Absolutely Embarrassing Is the Only Phrase to Describe the "Evangelism Service" at the Southern Baptist Convention's Closing Night

Wednesday night one of my favorite singing groups performed at the Southern Baptist Convention, Casting Crowns, and the worship was fantastic. I wish I could say as much for the preaching. The evangelist, whom I choose not to name, preached what he called a "salvation" message and offered an "invitation."

The only problem was the evangelist's message contained as much gospel as there is caffeine in water. In other words, there was no good news proclaimed of what Christ has done for sinners, but there was an insistence that the sinner must follow a methodological religious ritual to save himself. This ritual consisted of praying a rote prayer by repeating the words of the evangelist, then holding up a hand to "confess" because you only "meant it if you mention it," and finally the plea for all who meant it to move to the front of the auditorium to "publicly declare your private prayer." The entire twenty minutes of manipulating a listener to follow the God dishonoring ritual was preceeded by the mantra "if there's never been change, then something's strange." The notion that people who struggle with sin in their lives are somehow cured by following this peculiar ritual presented at the Southern Baptist Convention Wednesday night is more Roman Catholic than Roman Catholic mass.

I was embarrassed. Massive damage is done to the substance of evangelical Christianity when adults and mostly children are somehow led to believe salvation is tied up in their ritualistic walk down an aisle than it is in the performance of Jesus Christ at Calvary. More dishonor is given to the name of Christ when an evangelist short cuts the work of the Holy Spirit in conviction, illumination and conversion. Leading someone through a religious ritual, then convincing them that the ritual magically conveys salvation, instead of
patiently explaining the message of good news in Jesus Christ and urging the hearer to simply believe on Christ, is turning the gospel of Christ's kingdom into a carnival sideshow.

If this is what the Southern Baptist Convention has turned into,  then it does not represent our history as conservative, evangelical apologists. It may represent the the Fundamentalist, Arminian, legalist brand of evangelicalism, but it doesn't represent what we have historically believed biblical Christianity is all about. Could someone have actually been "saved" at that "evangelism service?" Sure. God spoke to Balaam through a donkey, He can speak through our perverted religious rituals. But He moves in spite of our errors, not because of them. Someone who was actually at the service and not simply watching it like I was, tweeted two messages:

@sbcmessenger: Oh, goodness sakes! If you didn't see it, Bobby Welch came forward at the invitation. #SBC2010


@sbcmessenger: 200+ SBC evangelists meet. 132 of them respond 2 the invitation. 129 decisions for Christ, 3 baptisms. #SBC2010

At least the comic relief softened the pain.

GCR Task Force: You Should Have Never Made The Promise to Keep Secrets

A very interesting debate for unsealing the Great Commission Task Force Records took place Wednesday morning at the Southern Baptist Convention. Al Mohler said that the records should be sealed because the Great Commission Task Force promised people who spoke that the proceedings of the meetings would be kept confidential. James Smith, Editor of the Florida Baptist paper, supported the unsealing of the records by saying, "Journalism is the first draft of history." When the Convention authorized the Great Commission Task Force to do their work, the Convention never said it should be done in secret. The Great Commission Task Force did not have the authority to seal the records, only the Convention did.

Interestingly, Greg Wills, the historian of Southern Seminary, and an employee who answers to President Mohler, was the second person to speak, and unsurprisingly spoke against the motion. After Wills spoke, other messengers made some good points in support of the motion to unseal the records, but Pastor Walter Price made what some considered a good argument against the motion to unseal the records by saying, "What if you as a pastor did a church study and invited church members to speak about the changes needed in the church, but the next Sunday played what was said in the church service?" Pastor Price's arguments has at least two major problems: The Convention is not a church, it is a cooperative effort of multiple churches and the only way cooperation continues is when secrecy is abolished. Also, the Task Force's Al Mohler said that the reason confidentiality was needed was due personnel issues, not any proposed needed changes discussed in the SBC. However, the Task Force  had no authority to hire or to fire anyone, to commend any SBC employees or reprimand any SBC employees, or to delve into personnel records or to even keep personnel records. So the argument Al Mohler made that confidentiality was needed for "personnel" reasons is at best illogical and at worst deceptive.

