Brothers and sisters,
It has been quite some time since I’ve had the joy of writing one of these, but I wanted to take some time to fill you all in on some of the things happening in the broader Southern Baptist Convention. If you’ve seen secular media cover the annual meeting of the SBC, you might have gotten the impression that Southern Baptists are a bunch of curmudgeons who are only politically motivated to enact some sort of theocracy on the rest of the nation. However, the spirit of the meeting was far from that, and I wanted to report on some of the things that happened, my perspective, and why I’m grateful to be a Southern Baptist Church.
The Layout
The way this annual meeting works is that each SBC-affiliated church is allotted a minimum of two representatives (called messengers) to send for the various votes that take place. Then, each percentage of the total undesignated giving a church receives that is given to the Cooperative Program (i.e. Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, gifts to ABRN) earns churches additional messengers. So, if we as a church gave 10% of our total undesignated offering to the cooperative program, we would be allowed 10 additional messengers, totaling 12 messengers. These messengers could then vote on the various resolutions, amendments, and officers at the convention. When messengers arrive, they head to registration, are checked in, given ballots and schedules, and then set loose.
In the Convention Center where these things are held, there is usually a designated spot for booths for various entities directly and indirectly connected to the SBC, who set up booths and advocate for their various entities. All of the SBC seminaries have their own booths. Various Baptist colleges, Lifeway, 9Marks, state conventions, ministry resource companies that do everything from selling church signs to church lending companies, all have booths. So, it is a great place to see the various resources out there and available to churches, and a great place to network. Brittany and I visited several booths and made new friends and rekindled old friendships. It is one of my favorite parts of the annual meeting.
Then, in the main auditorium, there is a stage and enough seating for thousands of people. According to the SBC Credentials committee, there were over 10,000 messengers registered and checked in at this year’s meeting. This main auditorium is where the business side of things is conducted. There was a morning session and an evening session. These sessions were basically giant business meetings. Throughout the auditorium are numbered microphones that messengers can come up to, push a button for their various requests, and then be recognized by the SBC president to make their statement. This is one of my favorite aspects of the meeting because fellow Baptists from around the country can approach a microphone and address everyone else. Some of these addresses are dramatic and impassioned. Many are rather humorous and light-hearted. If you want to see one such address, check out the one I shared on my personal Facebook page regarding a messenger from Oklahoma and the president, Dr. Adam Groza, of Gateway Seminary.
During the various votes, messengers are usually asked to simply raise their ballots either for or against the various motions, resolutions, or amendments. If a vote is potentially contentious or difficult to determine by simple visual confirmation, messengers will be instructed to fill out numbered ballots in their ballot books and turn them over to ushers who collect them. Then, members of the credentials committee will tabulate these votes in a separate room and bring the results back later in the meeting.
When there is a break between the morning and afternoon sessions, there are various mini-conferences put on by various entities that people can attend. Brittany and I attended Midwestern Seminary’s “For the Church” mini-conference on Tuesday and listened to a panel discussion on the history of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. On Wednesday, we attended a friends and alumni luncheon for Midwestern Seminary and listened to a panel discussion on the intersection between theology, doxology, and spiritual disciplines. It was also a time to get to meet fellow pastors, alumni, and professors from all over the country. It was a refreshing and enjoyable time.
Significant Votes
When it comes to voting on issues, it’s helpful to see the various categories of the votes. One is voting on resolutions. Resolutions are statements that the SBC votes on that are essentially public acknowledgments that the SBC as a whole makes regarding a given issue. For example, one resolution was on the SBC’s gratitude to the city of Dallas for hosting us. Messengers voted unanimously that this was the SBC’s majority position on the matter. That was a relatively low-stakes resolution, but it did express the majority position of the SBC as a whole.
