SBC 08 - My Analysis and Hope
Published: June 18, 2008
I have attended the SBC each year since I started working for the convention in 1998. Being reared nominally Roman Catholic just outside New York City, I am not the normal attendee or the normal Southern Baptist.
Related
Prior to 1998, as a church planter in the northeastern US, I could not afford to come and felt like an SBC outsider most days. When I started teaching at Southern Seminary, I started attending. As a (former) contemporary church pastor, I felt much like an alien would feel when landing on a new planet. I heard some of the preachers speaking against contemporary churches, stating that sitting on stools when you preach is wrong, and not meeting on Sunday nights meant you didn't love Jesus enough. I was not just an alien, it sounded like I was an unwelcome alien. I was half scared and half angry. But, in just a decade, things have changed dramatically.
For example, I talked with Hayes Wicker in Inianapolis and we discussed pastor's conferences of old. He reminded me how he spoke with every speaker for the 2007 Pastor's Conference to be sure there would have no "drive-bys" on fellow SBC pastors. I am so glad he did such a thing -- but I also wish it was not needed. And, I believe it will be less needed in the years to come.
This year, we did not hear swipes at Rick Warren, Calvinists, the emerging church, or contemporary music. Instead, we heard Jimmy Draper tell us we were in "free fall," Johnny Hunt said we were dying, and Al Gilbert pointed to our need for appropriate change. The real dangers we face and our real hope became very clear. It was a very different year for us.
Let me give some of my feedback on the meeting this year.
The Spirit of the Meeting
I was surprised at the sweet spirit of the meeting. It appears that the reality of the our denominational trends has caused Southern Baptists to pause and reflect rather than fuss and fight. It started at the Pastors' Conference when Johnny Hunt spoke that he had never been a part of anything that was dying and was not about to start now. Jay Strack and others added to the call. Al Gilbert explained that the "doctor's diagnosis" must stir us toward change. And, with many other preachers, words were received with hearts ready to charge forward.
The Baptist Press article title of Gilbert's sermon may be a good summary of this year's convention: "Death check' could stir SBC toward renewal." Indeed.
I have said before and will say it again here: "People never change until the pain of staying the same grows greater than the pain of change. I think the pain of staying the same is getting to become a reality and now people are saying 'We're going to change." That tipping point has arrived. And I observe that our leadership and convention are calling for change to occur. I outlined some of my thoughts here as to what I believe are some priorities for us moving forward.
It should encourage all of us that when the alarm bell sounded that the response has been overwhelmingly for a Great Commission Resurgence. I am encouraged that we are responding to the call that the nation and world's population is in eternal jeopardy and we can be in the midst of God's plan of redemption. Such a call is what gave birth to and united our Convention 163 years ago.
When we're not seeing people come to Christ and being baptized, something stirs in our hearts and it hurts. A tone like that gives me hope.
Newly elected SBC president Johnny M. Hunt believes this year's annual meeting has helped our churches to see things as they really are. "I think this is kind of an alarmed setting ... where we see our ship sinking. We're declining," Hunt said. But at the point of decline, more Southern Baptists are expressing optimism and sense the denomination stepping up to face the challenge. I came away encouraged by what I heard in Indy and even how it was covered by the press.
I believe that we are ready to continue in the doctrine outlined by our Baptist Faith & Message. I believe that Article XIV is of particular importance these days. It speaks of our cooperation with one another and others with whom we can work in "loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament." A decade ago, there seemed to be unwritten rules of who could have a say. With the help of men like Jimmy Draper, Frank Page, and many others, our convention will enjoy a wider representation in our leadership. Where a decade ago, it seemed that anyone different was suspect - now we are seeing people reach out and involve people more broadly.
Who won?
I think Southern Baptists won. Though the meeting was disturbingly small and many young leaders were absent, there was something else that was absent: anger and petty fighting. And let's face it - many were expecting a 3-ring circus with so many running for president. But, we behaved ourselves, worked through the process and have returned home unscathed.
Johnny Hunt won the presidency. But, he won, I believe, because he called for a focus on the nations, the next generation, and on unity.
Some will hail Hunt's win as the continuation of our current leadership's dedication to raising the next generation of church leaders and "white hot" evangelism. Others will cry foul and say we are blindly trusting in "megachurchism" as the answer to all our ills. I would observe that FBC Woodstock is big for a reason - its pastor loves to teach his people to share Christ by being excited to share the Gospel every chance he gets. No matter whom you voted for this week, Johnny won and I believe he is willing to lead all of us to be more passionate in our sharing, more vigorous in our planting, and more loving in our service to a lost world.
And, Southern Baptists will win when led in that direction.
What surprised me?
Resolutions
ballots.jpgPainfully long statements about what we are for, against, who we want to thank and reject seem to be like our own version of the Olympics each year. Without commenting on any specific resolutions, I would simply say that I am pleasantly surprised to know that we are moving away from the need to be tell everyone what we think about everything.
Let me also add that I am very pleased that the resolution on regenerate church membership passed. I am a bit perplexed as to why this was even controversial, but I am glad we passed it. Now, we just have to live it.
Desire for More Methodological Diversity
So many I spoke with desire to reach out to churches of different ministry paradigms. That is good news. Now, my only hope is that it is not too late.
Actually, that is not right. It is too late for many. We have preached out a whole generation of contemporary church pastors and they won't return. However, there is hope to connect with some who are still open and willing. My time with Troy Gramling, pastor of Flamingo Road Church (with over 7,000 in attendance each week) encouraged me that such is possible. And the scores of men planting culturally relevant churches (contemporary, urban, emerging, etc.) and many more seeking to revitalize plateaued churches give me hope for a future of biblically sound and missiologically diverse SBC congregations in North America. We will always be a convention of primarily traditional churches, and I am so thankful for them, but I am encouraged that there may be room at the table for other biblically faithful expressions of church and ministry.
1 of 2 | Next Page ›
Recommend this 316 story on your favorite social bookmarking site.
SBC 08 - My Analysis and Hope
Published: June 18, 2008
This year, we did not hear swipes at Rick Warren, Calvinists, the emerging church, or contemporary music. Instead, we heard Jimmy Draper tell us we were in "free fall," Johnny Hunt said we were dying, and Al Gilbert pointed to our need for appropriate change.
To link to this article from your blog, copy and paste the url below into your blog or homepage. Using this link will ensure access to the article, even after it becomes part of the 316 archive.
Permalink: