Skip to main content

SBC 2007: San Antonio

Having made it home from a week of travels to the SBC and tour of Texas (DFW area) and while still suffering from a minor case of jet-lag I felt the need to post a few reflections from the 2007 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention while they were still fresh on my mind. These thoughts are neither in-depth, nor educated (which may mean inaccurate), but they are reflections from an observer and participant.

The Messengers
For the most part I was disappointed with the messengers of the SBC. They seem to be neither engaged in the serious matters of the SBC, nor caring that they are not. Many sit during the worship songs or make useless cell phone calls. I was also amazed by the number of empty seats. Where were you?

The Seminary Presidents
This was very encouraging. I thank God for men like R. Albert Mohler Jr., Daniel Akin, and Paige Patterson who will take a bold stand for the cause of the gospel, the high calling of the minister, and the innerancy of Scripture. They are "bold as a lion" and keep our seminaries refined with the truth of God's Word.

The Committee on Resolutions
I was disappointed with the resolutions brought to the SBC by this committee and the ones left unattended by them. Our bearing seems to backward and we neglect the weighty matters for those that waist time and breath. They encourage the messengers to promote themselves and neglect thinking. They did the SBC no service.

The Seminaries and Colleges
I was especially proud of the number of schools that are dedicated to the teaching and training of ministers. I appreciate the presence of seminary professors at the booths and the availability of journals and magazines produced by these institutions. I extend a word of gratitude to Dr. Jerry Johnson of Criswell College in Texas for not only having one of the finest booths at the convention, but also promoting theological thinking by hosting the two debates on 1) election and 2) private prayer languages. We were challenged and enriched through your work and I was encouraged.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Generation of Mark 13:30

At the beginning of Mark chapter thirteen Jesus is leaving the temple area and one of his disciples points out the grandure of the temple buildings. Jesus' remark to that disciple concerns the fact that these buildings will one day be torn down. The disciples question Him further as to the times of these events, and so begins an extended teaching from Jesus on the end times.As Jesus' remarks are drawing to a close, He makes this comment in Mark 13:30: "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." (NASB) So the reader is left to wonder the meaning of this statement. Either our understanding of generation is wrong, or we are understanding what Jesus meant by "these things" wrong. I think there are at least two solutions. The word for generation (genea: Greek) could mean, as some side column reference Bibles note, "the human race". This is possible, since the events have not all happened and the human race...

Thinking Clearly About Election Day

I am against demonizing men. But many of the conversations I hear regarding the upcoming election are just that. People speak of our President as if he had no good qualities about him. And in the next breath they praise Mitt Romney as if he were the Savior of the world. Neither is true. As Christians we need to step back and, as much as possible, clear our heads about the presidential candidates and what each of them truly believes. We need our thinking to be clear and clearly biblical. I believe both are genuinely seeking to do what they believe is best for our country. That is, they are living and making decisions based on what they feel to be right. Neither of them is practicing outright deception, at least not in a way that is any different from the presidents in our past. I also would not feel comfortable calling either of these men Christians, though they would both call themselves one. Barack Obama is a member of a Christian church, but one that in which the Bible holds l...

Children, Forgive Your Parents

Originally written on August 7, 2005 I remember the first time my father spoke to me as an adult. I was thirty. I had always looked up to my dad because he has many characteristics that are larger than life. Our relationship had always been that of a father and child. It did not change as I became a teenager and as I entered adulthood this unchanging relationship was the cause of much strain. So I was caught off guard as my dad began to speak to me over lunch one day at Chik-fil-a. As he spoke to me he began to confess the things that he had done wrong in raising my brother and me. It was a remarkable moment. Mainly because I noticed very few of his mistakes. He always worked to provide for us, loved my mother with all his heart, gave us plenty of hugs and kisses, and told us that he loved us everyday. So why would he admit to making mistakes in raising his children? After all, he had done a pretty exceptional job. The truth of the matter is that no matter how good we do as parents and...