Tuesday, February 18, 2020

"Take Wong Off, Or We'll Jerk the Venue from You"

"Take Hosanna Wong off the speakers list at the 2020 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference or we will jerk the venue from you."
2020 SBC Pastors Conference - MaleLoved
That's the ultimatum given by the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to Dr. David Uth, President of the Southern Baptist Pastors Conference and Pastor of FBC Orlando.

David Uth has so far resisted the pressure of the Power, Authority, and Control (PAC men) of the Southern Baptist Convention, and he has stood by his decision to invite Hosanna Wong, Teaching Pastor of Eastlake Church of San Diego.

Forget that David Uth and his church will be paying for the entire $300,000 cost of the Pastors Conference.

Forget that David Uth and his church have already been blessed by listening to Hosanna Wong exalt Christ through her unique ministry of spoken word at their autonomous Southern Baptist Church.

Forget that David Uth, as President of the SBC Pastors Conference, has the privilege to name the guests he desires to have speak.

Forget that the Committee of people (13 men and 2 women) who wrote the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message had this to say about the 2000 B&FM:
The sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Confessions are only guides in interpretation, having no authority over the conscience.
A confession is a statement of religious conviction, drawn from the Scriptures, and is not to be used to hamper freedom of thought or investigation in other realms of life.
Dr. David Uth, FBC Orlando
Now the ball is in Dr. David Uth's court.

After going behind closed doors, where secret sessions soar as silent and supreme sanctuaries for saints in sin, the Executive Committee of the SBC demanded David Uth acquiesce and remove Hosanna Wong from the stage or they would pull the Orlando Convention Center as the host site for the Pastors Conference, June 6-7, 2020.

Forrest Gump once said, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Today's ultimatum by the Executive Committee of the SBC is stunningly stupid. They have no idea how they've shot themselves in the foot, or maybe to be more clear about the male-dominated SBC, "in the nuts."

It is the unbiblical belief in inherent male authority over females that has led to the SBC sexual abuse crisis.

It is the unbiblical belief in the inherent male superiority over females that has led to the exclusion of gifted females in SBC leadership.

It is the unbiblical belief that God places gender above gifting, control above character, and status above service that has led to this crisis revolving around gifted women in SBC leadership.
"'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams." (Acts 2:17)
The moment someone tells you that Wade Burleson is a theological liberal, you should instantly know that the speaker has never met a liberal - ever.

I'm staying in the SBC because I wish to save it.

Those using intimidation to remove Hosanna Wong from the stage are burning it down.

16 comments:

David said...

Haven't they been arguing in court that autonomy prevents them from, and makes them not liable for, sexual abuse in churches?

Yet they have no problem running roughshod over autonomy to please the authoritarian wing of the SBC.

They won't just lose members over this - they will also be losing the legal protection the autonomy argument might have provided, by ignoring it when convenient.

Wade Burleson said...

David,

Drop...the...mic.

Nuff said.

Scott Shaver said...

Have never seen an organization so willing to cut off its arms so as to better fit in an inadequate and undersized box.

Anonymous said...

"I'm staying in the SBC because I wish to save it."

no better reason than this

Bob Cleveland said...

Not to mention the fact that God had female deacons, judges, priests etc in the Scriptures. I'm assuming He made no mistakes.

And those ladies were all without the Holy Spirit.

Rex Ray said...

http://www.sbcec.org/function-and-ministry/your-sbc-executive-committee

“The Executive Committee, composed of Southern Baptists whom you have chosen from all across the country, in a very real sense belongs to you.”

“The Executive Committee is governed by its board of trustees — the "members" of the Executive Committee — which are elected by the Convention. All of the Executive Committee's corporate powers are exercised by or under the authority of its board of trustees, and the affairs of the corporation are managed under the direction of that board.”

“The Convention is not made up of churches, but actually "consists of messengers who are members of Baptist churches cooperating with the Convention." Those messengers enjoy messenger status only during the two-day annual session and any special session that might be convened.

All corporate power and authority originate with the messengers. While the Convention has committees and officers, they are all selected by and in accordance with the authority of the messengers.

The Convention has a "corporeal" existence only for the two days each year when the messengers are in session, the Convention actually exists as a corporate entity at all times.”

Wade,

If I understand the above correctly, the SBC can be saved by messengers voting for a ‘new’ Executive Committee that values women.

Wade Burleson said...

Rex Ray,

Yes.

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

http://www.bpnews.net/42739/sbc-messengers-adopt-updated-qualifications

“The Executive Committee is allotted 5 million for operating expenses.”

