SBC Voices

Southwestern’s Potemkin village and other fascinating excursions in SBC vocabulary

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Ben Cole, flung out of the sordid business of secular politics and back into the sordid business of denominational politics is perhaps the first to employ Potemkin village in our Grand Convention. Rather than Neil Sedaka as Ben suggests, better cue the Mussorgsky for SWBTS and change "Bald Mountain" to "Seminary Hill." By blogging fiat, I declare complementarianism to be Southern Baptists favorite tongue-tying word, as well as being about six syllables beyond what we are comfortable with. No wonder it is undefinable and applications vary widely among us. ...concerning which, the … [Read more...] about Southwestern’s Potemkin village and other fascinating excursions in SBC vocabulary

SBC & Politics: Why I Made a Motion to Exclude Politicians from the Annual Meeting (Dr. Marshal L. Ausberry, Sr.)

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At the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention, I made a motion that beginning in 2019 the SBC would refrain from allowing elected officials to speak at the Convention. The exception was for the host Mayor or appropriate official to give a welcome greeting and to receive thanks from the Convention for hosting the Convention. The reason I feel it is time for such a position for the Convention is multi-fold. It has nothing to do with Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the 2018 Convention. In my opinion, Vice President Pence and Mrs. Pence are good godly people. Though some were calling for the … [Read more...] about SBC & Politics: Why I Made a Motion to Exclude Politicians from the Annual Meeting (Dr. Marshal L. Ausberry, Sr.)

Outside of the local church, who can do anything about SBC clergy who are sex abusers?

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Who, aside from the local church or churches involved, can do anything about SBC clergy who are accused of sex abuse? The answer depends on what actions are considered or are to be taken. You may have read about the case of a Tennessee SBC pastor who resigned after accusations of his abusive behavior at a Texas church in the 1980s. The story is told at length here. It is a sad story and one that should grieve any and all of us. It raises a number of questions about how sex abuse is handled in SBC churches and also about how SBC entities outside of the local church react when approached … [Read more...] about Outside of the local church, who can do anything about SBC clergy who are sex abusers?

Complementarianism and the Future of the SBC

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I resisted the temptation to go for the clickbait title this time. "Should the Women Keep Silent in the SBC?" Complementarianism is a doctrine established in the Baptist Faith and Message and disdained by our culture, even modern Christian culture. After nearly 2000 years of a fairly consistent understanding of the biblical truth about men and women, marriage, and roles in the church, suddenly people are discovering new and inventive hermeneutical approaches to demonstrate that the Bible doesn’t actually say what it seems to say. All those verses about submission and about men holding … [Read more...] about Complementarianism and the Future of the SBC

Understanding Diversity and Its Denominational Implications: Unmasking Marginalization as Southern Baptists (Vinh T. Nguyen)

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Many memories have been etched into my mind in both the years I’ve spent as a minister and an academic, but one memory stands out in particular. I had just finished my third semester as a bible student at Ouachita Baptist University and was visiting the church I grew up in where my father-in-law was serving as the student pastor. The youth group looked different in at least two different ways. First, it was quite a bit larger than it was when I was a teenager growing up. Second, the room now had just as many, if not more, African-American and Asian teenagers as it did Caucasians. Like many … [Read more...] about Understanding Diversity and Its Denominational Implications: Unmasking Marginalization as Southern Baptists (Vinh T. Nguyen)

An Uneven Banquet

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While trying to wrestle with a friend's question about pastoral ministry, I began thinking along the lines of this illustration. I share it here because it might be useful to you. If it's not, then feel free to have the same old argument about everything in the comments. Here's some words to help you with that: alcohol, Calvin, Conservative Resurgence, Great Commission Giving, Women, Trustees, Yankees, SEC (not the government agency). I'm sitting here on a Saturday morning pondering what it is to pastor a normal-sized Southern Baptist Church. Actually, we're on the high side of normal, but … [Read more...] about An Uneven Banquet

About a woman being SBC president

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Yet another clickbait title today. One specific question that seemed to percolate out of #SBC18 was: "Can a woman be elected as SBC president?" Former president James Merritt says, "yes." Dwight McKissick says "yes" and makes the case for Beth Moore. Jason Allen, president of Midwestern Seminary was asked and, although I can't find the quote right off, had a "yes, but" sort of reply. The SBC controlling documents are clear, though knowledgable SBC leaders usually answer the question with a negative cast, "There's no constitutional reason that would prevent...". Unfortunately, … [Read more...] about About a woman being SBC president

And the Next President of SWBTS Is…

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Sorry for that clickbait title. No, I have no idea who it will be. I do hear a fair bit of scuttlebutt from time to time but the dust is still settling on the Patterson fiasco and it is too early to start naming names. I don't think the search team has even been formed yet. The dedicated Patterson defenders are still laying down heavy fire in their efforts to undo the decision of the trustees, but their efforts will fail. The Executive Committee will be affirmed by the full board as it was by 98% majority at the convention and we will move on. The Patterson era is over and a new day is … [Read more...] about And the Next President of SWBTS Is…

The Mountain and the Mundane (Ann Hibbard)

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Those who have been Christians for any length of time have probably heard the term “mountaintop experience.” Scripturally, we usually think back to the experience of Peter, James, and John during the Transfiguration. We talk about our modern-day comparisons: intense spiritual encounters that tend to come through wonderful conference experiences, peaceful private retreats, or even some form of miraculous intervention that turns our weeping and pleading into joy and laughter. Whatever it may be, when we compare it to the Transfiguration story, we seem to assume that the mountain adventure … [Read more...] about The Mountain and the Mundane (Ann Hibbard)