Biblical Recorder - Joy rises at the SBC

29. June 2009 by Norman Jameson, BR Editor

Two small incidents illuminate the larger circle of optimism coming out of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting last week. One happened in the hallways, the other this morning while I was catching up with a new mutual Tweeter.

In the hallways of the Kentucky Exposition Center I encountered a large, smiling black man as I walked with Southeastern Seminary President Danny Akin back toward the meeting hall after he had given a press conference related to the work of the resolutions committee, which he chaired.

Dwight McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist in Arlington, Texas, stopped us, ebullient in praise and appreciation for the resolution Akin’s committee presented honoring President Obama. A copy in hand, he told Akin that his circle of friends predicted such a resolution would never be reported out of committee.

McKissic had submitted one of two resolutions addressing the Obama election and Akin said the committee worked from both. McKissic said the fact that Southern Baptists passed such a resolution will tell the pastors in his circle that there really is a place for them in the SBC and the talk of increasing ethnic diversity is not just blather.

Akin assured him as he had assured reporters earlier that Southern Baptists would be remiss if we ignored the significant advance in race relations that Obama’s election represents. The resolution praised Obama for his family values and defense of the nation.

It also roundly criticized several Obama policies. McKissic wished the final result had been more general, but he was still thrilled. To disabuse you of any preconceived notions, McKissic said he did not vote for Obama.

McKissic is the man who resigned from the board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth after a sermon he preached there was deep-sixed by administrators because it dealt credibly and bravely with private prayer language. He also expressed appreciation for Akin’s statements about the awkward, ironic position of the International Mission Board on private prayer language.

It was a joy to see McKissic’s obvious delight at gaining a positive tool to encourage his friends to participate in the SBC.

This morning while catching up with some new Twitter followers (follow me at njameson) I noticed a string of comments from young guys thrilled at the way the annual meeting went. I’m going to give you a few blurbs to give you a sense of what they saw in Louisville. Remember, Twitter “tweets” are quick word bursts in answer to the question “What are you doing?” and they are limited to 140 characters.

“Proud to be a Baptist in action not just in title.”

“We just voted positively and overwhelmingly for the future. Praise God!’

In response to motions against Mark Driscoll:

"Every family has a crazy uncle...so does the SBC. Please don't judge the SBC by the crazy uncle(s).”

“How is it that one outlandish motion is allowed to blot out three days worth of gospel-centered, mission-driven preaching and ministry?”

“The Driscoll motion was not made BY the SBC - it was made AT the SBC by a person from Ms. And, it will never pass.”

“I have heard good things, dad said there is a great tension and buzz there....hate I missed it.”

“Wish I could have been at this HISTORIC convention.”

“June 23 will be a big day in the history of the SBC. Please pray the GCR will take.”

A post at B21 shows why younger pastors are engaging with the SBC – they are being courted and appreciated. B21 is a loose network “seeking to be Baptist in the 21^st century.” It hosted an important panel at Sojourn Community Church. Two days before that, Union University President David Dockery hosted several B21 leaders at a dinner with about 15 other young Southern Baptists.

“This dinner is worth mentioning because it exemplifies one of many gracious efforts that seasoned Southern Baptist leaders are making all across the convention. While a few whine about a lack of seats at the table, leaders like Dr. Dockery quietly and faithfully offer many young men just that, literally,” reads the post, evidently written by Jed Coppenger, whose father once was president of Midwestern Theological Seminary.

All of this activity demonstrates that strides taken toward one another decrease the distance that separates each other. And each step is cause for joy.

Categories: Southern Baptist Convention 2009 | Editor's Journal
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Brent Hobbs

Thanks for including the twitter comments - adds a little humor to the unfortunate few moments of the convention. I'm glad McKissic was so elated and that the resolution on Obama passed. Overall from the stories on the convention I've seen in the BR, I think this article best captures the feel of the convention.

posted Monday, June 29, 2009 5:01 PM | Report Abuse

Gene Scarborough

"The Good, Bad, and Ugly" seems to be a worthy title for what you have described. What fascinates me is young ministers being surprised they are wanted. In pre-1979 days I never knew of any alienation of the younger set.

In those days we had not shown our mean and arrogant side to the world. It existed, but it had not made a public appearance except in critical comments which have always been present from the Conservative coalition. Pre-1979 they were the silent minority, but "Pressler / Patterson" politics changed all that.