A messenger from the floor proposed an amendment to the main motion that called for the release of selected materials from the deliberations, using lawyers, historical archivists and the press to ensure nothing "confidential" was released (assuming there was anything confidential in the first place). Danny Aiken spoke against the amendment, reiterating "we made a promise to not release the records" and that the costs of combing through the materials to prepare them for release would be cost prohibitive.

It was obvious to me the motion would fail. Time for discussion of issue expired after fifteen minutes. The President of the Convention called time for the debate. The amendment was first voted upon and it failed. The original motion to unseal the records was then voted upon, and it too failed. The Task Force minutes will remain sealed for fifteen years.

Progress is being made in keeping the SBC open, but when we continue to allow the sealing of records for CHRISTIAN MINISTRY, then we violate the specific instructions of Christ that everything involving His kingdom should be done in the light of day. We also violate our own history.

Dr. Albert McClellan, the former Executive Director of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, spoke to a writer for The Baptist Program on December 31, 1980 and said,

"In 43 years there have been fewer than six executive sessions (closed door, private meetings) . . . The Executive Committee (SBC) has an open ear for anyone one who wants to speak to it. For almost 25 years the gallery has been two to three times bigger than the size of the Committee, and the gallery has been permitted to ask any question, to give any information, to make any point and to offer any objection."

Our Convention is only as healthy as the number of the secrets we keep. Those who hold the keys to the secrets will unwillingly set themselves up as "leaders" who are authorized by God to protect the sheep from harmful information. It seems the GCR Task Force "leader" believe people fifteen years from now can handle the truth--but Southern Baptists today cannot.

I find the secrecy sickening. Others may not care, but I do. I find it difficult to support anything done in a climate of such secrecy, particularly when folks are talking about how they spend the money that the widows in my church give. One of these days we will figure out SBC leadership stays at the nicest hotels, go to the most exotic locations, eat at the nicest restaurants, and spend a great deal of money, only to issue a report, deliberated upon in secret, that concludes we need to give more money to missions.

I have ministry today. Funerals, hospitals, and teaching. I find myself increasingly more uninterested in the SBC.

Congratulations to Bryant Wright and Tomorrow Morning's Vote on the GCR Records

Congratulations to Bryant Wright on his election as the new President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has a great deal of work in front of him, and with the new Executive Director of the SBC, Frank Page, and the impending new Presidents of the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board, there is a new day dawning in the SBC. Hopefully it will be a kinder, gentler day with people focusing on the Gospel and not tertiary issues. Our prayers will be with President Wright.

I will be watching closely the vote on opening the "sealed" records of the GCR debate. I predict Chairman Ronnie Floyd, Al Mohler and Donna Gaines will speak against opening the records and the Convention will approve the Commitee's recommendation to seal the record for 15 years. I hope I am wrong because an organization is only as sick as the secrets it keeps, particularly a Christian organization.

The debate and vote to unseal the records is scheduled for 8:50 a.m. eastern on Wednesday.

As Predicted a Presidential Runoff: Bryant Wright and Ted Traylor

Out of 10,944 messengers there were 9,318 presidential ballots cast. The top two vote getters for President of the Southern Baptist Convention were Bryant Wright (pictured left) and Ted Traylor (pictured right).

Runoff election Tuesday night. Without the support of additional nomination speeches, it looks like the Florida pastor has the advantage (Traylor).  I would predict with national online voting the outcome would be different.

Big Butter Jesus Burns

While catching up on some news during the 3:16 Networks (live) feed interruption of the Southern Baptist Convention, I came across the following story.

It seems Big Butter Jesus was struck by lightning and caught fire.

The conservative, evangelical church in Ohio that built the gaudy statue probably attributes its burning to the devil. I see it as a symbol that the modern evangelical church has a hard time distinguishing between the reality of Christianity with the religion of Christianity.

The story does, however, give me pause to reflect over the fact any religious icon we build will one day ultimately fail--whether it be a program, a methodology or a particular way of doing church.

The Great Commission Resurgence Report Will Pass: The Only Question Is Whether or Not the Records Will Be Open

James Merritt, in the debate over the Great Commission Report, said "This Committee is not asking you to rearrange the chairs on the Titanic. This task force is asking us to turn this ship around ... It really is very simple: If you think we are headed in the right direction, if you think doing the same thing, getting the same results is enough, then vote against this report. But if you think we can do better, and if you think we can do what we did in 1979 when we said no to liberalism, then I encourage you to vote for this report."

