People sometimes declare themselves to be 4 point Calvinists, or 3 1/2 point Calvinists. I’ll describe myself as a 4 point Jurkovichist. That is, I’ll fully take three of Jurkovich’s five points listed under “our purpose” and half of two others making me a four-pointer. Shoot, I’d join the group but you have to give assent, check a box, about “affirming” the CBN purpose. At this stage in life, I’m all for capital preservation, not wild risk-taking and I’d hate to be tied to every statement that comes out of Brad Jurkovich’s mouth.
He is the only leader of this group at this stage. Plaudits to Baptist Press for asking some good questions of him in their article of yesterday: ‘Grassroots’ network launched to address concerns about directions of SBC.
Also yesterday, Valentine’s Day, Dave Miller, reflected on the new network. Guess it was a slow day for romance. Adam Blosser had the initial Voices piece on the CBN. I have a few questions and observations.
Who are the leaders of this outfit? “Stand with Brad” is the plea and I’m seeing just a few people standing and being recognized. BP asked BJ about the people involved in this group. “Lots of people,” answered Brad. “Right now, we haven’t really shared a lot of those names, et cetera…” Et cetera, seriously? There’s nothing like a secret group that is out to save our Grand Old Convention. Builds trust. Establishes credibility. Et cetera. “When we want to share that” sayeth Brad, “we will certainly be ready to do that.” I see.
Nothing like the launch of a new network to start a new Conservative Resurgence (“we need that” BJ said). The CBN has been in the works for months. Why not some transparency on who is behind this?
Is Paige Patterson involved? Jurkovich, BP wrote, “would neither confirm or deny” this. Brad, you had months to think about this question. Why the slippery answer? Either he is and you are proud of it or he’s not and you can say whether or not you wish he was. Amateur hour at work here.
Who is putting money into this organization? “When asked about the network’s funding, Jurkovich said grassroots support has been offered, but the group currently has no official funding stream.” What’s that supposed to mean? Secret funding sources to date. I admire and appreciate the website work that has been done. I’m guessing someone paid for it, officially and really. Tell us who. It may make a difference. Is this dark money and it will stay dark?
Will the group be pursuing the election of like-minded SBC presidential candidates? This is an obvious question, since Jurkovich, when asked by Todd Starnes if it was time for a second Conservative Resurgence, answered, “Absolutely.” From the BP story” Jurkovich told BP the network is “prayerfully looking at the coming months and looking at who’s running…. We have really been intentional to say there’s not anyone that we’re backing today, or we have any plans to do so as a network. The linchpin of the CR was the election of presidents. We already have people saying that “we need to take over the [SBC] ship.” Is this where we are going? We “absolutely” need a second CR, he says. Has the secret leadership group discussed methodology? Transparency would be good. Maybe there’s a reason that transparency was not one of the CBN’s core values.
At least the defunct 316 Traditionalist group (1) openly stated that they needed to win elections, “year-after-year-after-year,” (2) Listed their leadership and supporters, by name, (3) were aggressive in their promotion of the Cooperative Program, and (4) were reasonably open about where their funding came from. Is this group an improvement over any of those? Well…stay tuned…lots of people…et cetera.
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As a Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary alumnus, I was intrigued by that seminary’s open support of this. “They [MABTS] just wanted to partner with us and help us any way they could, and they’re excited to be a part.” “Partner” usually means some kind of funding, though it doesn’t have to. I haven’t been on MABTS’ campus in years and don’t really know the people there anymore but this was surprising. MABTS, solidly Southern Baptist, does not receive Cooperative Program funding, nor do they desire to do so (so it has been said over the years), nor did Gray Allison, MABTS founder and president, ever allow criticism of the SBC and SBC entities.