The other type of votes messengers make are on motions and amendments. Motions usually pertain to changing something in the constitution or statement of faith. Or they are used to prompt various SBC entities to do something on behalf of the whole convention. For example, there was a motion made to have the Executive Committee investigate a particular situation. Or having the SBC president establish a task force to study something. Amendments are just motions to adjust the scope or language of the initial motions.
Okay, now that those things are clarified, let me fill you in on some of the significant resolutions and motions made at the SBC Annual Meeting this year.
Resolution 3: On the Harmful and Predatory Nature of Sports Betting
In essence, this resolution was a public condemnation of Sports Betting. It advocates that SBC churches educate congregations about the harms of this practice and that we urge our political leaders to curtail sports betting. Brittany and I, unfortunately, missed this vote, but my personal opinion on this matter is that I am somewhat torn. I see the value of advocating for abstinence in this area. However, I struggle with the desire to legislate it. To me, this issue is similar to drinking. There are dangers involved, certainly, and abstinence in many cases is wise. However, this comes down to discipleship. People should be informed of the risk, encouraged to be good stewards of their money, and let the Holy Spirit convict each believer on how to proceed. We, as the church, should also be willing to intervene in the lives of people when gambling is an issue in their lives. But desiring to legislate this, in my opinion, is a step too far.
Resolution 4: On Banning Pornography
This resolution is exactly how it sounds: it is a desire to outlaw the production, distribution, and consumption of pornography. Now, it may sound like I’m speaking out of two sides of my mouth on this one; however, I am 100% for this desire to legislate for several reasons. One, it is much more explicitly condemned in scripture than gambling.
Paul clearly explains the theological dangers of such sexual immorality in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 – “Flee sexual immorality (Gk word is porneia). Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” Paul clearly delineates such sexual immorality as a sin in a category of its own.
Second, the pornography industry is rife with human trafficking and sexual exploitation of individuals.
Thirdly, the consumer of pornography has their mind physiologically changed, and other people are looked at as more objects than image bearers of God. It also warps one’s view and appreciation for sex as it was designed to be practiced; in a covenant, married relationship.
For me, the dangers and repercussions of a promulgated pornography industry are in a category of their own and should be condemned by all believers.
Resolution 5: On Restoring Moral Clarity through God’s Design for Gender, Marriage, and the Family
This resolution was pretty controversial, mostly to those outside of evangelical Christianity. In one portion, it resolved to overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges case, which enshrined gay marriage as a universal right. This is something very in line with our theology. Some might argue that this is an issue of legislating morality and thus shouldn’t be pursued. However, gay marriage is not a legitimate marriage based on God’s design in Scripture. And it advocates the practice of sexual immorality, which I’ve already established is a sin in a category of its own. Marriage is meant to be a covenant in which God can reflect His goodness and wonderful design for both men and women, as well as create a beautiful environment in which sex and procreation can be properly enjoyed.
Another aspect of this resolution was clearly defining the SBC’s stance on the issue of gender and gender ideology. It resolved to clearly state that God created two genders, men and women, and that these genders are created as complementary to each other. Those who advocate for such ideologies took issue with this. However, this resolution rightly discerns what Scripture clearly teaches on the matter.
Lastly, and perhaps most controversially, this resolution sought to encourage childbearing to address declining fertility rates. The language of this section is: “We call on Christians to celebrate and embrace marriage and childbearing – seeing children as blessings rather than burdens (Psalm 127:3-5) – and the privilege of raising the next generation; and be it further resolved that we call for renewed moral clarity in public discourse regarding the crisis of declining fertility and for policies that support the bearing and raising of children with intact, married families.” As one who sees the family unit as the foundational unit of a godly flourishing society, I appreciate the language and advocacy of this portion. I can honestly say that I’ve not considered the repercussions of declining fertility to have a strong opinion on that so-called crisis. However, I do see that our society continuously poses children and childbearing as burdensome to one’s own personal flourishing. This view is unbiblical and selfish. But this is not a condemnation of those who genuinely struggle with infertility. Rather, it speaks to this particular issue of seeing children and childbearing as burdensome.
