The 2000 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting is less
than two weeks away.
Indications are that this years convention has the potential for serious
differences of opinions among messengers. And, indications are that there will
be a sizable multitude of messengers present to vote on issues about which there
will be significant disagreement.
The 2000 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting is less
than two weeks away.
Indications are that this years convention has the potential for serious
differences of opinions among messengers. And, indications are that there will
be a sizable multitude of messengers present to vote on issues about which there
will be significant disagreement.
The publication of the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship has announced a representative
of that group will present a motion that the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
Statement be adopted as the conventions statement of faith.
The publication of Mainstream Louisiana Baptists has announced that groups
intention to oppose any effort to make the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message an
official part of Louisiana Baptist Convention governance.
That stage is set for dealing with emotionally-charged debate.
Another point of contention will be election of officers. Traditionally, the
president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention has been afforded an uncontested
election to a second term. The Mainstream Louisiana Baptist publication has
said, however, a representative of that group will nominate someone in opposition
to T.C. Frenchs election to a second term. Both publications have stated
representatives of their groups will nominate people to the offices of first
and second vice presidents.
Thinking about the controversy that will very likely be present during this
years convention certainly refreshes the memory of the spirit of the state
convention last year in Monroe. The spirit and attitude of many messengers during
last years annual meeting did not reflect the God in whose name messengers
gathered. An objective observer might have wondered what was going on and certainly
would have been surprised to know people in that auditorium were brothers and
sisters in Christ. Such an observer would have been more surprised to know that
not only were people in that room brothers and sisters in Christ but all members
of the same state convention that proclaims commitment to tell everyone in the
world about the love of Jesus Christ. There were people who left the meeting
last year vowing never to attend another state convention if such behavior was
going to be tolerated.
All Baptists certainly have a right to their opinions under the leadership
of Jesus. But no one owning the name of Christ has the right to act any way
they want, especially if such action does not reflect the presence of Jesus
Christ.
Emotions will be strong during debates this year. But the line between strongly
expressing ones opinion and belligerence or anger must be observed –
and never crossed. Also, messengers should be able to make motions and statements
with which other messengers strongly disagree without being condemned or drawing
unkind responses. Certainly, Christians should be expected to maintain control
over negative emotions. The Golden Rule would be good to keep in mind.
Strong differences of opinions are not necessarily bad. People who hold a different
opinion are not thereby evil. If we cannot count on messengers being saved children
of God and therefore our brothers in Christ, where pray tell can we make such
an assumption? The “bad” will occur if messengers exhibit ugly behavior.
There will be no justification for ugly behavior at the 2000 Louisiana Baptist
Convention. Hopefully, all messengers will remember the verse they learned when
they were children – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted
forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you.”
(Ephesians 4:32)