I was walking through the exhibit hall today thinking about our annual convention, trying to sort out everything I’ve seen so far. Here’s my take on the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Good.
1. Everyone has a voice and gets to be heard.
If you think we should be doing something different or better, get up to that mic at the appropriate time, state your name and what church you are from and make a motion. Yep, everyone gets a chance to talk. If you think we should stop boycotting Disney, stand up and let it fly. I love the idea that we all get a chance to be heard.
2. Conversation abounds for those who wish to make it happen.
I’m not talking about professional “networking,” but building relationships and discussing truth, beauty, mission, and community as it relates to our churches. This means missing some of what happens on stage if you are only here for Tuesday and Wednesday. But I believe this is a very important part of making the journey.
3. Books. Last year was a bust for me. But this week I actually found some great books at the Lifeway exhibit. You want to know where to look for future reference? Check out the sale tables. I am serious when I say the best books to purchase were on the sale tables. This is not because they were going out of print, nor because they aren’t good books that sell well. The stuff I bought was going for 3 to 5 bucks each because (I’m guessing) Baptists don’t like to read them. Max Lucado’s stuff was like 14 dollars.
4. Richard Land’s words during the ERLC report concerning ministry to homosexuals were good. I didn’t hear everything, but what I heard I liked. Land and a video presentation that followed explained that homosexuality is not simply a choice a person makes, but is a much more complicated issue than many are willing to admit. The message was, we need to love and reach out to people who find their identity rooted in their sexuality. As I have said to some of my homosexual friends in the past, “I believe you are more than your sexuality.” Being able to “walk with them toward Jesus” doesn’t require us being comfortable with sin, but with loving people.
5. Reports of all the good work that really have been happening this year. From tsunami relief work to our new church plants and much more, good things are happening through the SBC.
The Bad.
The Bus. Seriously. The bus was a bad idea. SBC prez Bobby Welch took a tour bus around the country to promote a vision of baptizing one million people in one year. “Boo,” on both counts. I hate thinking about the money and time spent on a bus tour intended to motivate the convention to baptize one million people. It came off looking like an extended photo shoot. And the goal of baptizing one million people in one year? Of course I would love to see God work through our labor and bring about one million conversions (this is, I hope, what we’re really talking about when we emphasize baptisms). But we have a problem. I think we all know we’re bad at baptizing people, not because we do it infrequently, but because we baptize people who don’t have a saving interest in Jesus Christ. We all know our statistics. Over half of our members are unaccounted for. They are not participating in the communities of faith we claim they belong to, yet they were baptized and added to our numbers. I am not suggesting the motives were wrong in chartering a bus, nor that people were not genuinely converted during the past year if associated with the tour. What I am suggesting is that this is the kind of thing we have done for years that has left our denomination anemic. It starts well enough, for example with an awareness that our baptismal rates are declining (though theoretically that could be a good sign). So we set a numeric goal and hire a bus driver? Bad idea.
The Ugly.
The preaching. Not all of it, but not a little of it. Look, I’m not talking about style. That’s preference. I personally don’t like preachers using hyperbole without restraint, hyper-alliteration, yelling all the time or soliciting “amen’s” from the crowd. But that’s just me. And I am not trying to measure one preacher against another. What I find ugly is the tone and direction of much of the preaching. The prophetic voice is often directed toward the world in such a way that it amounts to an arrogant scolding of culture. While I do believe God’s word condemns sin and unbelief, it should go out with an appeal to experience the redemption offered in Jesus. Our message should not simply be, “You screwed up,” but Jesus offers forgiveness, deliverance and freedom for all of us screwed up people. Yes, we need to address sin while standing in the pulpit, sitting in the coffee shop and even when voting for a president. I would just prefer to see a different attitude. But even here we have a problem, because much of what is preached against, as “sin” is not sin at all. Sometimes the good desire for radical holiness amounts to an unbiblical separateness from our culture (I’ll hit this topic again after the convention).
I want you to know this has been a great trip so far, and I am excited about tomorrow. I have seen some good things here, great things even. But we are still in need of change. I know I am, but I write that stuff in my journal.
I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship; husband to Jen; Dad to Katherine, Elias, Madeline, and Kilian. If you're in town you can probably find me in the local coffee house or running through the neighborhoods.
{ 9 comments }
I agree that the bus was a bad idea and have for a long time. At first it sounded Ok, but the more I thought about it and saw the DVD’s that were sent out, the more I thought the whole idea stunk.
It is good that everyone has a say – even when we hear things that we wish we hadn’t.
That’s a good post Joe and I’m proud of you for exercising restraint. Thanks for the comment about the prophets–so true.
Joe, thanks for the reports from the frontline. Like many, I’ve enjoyed reading them. Hope you and Steve have a safe trip home.
That’s a great post Joe.
It is hard for me to talk about the bus without becoming terribly cynical. I’m with you. I think I’ve mentioned before that part of the problem is that it continues to propogate the idea that baptism is the end of our work with people. “Get ‘em saved, get ‘em wet, get ‘em to church on Sunday.” I wish we talked about discipleship as much as evangelism because, really, they’re part of the same process.
I wonder what you guys’ opinion would be of the “God and country” stuff or how much of it there has been. I thought about that when I saw the huge American flag on the bus.
I’m thinking I might actually go next year (depending on where it is…)
Joe,
Great stuff. I think you are right on with the bus and preaching comments. But I might switch those categories because that bus is one ugly vehicle. I think that you are correct in saying that the declining baptism rates might be a good thing. I love how some of those guys criticize the founders folks for having low baptism rates (of course many of those churches don’t report them because of principle), but never point to the fact that they (founders’ churches) tend to retain their membership in stunningly contrasting rates to the typical SBC church. True kingdom impact can’t be measured in how many people we dunk — it’s changed lives. Something we haven’t found a quantitative measure for (and unfortunatly for some, won’t).
BTW, glad to hear from so many that the ERLC’s presentation was excellent. Understanding and ministering to homosexuals is definately an area SBC’ers need work on (myself included). Expect an email from me in the next couple of days. It was great to meet and talk to you at the YLS Sunday. Sounds like y’all had a good time.
Man, that bus looks horrible! Almost as bad as the million baptisms crusade.
I thought we had learned our lesson on “sloganeering.” Vance Havner, referencing the SBC evangelistic slogan for 1954 (“A million more in ’54″) wryly remarked, “A million more like the bunch we’ve got and we’re doomed!”
My soul, could we please get some leadership?
I’ve heard of that solgan. Look, I happen to like a theologically sound slogan. “sola scriptura,” “sola gratia,” “sola fide,” “solus christus,” “solid deo gloria.” But the stuff we’ve put out is closer to the infamous, “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” Closer in it that the slpgan rests on bad theology.
I know we have great men and women who could serve our convention well, and I know we have some currently serving. I am hopeful that in a few years we’ll begin to see some very cool changes.
Guys-
I agree with all of your comments!! On a less cynical and more humorous note, that bus was the greatest thing I have seen in a long time. I cracked up out loud. I know that wasn’t the point of the tour but it is what is. Like Alex, the American flag that the SBC loves to drape everywhere strikes me in an odd way for people who do like to separate themselves from the “world”.
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