The Southern Baptist Convention met this week and for the first time that I can recall in a number of years closing ranks is not what will be the most reported issue that hits the media. Someone said about our convention that its like a large family reunion where there’s always some crazy aunt or uncle or cousin that says and does something idiotic.
We certainly have lots of those crazy relatives who like to present resolutions against everyone and everything. Honestly – I’m embarrassed and ashamed at the foolishness that has occurred over the years in some of those actions and resolutions. Evidently, I’m not alone because increasingly, young leaders have disappeared from the halls of those frustrating meetings. Well, this year, was markedly different.
Earlier in the year I had the privilege of participating in one of Johnny Hunt’s gatherings with young leaders. At the gathering, there were some of the “old guard” SBC leaders present. But Johnny really wasn’t concerned with what they had to say. He was there to listen to the 40 or so young pastors who overwhelmingly stated, “We aren’t going to fight over the Bible or Calvinism or whatever the old folks want to fight about. We would rather walk away than fight.” Their message was, “We are busy in our local churches fighting to share Christ with the Lost and to mobilize our members to the ends of the earth. Only that is worth fighting about.” WOW! How refreshing.
Over the year Johnny has listened long and hard to these young leaders. Here’s my paraphrase from something I heard Johnny say in one of those meetings.
One of the most significant things that happened in the US elections this past year was the generational transfer of leadership. Black president or not, the point of no return is that a young leader has taken the helm. The same thing must happen in the SBC or the SBC will dwindle away. Those of us who are greying aren’t going to like everything about the change in leadership.
Johnny’s goal seems to be to serve as the president who issues in that transfer of leadership from those the generation of yesteryear to the generation to come.
I have friends on every side of every aisle in this SBC world. I’m friends with some old folks who want to keep fighting the battle for the Bible. The young folks are saying, “Duh!” That one is over. Let’s move on.
I have friends who lost that battle and say, it wasn’t a battle for the Bible at all – it was a battle for power and control. Those friends are looking at this and distrusting anything that could be coming from the SBC.
I have friends in new churches that have remained uninvolved and detached from denominationalism because of their embarasment at the crazy aunts and uncles. Some have been shunned or insulted because they were too calvinist, not calvinist enough, too culturally relevent in their preaching, too graphic in their language, too open to drinking and other “vices” etc, etc.
Here’s what I want to say to all of us about all of this - Wait. Watch. Listen. Pray. Just practice what your reading in the Bible.
One of the most important statements made this week was by David Platt, “God doesn’t need the SBC.”
Another one of the most important statements made this week was by Johnny Hunt who told about a conversation he had with someone in which Johnny was rude and offensive. God didn’t let Johnny rest until he went to that brother and confessed his rude tone. Johnny’s statement was, “The small things are important.” We must go to our brother and be reconciled.
If the young leaders resonated with anything this week it was those two statements. This battle is not about the SBC. It’s about living the faith that God has called his children to live. It’s about walking in faith and obedience. What I recall about the battle for the Bible that occured in our denomination is that there was a lot of rude and offensive behavior. I heard Johnny saying that the way and manner in which we contend among ourselves IS important. We can’t ignore scripture to fight for a higher cause. We have to act like the body of Christ. Both of these two statements resonate with young leaders and grow out of God’s Word.
Johnny Hunt and David Platt preached repentance this week. They preached the Great Commission. They taught reconciliation and love. They challenged us to humility. If there was a difference this week – it came from sincere, Godly men calling everyone to live according to God’s word, not fight about it.
Expectantly waiting.
Other blogs on this topic
http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/2009/06/sbc-report.html
http://www.internetmonk.com/archive/my-thoughts-on-todays-southern-baptist-convention-meeting-62309
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Mark,
Thanks for the encouraging report. I’m saying a prayer today for the GCR committee and for Johnny Hunt.
How refreshing!! Please, Lord, lead us in this direction.