As you can tell, I was pretty upset yesterday when the Executive Committee took the unprecedented step of asserting authority over the Pastors’ Conference. I don’t know of anyone – literally ANYONE – who is excited about this year’s Pastors’ Conference slate of speakers. I find myself in the odd position of defending the right of David Uth to choose the speakers he wanted even though EVERY SINGLE PERSON I’ve talked to believes it is not a desirable list of speakers. Vance Pitman and Jimmy Scroggins would be bright spots. Personally, I like Cymbala. But comedians and poets and weird mega-pastors who preach about Game of Thrones and Victorious Secrets. That isn’t easy to defend.
There is a principle here, though. I’ve calmed down and cooled off, but I still believe there is a key principle at stake. During all the years of the CR, when the denominational structure was firmly moderate and the EC was on that side, they never sought to interfere with the right of the CR-loyalists in the PC to pick who they wanted. In the past when there have been any number of odd choices for the conference, there has never been an Executive Committee that decided they should take over the PC until Mike Stone became the de facto “president-in-chief.” The elected president now has to answer to him or lose the venue. David Uth serves at the pleasure of Mike Stone.
I do not believe this is right. The pastors of the Southern Baptist Convention did not elect Mike Stone – he is welcome to run – and he has no right to usurp power and control. The EC has never done this. Of course, to the “sky-is-falling” folks, a couple of charismatics, a poet, and a weird mega-pastor are the end of the world, but the SBC pastors could have survived, elected new leadership, and not repeated Uth’s mistakes. We did not need a power grab from Mike Stone and the Executive Committee.
This was a nuclear response to a bow and arrow problem.
What the PC Needs
The fact remains that the Pastors’ Conference has a real problem. When I was elected, I was shocked to find out that there is no structure, no written guidelines, not governing principles. I have never had such absolute power and freedom as I had as PC president. It is unhealthy. The Pastors’ Conference has never had any formal structure. I could do as I pleased. We set up our own guidelines and procedures and provided a complete financial report, but that was our choice.
I spoke to staff at the EC about the desirability and possibility of formalizing the Pastors’ Conference structure, but I knew that certain megachurch pastors were mad at me for winning the PC election and figured they wouldn’t appreciate if I stepped out and tried to formalize the Pastors’ Conference structure. They said they were going to try to establish something, but its been three years and nothing has happened yet. Maybe this mess can motivate us to take some action.
That action should not be placing the PC under the control of Mike Stone and the Executive Committee. There is a better solution that preserves the integrity and independence of the Pastors’ Conference while providing a structure that would enable us to deal with situations that come up.
The Pastors’ Conference should develop its own structure, guiding documents, and accountability process. Clearly, the idea that the PC is an independent monarchy with a new king every year isn’t working. So, I have a simple suggestion.
- Perhaps the 2020 PC could vote to commission the last 5 or 7 or 10 presidents to serve as an advisory council to set up this structure.
- This group of presidents could work to develop a set of governing documents for the Pastors’ Conference. These should be simple while still giving structure to this ministry. They should work with the staff of the EC while developing these governing documents.
- This group could also serve as an advisory council with the right to deal with controversies such as have come up this year. If a significant controversy arose, the advisory council could step in and give some direction to the sitting president.
- After the documents have been presented to the 2021 Pastors’ Conference for approval, they could be presented to the EC for its review as well.
I recognize that we cannot continue with the system in which the PC president is an unaccountable king. It works more often than it doesn’t, but after this year’s debacle, it may be time for a change. But the EC’s solution is an unwarranted power grab and not a good solution.
A simple solution “of the PC, by the PC, and for the PC” is much better.
I don’t get how it’s a power grab to control your own lease. It is the EC’s name on the convention hall lease, and they’re responsible for it, no matter what the longstanding gentlemen’s wink-wink-nudge-nudge about an autonomous conference during the old days. What if it were a Paige victory lap? Or an unrepentant Phillip Rutledge of Ranchland Heights Baptist Church, recently removed? If you grant that there is some line to be crossed into offense and wrong, it seems we want the EC to take every step it can to avoid complicity or support. And if that line is… Read more »
“I don’t know of anyone – literally ANYONE – who is excited about this year’s Pastors’ Conference slate of speakers.” Yes you do. I am. I disagree with a few of these pastors on secondary issues and methodology, but I think they each add something valuable to the mix. This may be one of the most diverse lineups we’ve seen in terms of representing the Big Tent of conservative evangelicalism and I think Baptists have a lot to learn from our Pentecostal brothers (and sisters) as well as being stretched by leaders who are trying to find innovative ways to… Read more »
I don’t like the EC decisions, and I don’t like the plans for the PC. I also don’t like that here and other places refer to a poet or someone sharing poems. My problem has never been what she was asked to do at the PC. I am concerned about what she does every Sunday and believe that it disqualifies her from speaking at the SBCPC. I know others disagree with me and I am ok with that. I just want my view accurately stated and not minimized. Thanks for all you do and your ideas here Dave.
“I am concerned about what she does every Sunday”
Exactly right. A woman in high rebellion (taking upon herself a title that God has clearly vested to men-only) should have never been considered for an SBC event, ESPECIALLY one that is geared for the benefit of real pastors.
I was under the impression this meeting was held privately? If so, it seems you either have inside information regarding what was said and who said it, or you are possibly making a broad assumption and potentially slandering the name of a fellow Baptist Pastor? I do not want to make such an assumption, so could you please clarify?
Just a thought. When you go to a different area for a conference, do you not learn some methods that are used with that unique diverse population? I know in NYC, the methods were not what we used in Dallas….But we respected differences. Just asking.
Here! Here!
The SBCPC definitely needs structure.
The EC needs to back off – BUT – I understand their concerns and agree with those concerns. Like you , David, I don’t think this is the best or right way to go about it.
The SBCPC needs to be independent and autonomous while affirming the BFM on one hand (what they say) and reaffirming it with the other (what they do).
Word!
Dave, this may be a bit off topic but I’ve always been told the PC Prez had to raise the funds to pay for it. When you were PC Prez, how much money did you receive from SBC and how did you make up the difference?
We raised 510,000. 100k came from the EC
Clarify… we (the PC) paid the EC 100k, right? No money came from the EC.
Technically, Brent, the PC use of the building cost 200,000. They gave a rebate, or whatever you want to call it, of $100,000 – half.
So you can look at it either way. We gave them $100k – half of the actual cost. Which means they gave us 100k.
Our total cost was $510,000, including 200k for building (100 them, 100 us) 62,000 scholarships, 72,000 leftover distributed to the Caskey for scholarship in 2018 and to Mission Dignity. I figured out one time that we could have done things on a shoestring for around 225 or so.
One more question. We talk a lot about transparency and rightfully so. How much are the speakers paid to speak at PC?
The PC isn’t an entity so it technically doesn’t need to release any of that info. We released some general figures from our year but no one else ever has.
That is a decision each president makes. I know what we paid, but we have chosen not to divulge that. No one got rich from us.