Quick: what’s the longest name in all of North American professional sports? No cheating, googling, etc. Just sit on your answer for me; we’ll come back to it.
As I’ve watched the lively debate surrounding the potential for a name change in the SBC, I’ve had to admit a certain apathy. In many ways, it mattered not to me how we organized the letters that form our identifying nomenclature, so the convention’s name was off my radar. Then, of course, I realized it really did matter to me; there are certain words I to which I certainly would object (satan, hate, platypus, Calvinist, pudge-pot, Arminian, yahtzee, Yankee, SEC, etc). Therefore, I’ve decided to have an opinion.
As I understand the debate, there are those who dislike the geography in “Southern.” There are some who abhor the racial history behind the choice of the “Southern.” There are some for whom the entire name represents something outdated. At the same time, there is something to be said for keeping a name; after all, if modern branding and market have taught us anything it is that a name stands for the organization. Say the word “Coke” and people have visions of black liquid, bubbles, and a red label. Say “IBM” and everyone thinks of business-world computers and printers. Say “Apple” and everyone thinks of cool envelope-pushing computing and technology. Some proponents of the status quo rightly argue that everyone knows what the Southern Baptist Convention stands for, and that changing our name would raise questions over this “new” organization and what beliefs changed along with the name. My sister counts herself in this group, saying, “When I say I’m a Southern Baptist, ain’t nobody in the room gotta ask what that means.” She’s right, but that does not mean the concerns raised above are somehow invalid.
So what’s a reasonable compromise?
Why not take a page from the International Mission Board’s playbook? They realized that the letters “IMB” have come to represent the entire name but they wanted to eliminate something about the full title; in the end, they changed the name of the entire organization to simply IMB. The letters no longer mean anything. That’s just the name of the company. Kentucky Fried Chicken and International Business Machines took that particular route. NASA, essentially, has followed suit (despite what the official paperwork might say)
Why not just change the convention to SBC? No racial implications, no geography. Branding issues remain unchanged.
Now, let’s revisit the trivia question at the time. If you answered, “the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club” then take the rest of the day off. On your way out the door, answer this: has that team lost anything just because we only refer to them as the Mets?
I’ve heard this suggestion and it makes a lot of sense. Like KFC.
But did you answer the question correctly?
I like the concept and had thought of it myself, but was wondering if there would be any problems because there was a communications company already called SBC. But since they changed their name to AT&T about 5 years ago, I don’t think there would be an issue. I like the idea of going with SBC and can see the value in it — much like the others you mentioned — IBM, KFC, etc.
When the GCRTF was first announced in Louisville, I sent Danny Akin a message immediately, as I figured name change was apt to be discussed, and suggested they consider “SBC International”. The Oriental Missionary Society had done a similar change in the 70’s, by going to OMS (which everybody called them, anyway) International. It went seamlessly, and lasted until just recently when they changed the name officially to One Mission Society. So they’re still OMS to everybody that knows them. The few reactions I’ve gotten … none of the from Dr. Akin .. have been negative. Which is no surprise,… Read more »
Or, we could keep it the way it is and have the best of both worlds. Keep the name, Southern Baptist Convention. But anyone is free to refer to it as the SBC. After all, we have done that for years. Some churches put on their church sign in small letters, “SBC.” That tells those who are interested who they are.
Today we have the freedom to use Southern Baptist Convention, SBC, or nothing relating us to a convention. It might be a good idea to keep it that way.
David R. Brumbelow
Yeah the whole SBC International thing is really sort of meaningless because everyone would know that the letters mean Southern Baptist Convention. Just like the KFC example, everyone knows it stands for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Everyone knows IBM means International Business Machines. We should just leave it alone, it hasn’t hindered the gospel.
Jeremy- This is the best, non-problematic solution. Whether the full name is ever changed legally becomes a non-issue, but “SBC” no longer refers to the name “Southern Baptist Convention.” If you go the the NPR website, the browser header refers to National Public Radio, but that name is no longer on the page. KFC only means “Kentucky Fried Chicken” to those who know the history. Soon that will not be so. The “brand” will be KFC in the next generation and they won’t even recognize the old dude on the sign. The telecom SBC Communications is no more; they bought… Read more »
Don’t know how I got threaded. Sorry about that.
Sometimes, mysteries abound.
Just checked at imb.org.
They are still using both, “IMB” and “International Mission Board.”
David R. Brumbelow
Interesting idea. PRobably too simple…wouldn’t take a task force to figure out…:)
How much of the renaming/rebranding issue is due to negative public perception of SBC behavior and how much is due to issues related to the south, independent of convention behavior, and a desire to broaden appeal outside the south? If one had to assign a percentage to these issues (and others), what might they be? If a significant percentage is assigned to the former, then, absent reduction in ill-formed behavior that drives negative public perceptions, a steady diet of rebranding might be in order. But relatively constant rebranding, even coupled with temporary benefits, would be to ignore the more fundamental… Read more »
Southwestern Bell Corporation had the same idea first. They changed their name to SBC… then AT&T bought them.
So, who exactly is going to buy this SBC? Maybe Acts29 is interested in bidding.
Weren’t all the Bells and AT&T original one company that was split up by the court system?
If so, does the Triennial Convention have the first right to merge us back in?
SBC is taken!
Anyone want to buy a trademark lawsuit with our name change efforts?
Not to draw any unnecessary parallels, but it reminds me of the YMCA. Taking my kids there, I have explained to them that it once stood for “Young Men’s Christian Association”. Indicating our fellow clientele, I noted to them that the people there are no longer particularly Young, exclusively Men, or necessarily Christian. And only inasmuch as we happen to exercise in the same room together on any given day are we really Associated.
I came across a scriptural reference and then forgot where it was located, went looking for it and could not locate it, but it was to the effect that they went up into the South (going from Egypt, I think). O well, I the historical meaning, the fact that the greatest evangelist of the past 60 years was noted for being a Southern Baptist, member during most of that period in the largest First Baptist Church at that time in the Convention (Dallas, no less), all of which tells me there was and still is value in the term Southern… Read more »
Hi Dr. Willingham,
I think your scripture verses may be found in the Book of Numbers.
Take a look at Numbers 13:22
Thank you Christiane. God grant us a Third Great Awakening which is the only answer to our problems…an Awakening differs from a revival in that it affects and effects the whole of society. People wake up to the fact that there is more to life than they ever dreamt, more to be accomplished, more done, more of God to be enjoyed, appreciated, adored, worshipped, than we can imagine. Gloria in Excelsis Deo!
You’re very welcome, Dr. Willingham. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
I just got this e-mail today, and I thought I’d share it. It amused me. I have made one small edit for brevity and clarity. Gene, I have [seen in a recent article] that the Southern Baptist are considering a name change in the near future. Does it really matter what the new name for the Souther Baptist is? The answer is no, as all Sound Christians in the Word know, that the Southern Baptist Church is only a Sub-Church of the Catholic Church. The Southern Baptist like their Mother Church the Catholic Church have married many false gospels and… Read more »