To my SBC brothers and sisters, from the experiences of one local pastor,
Most in our church don’t think a lot about the SBC. Most are content with our collective mission and happy we give to it at a rate triple what we gave just two years ago.
That all changed this past week after the departure of Beth Moore.
I’m fielding MANY more questions than I used to, from many people who have never asked before and who I never thought would take a critical interest. In the past week I’ve responded to emails, talked on the phone, and over private messages on social media with a noticeably larger number of folks about the SBC. I’ve spent more time in the last week defending our affiliation than I have in the past 5 years combined.
These questions come, understandably, in an especially more pointed fashion, from two groups: 1. Women. 2. African Americans.
The lesson? It matters when people leave–especially when its over things that never had to be an issue.
There is a LOT of good happening through the SBC, and I’m happy to defend our affiliation. But its getting harder to defend every day, and it doesn’t have to be this way. There is absolutely no reason why I should be having these conversations with my own people. We should be celebrating what 50,000+ churches are doing together. Instead, I have groups who wonder if they are welcome. I understand where they are coming from and don’t blame them.
And as their pastor, my allegiance to them is greater than my allegiance to a denominational tribe. I don’t think I should have to choose. I don’t believe its a foregone conclusion that it will come to that choice. But if I’m forced into that choice, I already know what its going to be.
The lesson from that? It matters who our elected leaders will be in June.
See you in Nashville.
This was originally posted on Joel’s Facebook account.