Was it really a change for the better as they contended OR was it the beginning of a slide into irrelevence and non-growth? Someone give some honest answers---PLEASE!

posted Monday, June 29, 2009 5:46 PM | Report Abuse

Gene, The 'slide into irrelevance and non-growth' began in the 50's and 60's when being a Southern Baptist meant adopting a specific set of programs and way of doing church.

posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 10:07 PM | Report Abuse

David MacEachern

Norman,
Please excuse the length of my comment. I, too, am in agreement that that SBC should resolve to recognize the election of our nation's first Black President (though his mother was white and his upbringing consisted of being reared exposed to both cultures). President Obama considers himself a Black man and has every right to feel pride in his race. His election does in fact signify that our country has to some degree overcome racial prejudice that judges a man solely by the color of his skin. Yet, I can assure you before God that the color of this man's skin had nothing to do with my vote for his opponent. (In fact, I wasn't impressed with either candidate..but that's another issue altogether). What I am concerned with is your comment regarding the resolution that was passed. If, in fact, the resolution that was passed by the SBC "praised Obama for his family values and the defense of the nation" (I have not personally read the resolution), I must say that the SBC has lost her witness for the glory of God in this nation, as well as, the rest of the world! I really could care less how "ebullient in praise and appreciation for the resolution" Bro. McKissic was when you spoke with him in Kentucky. I could care less that Dr. Danny Akin (whom I respect greatly) chaired the Resolution Committee. This resolution makes God sick. This resolution is a bold face lie in the face of a holy God! I'll tell you why I say this---President Obama's own public policy statements concerning the agenda of the homosexual activists while running for President; his Presidential Proclamation declaring June 2009 as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Month; and his most recent celebration of the homosexual agenda in our nation's White House when all of his closest homosexual friends and supporters were entertained at taxpayer's expense! God help this nation when her largest evengelical body passes a resolution praising our Presidents position on family values and the defense of the nation when he unashamedly supports and encourages such sinful, ungodly, and perverted lifestyles! This resolution is a lie from Hell told in the face of God and I for one will be contacting the Executive Committee of the SBC for information and instruction on how best to amend this resolution quickly.
I am certain that some may consider my comments as "hateful" toward homosexuals. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Those who know me know I love sinners. Whether they be homosexuals, alcoholics, drug addicts, pharisees, or 'jus plain good folks', I have ministered God's Word to many such sinners over the years. I have seen Him transform these dear people through His Word. I, myself, am a testimony of the power of God's Word. However, I do hate the subtle, deceitful, Satanic deception that is occurring in our nation's highest office and I for one am going to stand against it! So, let my comment to your post entitled "Joy in the SBC" be a clarion call toward amending this resolution, as quickly as possible, by removing any reference to President Obama's "family values and the defense of the nation". I remind us that nations have fallen both from without and from within...America is not exempt.

posted Wednesday, July 01, 2009 12:26 AM | Report Abuse

Norman

David, here is the actual resolution: www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=1193
The resolution praises the president for his "evident love for his family" which is certainly a positive model for a nation in which commitment to family is so weakly held. In my post above I used the term "family values" as a less awkward "evident love for his family" although in my resolutions story from the convention www.biblicalrecorder.org/.../...iticize-Obama.aspx I used the actual resolution wording. As several speakers at the Convention mentioned, we are admonished to pray for our leaders and with new scandals every day, that admonition is appropriate. There is no "amending" a resolution, because resolutions are non-binding and speak only for those messengers gathered at that particular annual meeting. They certainly carry the weight establishing a "position" for the Convention in the minds of those who read them, but they are just a statement of opinion by that year's messengers.

posted Wednesday, July 01, 2009 7:53 AM | Report Abuse

Norman,
Thanks so much for the clarification (and the links). I've just gotten a reminder on how important it is for those who serve on the SBC Resolutions Committee to prayerfully consider the wording of each resolution, as well as, the purposes served in presenting each resolution. In my opinion, the resolution's praise for President Obama's "evident love for his family" is a far cry from praising him for his "family values". I wholeheartedly agree with the admonition to pray daily for our nation's leaders. Let me reiterate that I pray daily for my President, his family, and every leader in Washington. I simply cannot ignore his advocacy for such ungodly behavior that's so prevalent in our nation (homosexual political activism) to further his own political aspirations. Though I don't have all the criteria before me to question his "evident love for his family", I do have the criteria to question his "family values" and his evident unconcern for my family and other families in our nation. The "defense of the nation" has much more to do with the morals of the family unit than it does with our military capabilities. Though it's evident in my desire to "amend" a resolution that's non-binding that I'm not well versed in parliamentary procedure

, I am somewhat knowledgeable as to what a Christian must do when such "advocacy" occurs in our nation's leadership. I'll speak for God, and thus, stand against it! I take much comfort in knowing that I'm not alone in doing so.