Smile. Anytime you threaten Southern Baptists that if you vote against a particular motion you are a liberal, then the SBC most likely will pass the motion.

The only question now is whether or not the debate records will be open. The vote at 8:50 a.m. eastern on Wednesday morning will be a very, very important vote. I predict that the report will be passed, but there will be a GREAT effort to ensure the records of the debate  within the committee will be sealed.

Southern Baptists should ask one simple question, "Why?"

Why would we rejoice at passing a GCR report but not want the debate public?

Specificity on the Problem of Human Sexuality in the Evangelical Church Is Needed

According to Al Mohler, the two most 'divisive" issues in the evangelical world 10 years ago at the 2000 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando were division over the exclusivity of Jesus Christ and human sexuality. Al suggested the SBC spoke to both issues and passed the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message at that Convention.

It is unfortunate that Al Mohler is not more specific. The exclusivity of Jesus Christ is something upon which all Southern Baptists agree.

Human sexuality , however, can mean either an opposition to "homosexuality" or an emphasis on ensuring the femine gender is placed in their proper role -- underneath the authority and leadership of the male.

My question for Al Mohler is a specific one: "Are you referring to homosexuality or the role of women in the evangelical world when you speak of human sexuality problems in the church today?"

It seems to me that those two issues are TWO different issues, and to confuse them is not to be intellectually forthright, for conservative, evangelicals differ over the role of women but are in agreement in opposition to homosexual behavior.

2010 SBC Presidential Vote in Orlando, Florida

Four men were nominated for President of the Southern Baptist Convention: Jimmy Jackson, Leo Endel, Ted Traylor, Bryant Wright.

By applause for the respective nomination speeches it is hard to tell who might be elected. However, of all the nominating speeches, David Uth's speech (he's pictured here) on behalf of Bryant Wright was the best in my opinion.

It should be a close vote with no candidate receiving over 50% of the vote. That means there will be a runoff vote later today.

My prediction is the runoff will be between Jimmy Jackson and Bryant Wright, though it wouldn't suprise me if Ted Traylor, the hometown Florida pastor doesn't replace one of the two mentioned above in the runoff. (Update: Bryant Wright and Ted Traylor are in a runoff).

The Only Motion from the Floor Scheduled for a Convention Wide Vote Is the Motion of Whether or Not to Seal the GCR Committee's Minutes and Internal Debate for Fifteen Years

Six motions from the Tuesday 8:30 a.m. business session (this is the business session where SBC messengers can offer their recommendations from the floor without any previous notice to the SBC) were referred to the Executive Committee, and all other motions from Tuesday morning business session were ruled out of order--except for one.

The Committee on Order of Business has scheduled the entire Convention to debate and vote on whether or not to overturn the Great Commission Resurgence Committee's decision to seal the minutes and debate of the GCR meetings this past year.

The motion is scheduled for debate and vote at 8:50 a.m. eastern time, Wednesday morning, June 16th, 2010. If Southern Baptists know what is good for us as a whole, this motion will pass.

Every single platform person, GCR Committee member, and Executive leadership will speak against the motion to unseal the records.

We'll see if our Convention is learning to become open and up-front about our business as all Christian ministries should be.
We'll see.

The Reason the Southern Baptist Convention Should Move Toward Internet Participation

I have watched every single minute of the Southern Baptist Convention this Tuesday morning. I have probably paid more attention to what is being said, and to what is being done, than at any other time in my twenty five years of participating in Southern Baptist Conventions. That's the convenience of being able to follow the proceedings on the Internet. There were only 8,541 registered messengers at 8:00 eastern, and probably only 4,000 in the hall. There might very well be double that number watching the proceedings on the Internet. If those watching were allowed to vote as duly elected messengers, the numbers would quadruple.

One of these days the SBC will allow voting by duly elected messengers via the Internet. We already register electronically, we already have the means by which we watch the Convention electronically, all that is missing is the will to allow messengers to vote electronically. It's not a matter of if, but when.

What is stopping the Executive Committee from allowing national participation via electronic participation?

Control.

Let me illustrate. One of the interesting moments in the morning session was the Nominating Committee report. To avoid making this personal, and to focus only on the issue of control, I will not use names.