“Churches in friendly cooperation with the convention can send two messengers and one additional messenger for every 250 members, or for ever $6,000 given the Cooperative Program up to 12 messengers.”

Next meeting will be June 9 and 10 in 2020 at Orlando, Florida.

Travis Collins said...

Thank you for staying in the SBC. You are one of the reasons I have hope in the Convention that "midwifed" me into the faith.

Rileydogbarks said...

The more they squeeze, they more the lose. It's exhausting. And the Kingdom of God continues to suffer from perceived impotence and disunity.

Anonymous said...

"Forget that David Uth and his church will be paying for the entire $300,000 cost of the Pastors Conference."

Though I'm all for letting both sexes function however they are gifted, am I the only one who thinks spending that kind of money on a conference is ridiculously extravagant? $300k can feed, house, or clothe a tremendous amount of needy people. What ever happened to keeping things simple and cheap?

Seems Jesus was able to, how come we can't? :)

Ken

Susan said...

Good luck with that one.

I would like to believe we could find the number of churches it would take to vote and send female messengers. I’m just not sure there are many still standing after all Patterson and his cohorts have done to brainwash the SBC into believing these false doctrines.

Rev. Addie Davis is most certainly weeping with all that is taking place today.

I’ve been asked why I’m still hanging onto my beliefs in the Baptist Church. All I can say is that I know that the Church Christ Ordained and called us to DOES AND MUST WORK. (emphasis - not yelling). The Church Christ Ordained is Not what we see today with puffed up attitudes and pious hearts. Hearts that refuse to seek the truth and seek justice and mercy for His people and those who are being abused by those in power because they feel they have the right, believing they will not get caught. Even if they are caught - who would ever believe the “poor victim” they’re “needy,” or “crazy,” anyway. “Besides, God forgives us and I can ask for forgiveness.”

We seriously need to revisit the Church that Christ Ordained and seek to fully embrace his example.

As a preacher’s daughter, growing up in the Church, I never heard or read anywhere that God limits the gifts of the Spirit. I’m certainly not qualified, nor is any Man qualified to say who has been called to preach the Word of God. We are all called to His Service in many different ways and we should embrace the call on our life and prayerfully support the call of others.

The Executive Committee and SBC use “Autonomy” when convenient. Leaders are emulated by those who follow them. Therefore, our churches do the same using “Autonomy” when convenient as a means to dismiss and ignore predatory ministers in their pulpits or pass them on to another church without relaying all of their story.

This time they refuse to allow “Autonomy” to be used for a Church as a way to have a gifted minister, who happens to be female, speak at a pastor’s conference. Now they step in and take control, walking all over “Autonomy.”

No “Autonomy” here folks, just keep on walking.

DocMark said...

Wade,
Is there a public statement that has been made for the removal of Hosanna Wong from the program? All I seem to be able to find are reports about it, but I can't find any statement made from the EC regarding it. I notice that the article begins in quotes, is that a direct quote or a summary?

George Luter said...

Wade---It's pretty amazing that now there is a group that says the SBC is too liberal.
If the new group gets in control it won't be long before your church is "disfellowshipped."

Apparently the new group wants an SBC that is all male, all white, and where nothing is said about sexual misconduct.

Such a denomination sounds like one that will get smaller and smaller and smaller.

Like the Shakers.

Wade Burleson said...

I seriously doubt they will "disfellowship" a church or pastor who believes in the infallibility and inerrancy of God's Word, the exclusivity of Jesus Christ, the sin of homosexual behavior (though we have many friends who identify as homosexual, just like we have many friends who are adulterers, but are not as fond as identifying as such), spends millions on local and global missions, and believes in the equality of women. "Disfellowshipped over our belief that leadership is based on gifting, not gender?" If they try, I have the opportunity to speak to the entire SBC, and if they vote after to exclude us after I speak, I will be the most amazed person in the history of Christendom. 75 percent of those church members who identify as SBC agree with what I see in Scripture. In fact, a recent national poll stated. "the majority of Southern Baptists would not mind a woman pastor." When people understand that I don't believe a pastor rules over anybody, but rather, serves Christ's people as gifted, then they begin to understand I'm a biblicist, not an institutionalist.

Mike said...

Wow...in reading this article and the comments that followed, I would be hard-pressed to believe that any of you have ever read the scriptures...sad indeed...the vulgar statement in teh article about where the “men are shooting themselves” bet you were mighty proud about how “clever” you were...sad indeed