SBC Voices

Collective Amnesia and the Priority Allocation: Why the Guidepost Investigation Was Necessary and We Must Pay Our Bills

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As Southern Baptists prepare to meet in Dallas, many are understandably frustrated that messengers will be asked to approve a $3 million priority allocation of Cooperative Program funds to cover anticipated legal expenses. It’s important for us to remind ourselves how we got where we are. The Original Motion At the 2021 SBC annual meeting, pastor and messenger Grant Gaines moved the creation of a task force to oversee a third-party investigation into the actions of the SBC Executive Committee regarding sexual abuse in the SBC.[1] Below is the full text of the motion:[2] I move that … [Read more...] about Collective Amnesia and the Priority Allocation: Why the Guidepost Investigation Was Necessary and We Must Pay Our Bills

I’m still all in on our cooperative work

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I’m still all in on our cooperative work as Southern Baptists. Things are not perfect in the SBC. That’s no secret. We have our issues. We always have. We always will. Until Jesus returns. But I am still committed to cooperating with other like-minded churches for the sake of the gospel. I attended my first Southern Baptist Convention in 2013 in Houston. Fred Luter was the president. He was re-elected for his second term at that meeting. Some guy in an ugly lime green suit was the second vice president. Sorry, Dave! The Calvinism task force presented their report. It was Russell … [Read more...] about I’m still all in on our cooperative work

The myth of the world’s largest deliberative body (or, when it comes to women, how the SBC loses its mind)

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One of the brag points about our Grand Old Convention, back when we were doing well enough to think about bragging and strutting, was that the SBC in annual session was The World's Largest Deliberative Body. Everyone has a vote and can speak and stuff like that. Now we excel at doing stupid stuff like passing motions that led to incredible, wasteful and perhaps endless squandering of assets, all of that for no discernible benefit at this time. Add to that the recent announcement that the SBC is "losing members at a rate that we have never experienced in modern American Christianity.” (Ryan … [Read more...] about The myth of the world’s largest deliberative body (or, when it comes to women, how the SBC loses its mind)

Varied and Vacuous Observations and Opinions, Part FIVE

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The Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting will soon be upon us. One item of particular interest will be the probable effort to defund the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Al Mohler (surprisingly) and Jack Graham (unsurprisingly) have publicly supported defunding, while ten former SBC presidents have advocated keeping the ERLC. Richard Land published an impassioned plea to Southern Baptists to preserve it. As for me, I support maintaining the ERLC. The letter from the former presidents mentions improving the Commission rather than abolishing it. That makes sense to me. If it needs … [Read more...] about Varied and Vacuous Observations and Opinions, Part FIVE

The joke of ‘the world’s largest deliberative body’

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Our Grand Old Convention , The Southern Baptist Convention is in those two days that the convention is actually in existence between gavels at the annual meeting touted to be “the world’s largest deliberative body.” I use the word "deliberative" ministerially, brethren and, in spite of goofballs, circus acts, and impenetrable machinations and motions at the meeting, I rather like the idea that one duly registered SBC messenger from the tiniest Southern Baptist church can make a motion, offer to amend a committee report, nominate himself for president or other action. We are congregational even … [Read more...] about The joke of ‘the world’s largest deliberative body’

The CP: celebrating a century of existence and a half century of decline.

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Well, our venerable flagship giving scheme is a century old and there's a bunch of stuff going on at the SBCAM in Dallas next month. A Baptist Press Story of May 13th featured the group picture above and I recognize a number of people. Someone do an analysis of the dozens of people in that picture. Chances are most of them are on the Cooperative Program payroll which doesn't mean they aren't good people committed to the Lord and his work through Southern Baptists. It does mean that there is a financial connection between keeping the CP going, however weakly, and putting food on your table I … [Read more...] about The CP: celebrating a century of existence and a half century of decline.

The Most Practical Classes I Took in Seminary (Joe Radosevich)

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The most practical classes you can take in seminary are biblical languages. Most seminaries are reducing their required language classes. Pastors make fun of having to learn the silent shewa in Hebrew class. Many times, students have to take elementary classes that don’t count towards their degree. Even though trends move the other direction, here are 2 reasons Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic are the most practical classes you can take in seminary Original Languages Will Save You Hours Every Week of Your Ministry. I loved every class in seminary. I found so much to learn and so many areas … [Read more...] about The Most Practical Classes I Took in Seminary (Joe Radosevich)

Our political climate is exhausting. Must our Convention also be? (Matt Johnson)

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I don’t think it’s too controversial to say that it’s absolutely draining to keep tabs on political news. The constant barrage of outrage demands our every waking moment. At times, it feels like the strategy is meant to fatigue us so that we no longer care anymore. Is the SBC operating by the same playbook? A recent piece from our friends at Baptist News Global (link here:  https://baptistnews.com/article/as-god-is-my-witness-mohler-has-changed-his-tune-on-erlc/) asserts that at least two influential Southern Baptists are planting seeds to bring yet another motion to defund the Ethics and … [Read more...] about Our political climate is exhausting. Must our Convention also be? (Matt Johnson)

Your Opinion, Please

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One stated purpose for SBC Voices is to give Southern Baptists a forum for sharing their opinions. A friend once quipped. “If you gather four Southern Baptists into a room, they’ll express five opinions.” Well, this post provides you with an opportunity to share YOUR opinion. You’ll find below five matters that I’ve been contemplating, and I would like to know what you think. For several years I served as the Teaching Pastor at Central Baptist Church in Crandall, Texas. Our beloved senior pastor, Charlie Wilson, often said, “Now, in my humble but accurate opinion.” So, let’s hear your humble, … [Read more...] about Your Opinion, Please