Saturday, June 09, 2018

Pay Attention to the SBC Resolutions Committee

I am in Dallas, Texas for the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention. I will not be blogging much during the Convention, but if you'd like to know my thoughts, I'd encourage you to follow me on Twitter by clicking on the link below and press "Follow."

Wade Burleson on Twitter

The Resolutions Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention has been tasked with collecting, editing, and recommending different "Resolutions" for the Southern Baptist Convention to approve. These annual Resolutions help the general public understand how "determined or resolute" the Southern Baptist Convention is about certain issues (the definition of "resolution").

It will be interesting to see which Resolutions make it to the floor.

The Resolutions Committee  is composed of nine Southern Baptist messengers. It is stacked with Paige Patterson loyalists. The Southern Baptist should be careful not to make any gigantic missteps by seeking to honor our past while unintentionally portraying a general tone deafness to our present.

Here are four of the members of the 2018 Southern Baptist Resolutions Committee.
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Jason Duesing
-- Resolutions Committee Chairman

Jason has a long tenure of association with Dr. Paige Patterson. You can read and learn more about Jason Duesing here, here, and here. Jason was at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003 when Dr. Paige Patterson was President.
______

Alicia Wong - Resolutions Committee Member

Alicia was mentored by Dorothy Patterson (see here - page 24).  Alicia now teaches at Gateway Seminary, but she formerly taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in the Women's Studies Department.
_______

Candi Finch - Resolutions Committee Member

Candi Finch writes for Baptist Press and has been one of the most vocal defenders of Paige Patterson.  Candi serves as Assistant Professor of Theology in Women's Studies, Dorothy Kelley Patterson Chair of Women’s Studies, and was the Executive Assistant to the former First Lady at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary  She runs a website called Biblical Woman, and during the most recent controversy has been quoted in several articles defending Dr. Paige Patterson.
_______

Ken Alford -- Resolutions Committee Member

Ken formerly served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention and has very close ties to Dr. Paige Patterson. Ken also once served as Chairman of the North American Mission Board of Trustees.
________

Again, there are only nine Resolution Committee members on the 2018 Resolutions Committee. Nearly half of the members are strong advocates for Dr. Paige Patterson and are indebted to him for either their current or past employment or for present positions of influence in the Southern Baptist Convention. They are all good people, but even the best of people can make missteps because blind loyalty clouds clarity for the Kingdom.

The Resolutions Committee has their work cut out for them. Several hundred potential resolutions have been turned in to the Committee for possible recommendation to the Southern Baptist Convention. The Resolutions Committee will be working over the weekend and on Monday. They will issue their first report Tuesday morning.

It would be wise for all Southern Baptists to pay very close attention to the resolutions that come of of committee, and to remember that ultimately Southern Baptist messengers have the final say on whether or not resolutions are adopted.

Follow me on Twitter.

(Postscript: I thought the Resolutions did an excellent job under very difficult circumstances and Tweeted out my thanks to the members and Chairman Jason Duesing). 

23 comments:

Tom Parker said...

Wade, serious question. How will the SBC ever change with "thousands" of PP Loyalists in such high positions?

Augustine said...

Wade - I'm hoping you've written and submitted at least ONE resolution?

Augustine said...

Wade,

P.S. And at what point would you consider the founding of a new association of Baptists? At some point, surely the "Paul and Silas effect" can be followed.

Augustine

Anonymous said...

Aug,
“A new association of Baptists” sounds like a good idea or maybe two.
One for the five pointers and one for the fundies. The rest of us could forget combat and go back to
working diligently for Jesus.

RB Kuter said...

I don't expect much drama at the Convention. Paige-ites continue to be in control as mentioned regarding the Resolutions Committee. The President has been set. Some noise will be heard regarding how the Convention needs revival, women respected, etc. But Trustees of Boards will ultimately be set by those having the same spirit and mindset of yesterday. Executive Committee, Ethics Board, IMB, Seminaries, and power players will continue to play the game.

After another one or two Conventions, we may begin seeing some shifts from current control. But not this year.

Jn Meadow said...

WADE: what do you think of this idea?

https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/june-web-only/case-for-electing-beth-moore-southern-baptist-sbc-president.html

I think it is potentially a very bad idea (to nominate her that is - it actually might be a good thing if she were to win but if she went down to overwhelming defeat it would not be so good).

