why I Am Glad I Joined the Conservative Baptist Network (Greg Davidson)
The Snarling Dogs of “Discernment”
I first went to Africa in 1988, a life-changing trip to Tanzania. Eastern Africa teems with exotic wildlife and our missionary host told us many stories about encounters he'd had with the animals people travel the world to see. One interesting tidbit he shared with us stuck with me. He asked us what we thought might be considered the most dangerous animal in Africa. Lions are greatly feared, as are cape buffalo. It was either orangutans or baboons that were especially dangerous, but he told us that one of the most feared animals was a pack of wild dogs. If you encountered such a pack in the … [Read more...] about The Snarling Dogs of “Discernment”
Diversity and Unity in the Gospel
Growing up, I had the privilege of living in West Berlin, Germany during the Cold War (1981-1986). While in Berlin, my family attended Berlin Baptist Church, an international church whose members came from England, Lebanon, Vietnam, Indonesia, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia, Germany, and Cambodia. Being a part of such a diverse body of believers. taught me two important lessons. First, I learned to celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity as a gift of God. Each culture at our church possessed different customs and cultural expressions. Even though we had English in common, our native … [Read more...] about Diversity and Unity in the Gospel