SBC Voices

David Uth, pastor of First Baptist, Orlando, and president of the 2020 SBC Pastors' Conference, has responded to the movement by some to pressure him into changing the SBC Pastors' Conference schedule he has designed. He is not backing down, but he has removed one point of attack for the critics. Some were seeking to pressure the EC to refuse the normal $100,000 in funding they receive for help with the venue costs. Uth has declared that First Baptist, Orlando will underwrite all the expenses. No money from any SBC entity will be sought. Donations from churches and individuals will … [Read more...] about Uth Responds to Critics

I am not saying this to defend or to criticize David Uth. If I were president of the PC, I would not be doing some of the same things he is doing this year. Oh, if I didn't have an agenda such as the one we used back in 2017, I would enthusiastically invite Vance Pittman to speak. Jimmy Scroggins should do a wonderful job. There are others that I am not as familiar with and I might make other choices. The chances of me inviting someone to do spoken word poetry are about the same as me performing an interpretative dance to the song "Oceans" during the conference. I am very much not a … [Read more...] about The LAST Thing the SBC Needs Is EC Oversight of the Pastors’ Conference

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 … [Read more...] about I don’t think I’ll join Brad Jurkovich’s secret group with undisclosed funding

Each year, Southern Baptists gather before the annual meeting for the SBC Pastor’s Conference. During this time, Baptists are treated to some of the best preaching the convention (and often, the larger evangelical world) has to offer. This week, Baptist Press released the speaker list for the 2020 SBC Pastor’s Conference scheduled in Orlando. But before considering the list of names published in Baptist Press, I think it’s worth considering that which is most-needed by the convention family during this time. Our Southern Baptist family is not well. We are wounded. For some, the reports … [Read more...] about Like a Broken Cup and Superglue (Dr. David Norman)

Those of us who follow these things have probably thought that abuse victims and their advocates are in a perpetual state of anger at "the SBC." Two abuse victims wrote here that "There is a tipping point, though, at which genuine advocacy slips into routine outrage..." I thought that to be a cogent statement at the time...but then, cases keep coming forward. There are a number of abuse stories involving the SBC that feature megachurches, celebrity pastors, and notorious cases that are years, decades old. The SBC is a convention of small churches. USA Today has a lengthy story on a small … [Read more...] about Perhaps this is why abuse victims and their advocates always seem to be spittin’ mad at the SBC

Another new Baptist network has formed, purporting to represent the grassroots majority of Baptists who have been disenfranchised somehow (since all our meetings allow open voting) that is going to lead us away from a drift into "woke" theology and liberalism. The networks have formed - some made a big splash and others barely a ripple - and generally faded away. What will happen to the "Conservative Baptist Network" announced today is yet to be seen. The network is a little nebulous at this point, still revealing itself, its structure and leadership, its purposes and tactics. Who knows … [Read more...] about Conservative Baptist Network: Reflections

The best conservative Baptist network that I'm aware of is the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC is a network of over 50,000 cooperating churches and church-type missions spread all across the United States. These like-minded churches cooperate together primarily for missions and theological education under the banner of a shared statement of faith known as The Baptist Faith & Message. As I teach prospective members in our church's new member class, you couldn't always refer to the Southern Baptist Convention as a conservative Baptist network. There was a time when we had professors … [Read more...] about The Conservative Baptist Network

The Pastor's Conference is the largest and easiest target around. Make all SBCers happy? Sort of like making all of your church members happy. Not a snowflake's chance in Gehenna of that. Back when Adrian Rogers would always close the Pastor's Conference it was a thrilling event indeed. Not so much now. Dave Miller and his gang had the last, best PC. It was innovative, focused on the ordinary SBC pastor rather than celebrities, an authentic grassroots enterprise. It was that PC, one should remember, that actually took money and gave it to a number of pastors who couldn't afford to attend … [Read more...] about Is it worth it? SBC resolutions and SBC Pastor’s Conference