Also Southern Baptists really need to pray about the resolutions committee and the votes on the resolutions. I have seen a couple of resolutions that are potentially damaging (I need to read them more closely to be more sure of that).

Praying for your trip and activities at Dallas

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Have SBC CHURCHS been EXCLUDED from taking part in the SBC just like they were when the BFM 2000 was accepted by messengers?

MESSENGERS ARE NOT THE CHURCH!

The church is to vote and tell their messengers how to vote. Is this not true?

The resolutions committee should have completed their work a month ago and given it to the churches.

You said, “They (resolutions committee) will issue their first report Tuesday.”

That means their report could say ‘Page Patterson is to be restored to his exalted position before he was fired.

And with many speakers with tears running down their faces proclaiming God forgives sinners, the messengers may wilt like the last rose of summer.

Wade Burleson said...

Rex,

The Resolutions Committee would be our of order to present such a resolution so it will not happen. It is a parliamentary thing.

Anonymous said...

Tom Parker said, "How will the SBC ever change with "thousands" of PP Loyalists in such high positions?"

How will Southwestern Seminary have any hope of changing if long-term professors and administrators who have served with Paige Patterson for many years remain. I resolve that the messengers of the SBC encourage the SWBTS Board of Trustees to drain the swamp, and bring in new professors. It's Southwestern's only hope.

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Glad to hear that would be out of order. Who would declare it?

I believe resolutions should be passed out the first day and voted on the second day.

Will there be a resolution to remove Patterson’s and Pressler’s pictures from the chapel?

Rex Ray said...

To whom it may concern,

I’ve been mulling things over, and believe since around 5,600 churches with about 16 million members give money to the Cooperative Program, the churches should NOT be kept in the dark. They should VOTE to tell their messengers how to vote.

The name ‘messenger’ means the person is giving a MESSAGE from someone; like a king sends someone to tell another HIS message.

Baptist churches (Prestonwood has 40,000 members) are limited to the maximum of ten messengers. How can these ‘ten’ know how their church wants to vote when no one knows anything until news from the ‘resolutions committee’.

The Convention operates this way because the ‘powers that be’ like it that way.

As it is now, the name “messenger” should be changed to ‘representative’.

Robert Hutchinson said...

Each messenger is to vote their conscience under Christ’s lordship. It’s been that way since the inception of the Convention.

Anonymous said...

Is the worry really PP loyalists or that conservative dispensationalists, or free grace rather than neo puritans, might remain at SWBTS?

linda

Tom Parker said...

Robert:

You said:"Each messenger is to vote their conscience under Christ’s lordship. It’s been that way since the inception of the Convention."

That does not necessarily mean that they do IMO.

Rex Ray said...

Robert,

I found out I was wrong about each church sending MESSENGERS and you’re right they only vote their “conscience”.

I don’t believe they’re abiding “under “Christ lordship” or there’d be 100% agreement on everything.

Would you agree the name “messengers” should be changed to ‘representatives’?

Anonymous said...



Probably 90 per cent of the voting messengers have their expenses paid by churches, denomination or other affiliated organizations. Lay people have to pay their own way. The plan no longer works and needs to be evaluated and changed. Consider electronic voting.

Unknown said...

often you are right on target...I know one of committee members, Jason Paredes personally...he is my pastor and succeeded me at Fielder Church. No one I know is more independent in his thinking and committed to truth for God's Word. He will make a right choice with independence and spiritual depth. You can be certain no person will dictate his actions except God Himself. He will be a great committee member. Gary Smith

Grainne said...

Are all the committee members patriarhalists? No hope conservative biblical egalitarians,

Grainne said...

Sorry for errors.

Are all the committee members patriarchalists? There seems to be no hope for conservative biblical egalitarians.

Wade Burleson said...

Gary Smith,

I agree with your assessment of the Pastor of Fielder Road. There are a few others like him on the Resolutions Committee for which we are grateful.

Even the loyalists are good people. We’re hoping for an unbiased report, that’s all.

Wade Burleson said...

Grainne,

Most would call themselves complementarians.

Grainne said...

Wade,

As an egalitarian complementarian I object to the use of 'complementarian' being highjacked by the patriarchists as we believe in difference too but in equality in every respect.

The Govteach said...

Bro. Wade, keep us updated. Don't normally "do" Twitter, but will be monitoring your's over the next couple of days.