One might make some observations here about our Grand Old Convention: Our flagship funding program, the venerable Cooperative Program, is approaching a centennial. It has declined slowly but steadily for a generation and a half but is still a mammoth funding engine. There are signs of improvement but the whole business is fragile. The two mission offerings, Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong, are at near record and record levels, respectively. NAMB has a new initiative, Send Relief, that shows great promise. IMB intends to add 500 personnel over the next five years. The six seminaries are doing well with three of them under new, younger leadership. Baptisms continue their very long running downward trend. It is not clear that the agenda of the CSB group includes anything that is different than what the SBC has been doing on evangelism.
Al Mohler and Randy Adams are running for president. Mohler tweets that we already have a network. Guess he isn’t on board with the new group. Adams? Haven’t heard.
The website is very attractive. Too bad the initial support from leadership has been so poorly done. I’ve got contrarian in every cell, it’s in my DNA like Neanderthal is. I’d love to see an SBC reform group have success in some areas of denominational life. Ronnie Floyd unveils a five year vision next week. I’m interested to see where it goes.
It’s going to be an interesting year but I’m not up for another denominational war, don’t really see the need for it. Such things are destructive in the extreme.
The inability to “confirm or deny” the involvement of Dr. Patterson, combined with the presence of many of his supporters, and his BIL, makes me a little suspicious.
Wonder if a certain Texas based Patmos group is sending them some funds?
(1) One can tell, based on all her other websites that she has done, that Sharayah Colter did the website. Her husband was the chief of staff to Patterson at SWBTS and the “face” for his current organization.
(2) Jurkovich went to SEBTS when Patterson was there and then SWBTS for his DMin when Patterson was there. He is one of his boys. The connection for Kelley is obvious!
I could go on but Ben Cole will go deeper. These two are easy.
Thanks William. I had some very similar thoughts reading the BP article.
William , thank you for a very thoughtful and reasoned article. One of the main concerns I have with the SBC leadership is lack of transparency and the CBN needs to be totally honest and transparent about money and support. Did not know P. Paterson as most SBC members still do not know him, until the handling of the sex abuse advice. However, is it now that what ever Paterson supports is tainted ? Is he totally persona non grata? However the CBN needs to be open right from the start. Your points are well taken. That being said the concerns of CBN are well founded and if known by the majority of SBC members they would find agreement on most issues.
Just read Franklin Graham is having a very hard time finding a public speaking venue in England due to their antipathy toward religion. This is a result of political inaction from years ago when the people of faith should not be concerned about “politics”. You can have all the freedom you want church grounds but it has to stay there.
As the CBN is one day old and going “public” June 8 I will wait and see. Perhaps they will release the pay of their leadership to goad the SBC execs. If they have full disclosure and do not go off the guard rails of common sense they may steer a needed course direction to the SBC. Of course that is needed in my opinion. Thanks for the information.
Well, there goes my guess for who represented the money behind this thing. I thought for sure it was you, William.
Except for a couple of things, I’d be a loose member of the network…if I knew who was behind it and where they planned to do, what they planned to do. These things are all undisclosed at this point. I’m all for praying for everything and we’re on the same side overall.
Does this language remind you of anyone?
And this?
Vague generalities about big information coming in the near but unspecific future. Ringing any bells?
Jurkovich I believe is most known in the SBC for his (ill-conceived in my opinion) nomination of Hemphill two years ago. His church was in the news recently for a major fire on their campus, but other than that is there a reason he is publicly leading the group and not someone like Chuck Kelly, who is much more known to SBC, or Rod Martin, who seems to have much more political savvy?
Stephen, what is that reason that Brad is leading the group & not the others that you’ve mentioned?
Ehh, kinda seems like the CBN will turn out to be nothing special and probably will not be around in a few years.
I agree with some of their concerns about some very small (yet growing) streams within the SBC. I do believe that we will have to fight those battles in the future, but we can’t fight those until they become a real problem. Most of the “main guys” on this blog do not really think those problematic streams within the SBC are worrisome, or even acknowledge they exist. (I hope you are right, because I want my opinion to be wrong)
SBC deep state discovered.