A good report from the SBC
June 15th, 2007Liz and I returned from San Antonio and the SBC meeting on Thursday evening. Weather delayed us in Houston and we were four hours late but we arrived home safely. I did get back in time to pray with a group of intercessors at the church at 7:30 p.m.
I will report about the SBC this Sunday evening. Let me give you a few items here. Dr. Frank Page led with grace and was elected to a second term. Next year in Indianapolis, we will elect a new president. This will be a very important election for the SBC. We must have God’s man to lead in the years to come. Many are saying it will be the most important election since the conservative resurgence. Be praying for God to raise up His man.
Great reports came from the two mission agencies. I was especially thrilled at the job Dr. Hammond did with his first NAMB report. He was marvelous. He shared three things. I believe each messenger walked away knowing NAMB’s vision was to “Share Christ, Start Churches and Send Missionaries.” We must get serious about these matters. While giving and church planting was up, the number we baptized was down by 7,000. Olive was in the top 100 churches in baptisms but we are not where we need to be. We must lead out in soul winning like never before.
The one item of spirited debate at the SBC ‘07 was on the discussion of the Baptist Faith and Message. This is the doctrinal statement adopted by the convention in 2000. While it is a minimal statement, some want to make it all encompassing. Some issues are not covered in the BF&M. And we must speak to those. But I do not see the issue being one we cannot overcome with some intelligent conversation. Yet some are becoming mean-spirited in the debate. This must not be tolerated. Using crude verbiage about fellow Baptists in this debate has no place. We must be better than that.
All in all the convention was a good one. While I am a Christian first, I am still proud of our heritage and stand as Southern Baptists.
Pastor Ted Traylor