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 fan of the kind of preaching exemplified by one speaker who uses Game of Thrones and a play on Victoria’s Secret as themes. Sorry, I do not see how that is helpful.
- While I personally look forward to listening to Jim Cymbala, I might have avoided some of the interdenominational, especially Charismatic flavor – just because of the divisive nature of some in our convention and knowing how they would squawk about it.
And squawk they have. Honestly, from some circles of Twitter, you’d think David Uth invited three Jehovah’s Witnesses, an atheist, two Mormons, and Joel Osteen to speak. People’s faith will be destroyed by a two-day conference.
Evidently, at the upcoming Executive Committee meeting, the “take the ship” mentality is hitting the ground running. Several have tweeted about trying to pressure the EC to force the Pastors’ Conference to change their lineup – refuse them space or withhold funding or some such pressure tactic.
I plead with the Executive Committee not to give in to this pressure, not to break decades of precedent, and not to interfere with the Pastors’ Conference.
The last thing the SBC needs right now is the SBC Executive Committee asserting control over the Pastors’ Conference. We do not need any ministry or network to set itself up as the theological gatekeepers of the Pastors’ Conference, deciding who can and who cannot speak. The Pastor’s Conference has operated as an auxiliary to the Convention as long as it has existed and theological nit-pickers taking control with the assistance of the Executive Committee will not be helpful.
If You Don’t Like the PC
It is all so unnecessary. There are options available to those who do not like David Uth’s PC choices.
- Don’t attend. Last year the Founders ran a conference that directly competed with a very fine lineup of speakers at the 2019 PC. There are always other options.
- Run for president. Don’t tell me it’s impossible to win! Find a candidate who reflects your views or will at least select an acceptable slate of speakers. The PC elections are open. I do not believe anyone ran against David Uth.
- Express your disagreement and dissent, in a kind and edifying way. Dissent is as Baptist as immersion.
Attempting to assert power and control over the PC is a bad choice. This would be an unprecedented power play. The Executive Committee should not interfere in the Pastors’ Conference. There are other remedies and we do not need draconic moves such as this to please small groups of people.
I encourage the Executive committee to have the good sense to say no to the pressure tactics of theological bullies. I encourage my brothers and sisters in the SBC to stop, take a breath, and ask yourselves is this is the direction we really want our convention to head.
At the risk of overdramatizing things, the EC must be careful what it does here. Beware of giving these groups an inch, because they seem to want to be rulers.
Good word Dave. Like you, I’m not fond of some of the choices for this year’s conference. A couple of them in particular are just unwise IMO. But David Uth is a wonderful leader and godly man. I’d make different choices than he has made. But if the skids come off this year it won’t be because of David. It will be detractors who probably never come anyway.
Additionally, Matt Hensley is likely to be PC Prez next year. That means (most likely) a completely different kind of PC. Your leadership a few years back demonstrates this as well. There is no “trajectory” for the Pastors Conference. It changes from year to year based on who is leading it. Don’t like it this year? Then like the weather here in West Virginia, give it time and it will change.
But please, no more references to you doing interpretive dance. I can’t unsee that now!
I think there is fair reason to be concerned about the speaker line up at this year’s Pastor Conference, as you have already noted.
That said, has there been a SBC Annual Meeting in the social media era when there wasn’t a big fuss about something in the months leading up to the convention? It seems that if it is not one thing, it is another.
I’d pay good money to see the “Oceans” thing; especially if you wore the green suit.
If David Uth is still looking for some memorable entertainment, I think we’re really on to something here.
Go back to Nyassia
Did you leave some Paydays again? Then I’d be doing an interpretive dance.
I will
It seems to me, that people are being immature about this. I don’t know any other way to say it. Even if one of these “outsiders” were to say something contrary to what we believe, who cares? Are we not mature enough to keep the good and discard the bad? But these guys are godly men. They know who their audience is. Most likely they are coming to offer encouragement and just want to be of help. The funny thing is, I’ve been given books by both Cordeiro and Cymbala by denominational employees that were very helpful to me personally and in my ministry. So, let’s dial it back a bit. We’re better than this (at least I hope).
What he said.
Cordeiro’s book entitled “Running on Empty” was one of the most timely books I have ever read. At the time I read it, I was running below empty. What an encouragement to pastors!
I am a better, more fulfilled Baptist pastor as the result.
I might read it.
So you believe that the speakers chosen are appropriate? Matthew 5:37
It is a good practice, one with which you obviously are not familiar, to READ an article before you start commenting. This is an unusually short article, so you ought to be able to actually read it all the way through – then we can talk?
So, do you believe that the speakers chosen are appropriate? Matthew 5:37
Sir. If you are able to write a comment you are able to read. Asking questions that have already been answered is rude.
Dave,
In the final bookkeeping, the EC does not fund the conference, is that correct? I know you talked about your fundraising efforts when you ran it and the reports in the last week seemed to indicate that the SBC EC books the room but is paid back by the pastors conference. So people talking about spending CP money on this are not being accurate, with the exception of sponsorships coming from SBC entities which receive CP funds (in which case the beef should be directed toward the entity leaders which choose to use their marketing budget on this event, not the EC or the CP itself).
On that question, see the statement on the SBCPC website today from FBC Orlando. https://www.firstorlando.com/wp-content/uploads/2020-SBC-Pastors-Conference.pdf
Traditionally, the Pastors’ Conference is self-funding, but the EC contributes approximately half the cost of the venue and attendant costs. That has been around $100,000. Uth has turned that down.
Yes, Dave, as the expert in the blogging room, where does the funding come from? What’s the budget? Who gets paid? How is it set? I think that would help some who are dissenting & those that aren’t. I personally am happy with the lineup. I don’t mind hearing from other voices. But I’m generally labeled a SJW Woke Liberal Egalitarian reprobate so what do I know.
Each PC is different. Ours cost several hundred thousand dollars. The venue was 200,000 but we only had to pay 100,000. There were travel, hotel, meal costs. All sorts of expenses we didn’t anticipate. We also gave 62,000 or so to sponsor small church pastors at 1000 each. Most of our fundraising came from inside the SBC. Every entity contributed, except perhaps 1.
I published a fairly complete financial report afterwards.
We raised 510,000 including the 100,000 from the EC.
There should always always always always always be 2-3 pastors from churches of less than 150 preaching at the PC. Always
I read it on the internet
A few years ago there was a similar uproar when Ben Carson was invited to the PC. Someone at that time suggested no protest was necessary, simply walk out when he was scheduled to speak.
We don’t have brick and mortar Lifeway Stores any longer. The walkout will provide an opportunity to hold a book in your hand before you purchase it – a lost privilege.
As for as the EC’s involvement, this conference belongs to Pastor Uth. The lineup does not reflect on any SB except him.
As for as the EC’s involvement, this conference belongs to Pastor Uth. The lineup does not reflect on any SB except him.
That is 100% right.
“Inch.” “Rulers” – so subtle. You the man!
I took that out. But I couldn’t resist.
Dave, I’m urging you to reconsider your disdain for interpretive dance. I, for one, think we would all be edified and strengthened by your performance. Don’t sell yourself short, brother.