The 2004 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention gave Southern Baptists
a break in news-laden meetings. The convention will probably be known for what
it did not do as much as what it did.
The 2004 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention gave Southern Baptists
a break in news-laden meetings. The convention will probably be known for what
it did not do as much as what it did.
The big secular media note was that messengers did not approve a resolution
to urge Southern Baptists to withdraw their children from public schools. The
Resolutions Committee did not bring the resolution to the floor and a motion
from the floor to approve the previously publicized resolution did not come
close to passing.
Whatever else the failure of the resolution means, it does mean that the messengers
present are not ready to abandon public schools. Now, we can hope that Southern
Baptists as a whole will become involved in making their public schools better
in every way.
In an action that surprised absolutely no one, messengers affirmed the Executive
Committees recommendation to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance.
Hopefully, the convention leadership and leaders of the Baptist World Alliance
will work together to bring the two bodies back together. They need each other.
Another failed effort was to appoint a committee to study changing the name
of the Southern Baptist Convention to something many feel would better reflect
its national presence. A number of such efforts have failed over the last 35
years and the effort this year would not have gained much attention had it not
been initiated by convention president Jack Graham. Many reasons for and against
such a study were stated, but it all boiled down to this – Southern Baptists
like their name and society can learn to reinterpret “Southern” if
it does not understand our range. So, this should put this consideration to
bed until another Rip van Winkle comes along and dares to try to change it again
in 20 or 30 years.
Messengers went along with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee
in asking New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to fall in line and put a
particular kind of “sole membership” clause in their charter. This
editor believes that the issue of sole membership with New Orleans Baptist Theological
Seminary was so complicated that most messengers did not understand the real
issue. It seems messengers just do not want to see one of their institutions
able to withdraw from convention ownership and they chose to accept the Executive
Committees recommendation. Still, Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans
Baptist Theological Seminary, and trustees of the seminary stood firm in why
the particular kind of sole membership the Executive Commitee was determined
to have, and that other Southern Baptist institutions and agencies had provided,
was not right for the seminary they lead. One wishes the Southern Baptist Convention
Executive Committee and messengers had allowed the Louisiana-based seminary
to provide options at next years convention as the seminary requested.
Because of the history of this matter, it had too many appearances of a power
struggle rather than agencies working together in decency and order, which is
certainly what Southern Baptists expect of their agencies.
Southern Baptists at the convention showed their love for President George
Bush. Although he appeared only via a live television hookup, he probably would
not have gotten a heartier welcome had he come in person. President Bush made
the same kind of appearance at the previous two annual conventions, but this
year he could hear the response of the messengers as well as they could hear
him. He must have been encouraged this election year to hear such strong response
from a national body that is much in tune with his social agenda. He was interrupted
by applause 15 times including three standing ovations.
Another turn was a surprise nomination for convention president that actually
garnered a fair 20 percent of support against the heir apparent to the convention
presidency, Bobby Welch. The nomination of North Carolina pastor Al Jarrell
had nothing to do with theology or denominational politics but with the feeling
of Dennis Connor, who nominated Al Jarrell, that the conventions leadership
was growing “further and further and further away” from grassroots
Southern Baptists. Knowing Baptists, 20 percent of just about any Baptist gathering
enjoy going against the crowd to vote for a pastor whose church averages 75
in Sunday school attendance. After all, the vast majority of Southern Baptist
churches average fewer than 100 in weekly Sunday school attendance.
Louisiana Baptists can be proud that one of their own, Janet Hoffman of Farmerville,
was elected to her fifth term as president of Womans Missionary Union,
auxiliary to the Southern Baptist Convention. Janet, wife of retired Louisiana
Baptist pastor Harv Hoffman, has demonstrated that she truly is a person of
grace, commitment, ability and hard work. By Womans Missionary Union bylaws,
next year will be her last year of service in that position.
While attendance at this years convention was still relatively small
– 8,500 messengers were enthusiastic and involved. No major issue kept
them from focusing on the preaching and singing, and as always with Baptist
meetings, some procedural business, challenging presentations and entertaining
discussions. And, one of the most important events of any Southern Baptist Convention,
the halls were filled with the joyful reunions of friends. Priceless.