A messenger who spoke at a microphone, visibly upset, made a motion to overule the Nominating Committee report for the election of board members for the North American Mission Board by substituting a woman from Alaska in the place of a pastor from Alaska. The messenger was allowed to speak to his motion and explained the following:

(1). The woman he was nominating had ALREADY served a four year term on the North American Mission Board.
(2). It is customary for the Nominating Committee to recommend Southern Baptist board members for REELECTION to an automatic second term unless there are extraordinary circumstances that would prohibit the expected nomination for a second term.
(3). The messenger who was recommending the woman to given her second term to the North American Mission Board was himself a TRUSTEE of the North American Mission board and he testified that the woman he was Nominating had served with distinction. We were told that she had major surgery, but dutifully made every trip from Alaska for the board meetings. She had NEVER missed a board meeting, served conscientiously, and had given the committee NO REASON NOT TO REELECT her.

After the messenger spoke, the Chairman of the Nominating Committee spoke against the messenger's substitute motion by stating:

(1). This is not about personalities.
(2). The two members of the Nominating Committee from Alaska "prayed" about their nomination and felt God wanted them to appoint the pastor and remove the woman (i.e. that's church speak for the two Nominating Commitee members from Alaska had a buddy they wanted to serve, and this woman stood in the way).
(3). Trust the Nominatee Committee's work, and follow their leadership, and "sustain the report."

The messenger's substitute motion failed and the woman who had served with distinction was removed from board service.

All because of the whims of two people: Two people from Alaska who serve on the 2010 Nominating Committee. One of these days Southern Baptists will realize it is much better to have decisions in the hands of many rather than in the hands of two. The Southern Baptist Convention is being choked by political control by a few who wish to direct the entire work and ministry that is being done.

Again, it's not a matter of IF the SBC will change through electronic participation, but WHEN it will change. I will continue to push that it changes soon.

In His Grace,

Wade

Both Interesting and Expected Motions Introduced at the 8:30 AM Business Session

The motions introduced at the first business session of the 2010 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Florida, ranged from the expected to the surprising to the funny. Here's a sample:

(1). Wes Kenney moved that the SBC reject (again) churches affirming or approving homosexualty, this time his motion addressed specifically the Alliance of Baptists and their affiliation with Baptist churches that support homosexuality (edit: thanks to Steve Devane who correctly points out the motion is addressing churches associated with the Alliance of Baptists and not the BWA).

(Opinion: When will we pass a motion to refuse messengers who make it a practice to lie? Homosexuality is not the only sin in this world.)

(2). Les Puryear moved that Article 4.1 of the SBC Consitution be amended so that committees and board members of the SBC will be formed by those messengers elected from churches with the following attendance scale:

--------


40% of elected board members from churches with less than 200 in attendance


35% of elected board members from church with more than 200 but less than 1000 in attendance.


25% of elected board members from churches with more than 1,000.

(Opinion: Won't pass).

(3). A messenger moved that the Executive Committee move in the next five years to amend the SBC unified budget so that the International Mission Board will receive 60% of the total CP receipts.

(Opinion: Until there is greater evidence that the IMB administration and trustees are showing greater fiscal management in the continual reorganizations of field work, trustee board meetings, and practice a refusal to reduce missionary benefits in efforts to "save money,"  I would be opposed to the IMB receiving a greater percentage of CP funds).

(4). One messenger, a West Virginia pastor, moved that the 2010 Convention call for a National Solemn  Assembly of prayer in July, and that all SBC leaders convene for this purpose.

(Opinion: It doesn't look real good for the SBC to vote down a motion to convene for prayer, but the logistics of such a meeting require much more planning than one might think).

(5). One brave messenger moved that "the minutes and audio of the GCR Committee be open for review for all Southern Baptists" and not sealed for fifteen years as was previously stated.

(Opinion: This, in my opinion, is one of the most important motions made at the SBC. If it fails, it will say a great deal to me about where we are as a people).

(6). One messenger, the colorful T.C. Pickney of Virginia,  moved that Article 5 of the SBC Constitution dealing with "officers" of the Convention be amended. He wants the President, Vice-Presidents, and all other SBC officers to come from churches  "that contribute at least 10% to the CP."

(Opinion: Almost every SBC officer since 1979 would have been ineligible for election were this amendment to have been in effect at the time of their election).

