A major issue in the SBC 2021 presidential election is the relationship between NAMB and state conventions, especially state conventions outside the south. One candidate, Randy Adams, has made NAMB his main platform as he campaigns for the highest elected SBC office.
Charges of mismanagement, secrecy, top-down authority, rejection of historic patterns, partnerships, and principles, heavy handedness, and a lot of other things have been aimed at NAMB. The phrase “forensic audit” is being brayed incessantly.
The whole business of relationships, cooperation, partnerships, agreements, church planting policy, statistics is complicated and confusing.
Joe Westbury does an excellent job in an article of almost 10k words on Baptist News Global. I doubt Baptist Press would carry the article. I don’t know if anyone other than a couple of my colleagues could even write ten thousand words on any subject. Try putting a think piece analysis of a complicated issue in a Twitter Thread. Read the thing and get educated:
State conventions beyond the South question SBC North American Mission Board’s spending and accountability for church planting
I read it and am inclined to say it leans a bit against NAMB but I’m very much appreciative of Joe Westbury for the work. It features all the grand characters of the SBC reality show: Floyd, Ezell, Akin, Mohler, Hunt, and others. Many mid-level SBC folks like Adams, and a number of front line pastors. Read it.
The whole business may have a lot of personality conflicts, questionable decisions, and such but:
THIS. IS. A. CLASSIC. SBC. POLICY. DISAGREEMENT.
We should be able to discuss such things… but not out of ignorance, so read it. The SBC is far too important to be left to entity heads and major players.
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Virtual Chick-fil-A gift card to all who read the whole 10k word thing. Then we can discuss it.
Yes, I know Baptist News Global is the old moderates news site with a lot of liberal views, articles and such. If you think you’re going to get everything you need to know on Baptist Press, think again, even though it is much improved.