Resolution 6: On Standing Against the Moral Evils and Medical Dangers of Chemical Abortion Pills
The gist of this resolution is well explained in its title. The SBC overwhelmingly advocated against the abortion pill, in particular mifepristone. This resolution rightly advocates for the banning of all abortion, especially chemical abortion, which has become somewhat of a workaround the laws regulating traditional abortion. It also points out the dangers of chemical abortions that the FDA has suppressed. I’m grateful that the SBC took a stand on this issue and clearly condemned all forms of abortion, including chemical abortion.
Motion by Juan Sanchez
Pastor Sanchez made a motion to amend the SBC Constitution to include an enumerated 6th item under Article 3, Paragraph 1, concerning composition. It would read: “6. Affirms, appoints, or employs only men as any kind of pastor or elder as qualified by Scripture.” This particular motion is similar to the Law Amendment, which made headlines at last year’s convention. The crux of this issue is that the BF&M 2000, which serves as the guiding confession by which the SBC determines churches in friendly cooperation, has a section on the church that states, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” However, there are churches in the convention that employ females on staff and refer to them as pastors. Usually, it is a “worship pastor” or a “children’s pastor.” Some of these churches seem to allow these female pastors to provide pastoral leadership, usually through public mixed gender teaching, but since they aren’t technically the lead or senior pastor, they are usually not disbarred from fellowship of the SBC.
The Law amendment last year and the Sanchez amendment this year sought to add clearer restrictions on the use of the title of “pastor.” It would better inform the credentials committee, which reviews cases of unfriendly cooperation, much more clearly, and allow them to make much more definitive judgments on the matter. That is at least my take on the issue.
This motion needed a 66% approval to pass and received around 60% approval and therefore failed. I believe a vast majority of the 40% who opposed the motion voted against it largely because they saw it as unnecessary. So, I don’t believe that 40% of the messengers are advocates of an egalitarian pastorate, but were merely finding the amendment unnecessary and redundant. I voted for the amendment largely because I do see this as an issue creeping into our convention. And as a complementarian, I appreciated the desire to provide clearer guidelines for our convention to make such determinations.
Other Miscellaneous Thoughts
I know this post is getting long, so I’ll try and wrap things up. One significant vote was on whether the SBC should abolish the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). I honestly don’t know much of the arguments on either side of this issue; I only know that the ERLC is essentially the political lobbying wing of the SBC and has been instrumental in advocating for pertinent issues such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade. I believe over the past several years, many believe that some of the leadership hasn’t lined up with the SBC’s political interests well enough, but that is about the extent that I know of the issue. I intend to try and find out what the issues are on both sides of this argument. For the time being, however, I did vote against abolishing the ERLC as I believe getting rid of this wing with no tangible plan to replace it would have been foolish, considering the friendliness of the current congress and administration.
If you are interested in more issues regarding the SBC, I would encourage you to subscribe to the Baptist Press and check out their social media pages. You will be able to read about these various issues in a more in-depth manner.
Lastly, I will say this, despite my disdain for Robert’s Rules-run business meetings, this was truly an encouraging experience. I was able to see members and pastors of various churches from around the country striving to bring the gospel to the nations. One of the greatest portions of the annual meeting is the commissioning of new IMB missionaries to send to the mission field. Though I sadly missed it this year, it is for the work of the gospel that SBC churches pool their resources together so that every tribe, tongue, and nation can hear the good news of Jesus. In the end, this was like a big family meeting. We have some squabbles but at the end of the day, the desire is the same: to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ clearly throughout every nation. I hope to continue to attend these every summer, and I would love to have more of our church members join us and represent GVBC on the national scale!
If any of you would like to see some of the resolutions or motions or just have general questions, I have several resources from the convention you are welcome to take a look at!
Blessings,
Pastor Trenton
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