(7). One messenger voted that "Great Commission Giving" be defined as that money given ONLY to SBC associations, states, and the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong Offerings.

(Opinion: This is a slap at the GCR Report).

(8). Dwight McKissick moved that Article 3 Section 1 of the SBC Constituition be amended to refuse to seat messengers that come from churches that practice "racial discrimination."

(Opinion: Everyone is symathetic to the motion, but it might be hard to prove that a church is practicing racial discrimination).

(10). One messenger moved that the U.S. Christian flag adopted as the banner of the SBC Great Commission Resurgence.

(Opinion: Won't pass).

(11). The motion that received the most applause was the pastor who asked that the Executive Committee investigate the price of the parking passes at all future Conventions and PREPUBLISH the price so messengers won't be surprised by the amount the pass costs. Great applause everywhere.

(Opinion: Must be quite costly to park in Orlando).

(12). Keith Eitel, Professor of Missions at SWBTS, moved that the GCR Committee define "missional and contextual" BEFORE the vote on the GCR Report.

(Opinion: This should give everyone a clue that some of the opposition to the GCR Report and the cool reception to Frank Page during the Executive Committee yesterday originates from SWBTS administration).

There were other motions, mostly insignificant ones, including a motion for the SBC to make recommendations on partisian political bills in Washington, D.C.. These motions will either be referred or ruled out of order.

I am now listening to Morris Chapman's report on behalf of the Executive Committee.

A Moving Testimony of God's Provision in Adopting Children

Buffy and Sissy McNichols were featured in the afternoon session as a couple who had adopted twins born this past week. Buffy is a Florida pastor, and he and his wife shared their testimony via video before Pastor Ezell introduced them on the stage. It was a very emotional moment when the President of the Pastors' Conference told the McNichols that the leadership of the Pastors' Conference was paying the remaining $10,000 debt for the expenses in adopting the children. A powerful moment, particularly following Dr. Moore's plea that Christian people open their homes up for adoption and foster care.

I listened to all the messages in the afternoon and watched the nomination speeches for officers of the 2011 Pastors' Conference. There was the typical fare both in speeches and preaching, but some atypical moments as well. When C.J. Mahaney began his message by thanking Southern Baptists for indirect involvement for his own conversion, recognizing Southern Baptist pastor Mark Dever as his best friend, one couldn't help but think some of the grumblings of this Presybyterian being invited to speak at the SBC Pastors' Conference had reached the ears of Mahaney.

Also, to see Francis Chan pause for a lengthy, unexpected time of prayer before he began to preach, and then to silently stare at his Bible, leafing through a few pages, before audibly confessing, "I am struggling between two different texts from which I should speak today. Lord, help direct me." Then, after a few more moments of reflection, he began to preach.

That style is a refreshing change to see. Not that it is necessarily better, it's just different, and I can learn from it. I don't know how much I will be able to hear tonight -- I am in OKC doing some research and writing while listening to the Pastors' Conference and we are struggling with MAJOR flooding. Lord willing I'll get home before too late! :)

In His Grace,

Wade

Matt Chandler: His Praying Is More Powerful Than Even His Preaching

Matt Chandler, the Dallas Southern Baptist pastor who has battled brain cancer, preached a powerful message at the Pastors' Conference this morning. He encouraged pastors to teach their people how to be grace driven in their santification. Rather than preaching moralistic messages to appease an angry Diety, Southern Baptist pastors should deepen believers in their understanding of the powerful atonement of Jesus Christ, encouraging them to murder their sin because of the radical grace of God in Christ Jesus. Powerful, profound words, indeed.

But what struck me about Matt is something that people in the arena may not have caught. At the end of the message, he prayed with his eyes wide open. He addressed God respectfully, but in the manner of an intimate friend, he used first person pronouns--all the while looking at the pastors who were seated before him. Again, eyes wide open. Praying with intimacy, praying as comfortably and naturally as one who breathes. Spurgeon used to say you know the character of a man by not hearing what he says, but observing how he prays. It's evident to me Matt Chandler knows his God.