posted Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:48 AM | Report Abuse

Dr. James Willingham

I have 18 hrs toward a Ph.D., 12 of it at Columbia University in NYC where I wrote a prospectus for a Doctoral Dissertation on the subject, "The Baptists andSlavery," the aim of which was to show that God His grace produced some of the greatest Christian personalities every seen in history. Witness the Negro Spirituals. Also at Columbia I delivered a lecture in an afternoon lecture series, The Stanley Elkins' Thesis: A Critique," which sougt o show that dueto Go's grace slavery was not allowed to produce what it intended to produce, namely, Uncle Tom and Black Sambos. Human beings are human beings. As to President Obama, I wanted to vote for him, but his stand on abortion and other issues, kept me from doing so, and I really was angry about that even though I really understand where the real source of the problem came from, cf. Carroll Quigley's Tragedy and Hope (NY: Macmillan, 1965) and his The Anglo American Establishment (1980). I have for many years prayed and labored for end of racial prejudice. I graduated from a black university (Lincoln in Mo), and I taught in one, South Carolina State. I did my Doctor of Ministry project on "Christian Love and Race Relations without the support of the Seminary. I was told by my project supervisor, "You ought to know better than to select a controversial topic like this. If they fire you, I will be right there behind the church, supporting them." At that time the seminary was supposed to be liberal. I have done research in Black History, and it gave me nihtmares to see how they were treated. But God is working to change people on this issue. As one lady told me nearly 40 yrs. ago, "Mr. Willingham, when I saw what prejudice had done to those little black children, I cried." My prject dd not get me fired. Instead, it prepared people of the church for a great change, like as when a white lady has black grandchildren. I weep that we did not settle this problem sooner. I do not think the coming persecution based on sexual prejudice will be anyting but bitter for believers who are already beginning to feel the brunt of the criticism and soon will feel the teeth of the lw in their homes. After all, if the government can mandate the teaching in the classroom, it can do it in the home and it will. Being opposed to Mr. Obama's practices is not being opposed to a Black person; it is being opposed to practices which appear to beout o order and destructive to society in the long run. Don't you wish we had chosen as the British Empire did,to abolish slavery without a civil war in hich 650,000+ casualties were the result? What will be the result of the President's policies on churches and believers. Since the bible teaches sodomy to be a sin, it must surely be classed as literature that promotes hate and therefore to be banned from the public arena. You all need to check where ths stuff really came from and who really runs things for the present. Also the only answer will be such a coming down of Heaven to earth that men cannot d evil anymore. Look at C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength, where the main character, Ransom, says, They pull down deep heaven upon thei heads. His literary solution is what happened here in NC in 1801 and in the colonies in 1740, namely, the Great Awakenings. A Third Great Awakening, one in which the whole earth is won to Christ by the blessing of His presence is the answer to these problems. We need to begin praying now for such a visitation.

posted Thursday, July 02, 2009 4:08 PM | Report Abuse

This string of commentary had taken an interesting turn--especially with abnormal sexuality and the Obama Presidency, and now with racial issues.

Sadly, not many real and important issues got discussed AT ALL in the SBC. We are in the middle of a terrible economy driven by greed and it was exercised on the backs of the poor and working small business owners / employees. Not one word was said about the slick words of the perpetrators, unequal justice applied to corporate leaders who made the mess, and unscrupulous politicians who turned their heads to not enforce securities laws clearly in place to prevent what happened.

Perhaps, we were all so busy getting people to give more to build another mega-church that we didn't notice it was stolen money!!!

Neither did we address ordained clergy in the SBC some of whom are predating on children, women, etc. while pretending to be properly trained and ordained to serve as an ordained minister. We are hiding our heads in the sand and passing the buck. Any exclusion of the Broadway church pales by comparison to what should and could be done about preditors, in my opinion!

The things which led to slavery and its inclusion as an acceptable action by white Christians in the South are about as bad as freeing slaves, but giving them few if any voting rights until the 1960's. At the same time women could not vote either. Since we are not very active on the west coast or midwest we don't even consider matters of Hispanic farm workers or Orientals kept in their ghetto. Whatever happened to "all men created equal" as the golden dream of America became reality?

As we worship American society as if it were pure, business as if it were clean, laws as if they were equally enforced, etc., I can see many important issues of real moral needs which a "moral majority at the SBC" should see and address---BUT they DID NOT.

Just as the Pharasees and Temple religion turned religion into big business pretty much devoid of serious morality, the big show mega-church and the largest non-Catholic body of believers, played while Rome is burning down. The real needs of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" got missed among the smoke and mirrors of "Great Commission Resurgence" and pulpit / Bible pounding messages about---Nothing, really!!!

Another messed up morality and big business, big government year is passing with no real "Word from God" except we hate gays, won't ordain women, and will kick out any individual or church which says otherwise.

Think about it and let's decide to do a lot better in the future--even if a few folks don't want to give ill-gotten tithes if we confront them with a prophetic word about caring and honesty.

posted Friday, July 03, 2009 2:50 PM | Report Abuse

Joy rises at the SBC

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