In His Grace,

Wade Burleson

God Is At Work Building Our House, But We Keep Reminding Each Other of the Houses We Build

Ken Whitten, a fellow trustee of the International Mission Board who treated me more fairly than most during my tenure on the IMB, preached a solid message of encouragement to pastors about God holding our tomorrows in His hand. He encouraged Southern Baptist pastors to quit focusing on the numbers who attend our churches, boasting of great gains financially and numerically at our churches, and instead focus on what God is doing for His servants who faithfully, consistently perform their ministries by doing those things that are not listed on the Annual Church Profile turned into the Convention Office. Things like preaching faithfully the Word of God, leading members to understand the bondage of financial debt and helping them escape it, counseling those who are hurting and giving them hope in Jesus Christ, etc.... A good word for us all.

After Ken closed in prayer, the Vice-President of the Pastors Conference came and introduced another pastor who had served on the Great Commission Committee and was to give a word about the Great Commission Report forthcoming at the Convention. In the introduction, this pastor was called one of the great pastors in America, pastoring one of the largest and fastest growing churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. The irony in the introduction, most likely scripted, is that its content went directly against the spirit of the previous message. It was all about numbers, statistics, boasting, etc....

I guess we pastors can't get too upset at our people for not applying what we teach if we can't even apply what we hear at our own Pastors Convention.

In His Grace,

Wade

The 2010 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Florida

I plan to watch as much as the Pastors' Conference and the Southern Baptist Convention as possible and reflect on what I've seen and heard here at Grace and Truth to You. Due to the accessibility of the Internet and the live feeds from Orlando, I may be posting one or two times a day, depending on the issues that will be addressed in the business meetings. I am posting this particularly blog as I  watch  (live) the Greater Things Pastors' Conference in Orlando, Florida.

My first thought is the corporate worship at the Pastors' Conference is tremendous. The truth is, we Southern Baptists do many things very, very well. My hope and desire is that we don't so bogged down in the tertiery doctrinal issues that we lose sight of the primacy of Jesus Christ. The modern rendition of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," with choir, orchestra and ensemble sent chills of delight up my spine -- even as I watched on a computer screen.

Good stuff. Really good stuff.

2025: The Year that the Deliberation Records for the GCR Committee Will Be Unsealed

Norman Jameson, the editor for The Biblical Recorder, brought to my attention something that shocked me. The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force has announced it will lock up the record of its deliberations for 15 years. That's right, fifteen YEARS. Recording made during the deliberations of the committee are to be sealed for 180 months, not to be seen or heard by Southern Baptists, and opened prior to the Southern Baptist Convention in 2025. Norman has written an excellent editorial on the GCR Committee's decision.

I understand why the CIA seals records. I recognize why the Pentagon or the Special Intelligence Division of Military Intelligence buries minutes of proceedings,  but for heaven's sake, I have no clue why Southern Baptists would want, ever even allow,  any committee of our Convention to "seal" records for 15 years. You would think the Committee actually discovered Jimmy Hoffa's alive and well in Jersey, or maybe they have secret photographs of Area 51 and now know that it is an alien sanctuary. Why in the world would anything in Christian ministry need to be covered up or sealed for fifteen years?

I can't help but think that part of our dysfunction as a Convention is the same problems that paralyzes churches from moving forward in ministry. We have leadership who don't want others to know what they are really thinking, or really doing, or really planning. Leadership believes that since they know best, and since God gave them the authority to lead, then everybody else just needs to remain in the dark and "trust leadership."

Sorry, those days are over. I'm not going to be at the SBC this year, but some brave messenger ought to stand up from the floor and move that all records related to the GCR debate be open to all Southern Baptists. We might actually learn something that will help us.

In His Grace,

Wade

The 2010 Southern Baptist Convention in Orlando, Florida and Enid, Oklahoma

Over three years ago I wrote a post about creating regional, electronic Southern Baptist Conventions. I wrote:

It's time the Southern Baptist Convention reflected the diversity of our people within our leadership. I will be proposing at some time in the near future that the Southern Baptist Convention be held at regional locations throughout the United States.

My proposal has been made and is in the hand of a special committee that is investigating the details of how to get it done on the Oklahoma state level first, and then on the national Southern Baptist Convention level.

For this 2010 Southern Baptist Convention I will be staying in Oklahoma, watching the broadcast live, and making comments on this blog during the event. The only thing lacking is my ability to vote, but I believe electronic voting for qualified messengers, from their home or office computer is just a few decisions away from becoming a reality.

When it does, the SBC as we know it will change forever--for the better.

In His Grace,

Wade