The Southern Baptist Convention

This past week I attended the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention for the first time. Various reactions to the meeting can be read in the blogosphere. The two main impressions I came away with were these: (1) all of us who are recent graduates of SBC seminaries have no right to complain about anything that we think is unbiblical or deficient or otherwise unsatisfying about the SBC unless we show up and vote; and (2) the fellowship was definitely worth the trip.

The Votes

There were two times when I wished that every young Southern Baptist sympathetic with Together for the Gospel had been there to hold a ballot high.

One of these occasions was when the messengers were discussing a particular theological issue, and the time for discussion expired. Both Dr. Mohler and Dr. Akin had walked earnestly toward a microphone, and at least one of them was prepared to contribute to the discussion. The president of the convention announced that the time for discussion had expired and explained that the messengers could vote to extend the time of discussion. Those of us who wanted to continue to discuss the issue lost the vote, and instead of hearing Dr. Mohler speak to the issue at hand we got to listen to some people sing.

Brothers, where were you? We needed your ballots.

The other occasion was when Tom Ascol sought to have his resolution calling Southern Baptists to have integrity brought to the convention floor for a vote. Again, those of us who care about meaningful church membership lost the vote.

Brothers, where were you? We needed your ballots.

The future of the Southern Baptist Convention will be decided by those who show up and vote.

Brothers, please come vote!

The SBC is the best way for all of us to cooperate together to make sure that missionaries are funded, and without the SBC, will the next generation of seminary students have Hebrew teachers? The International Mission Board and the seminaries of the SBC are the two best reasons to support the cooperative program. Those who have gone before us have made great sacrifices to ensure the doctrinal fidelity of our convention. It would be immature and foolish of our generation to disregard their sacrifices and disengage from the convention.

The Fellowship

I didn’t know what attending the convention would be like, but I was blessed by the fellowship I enjoyed.

Brothers, come to the convention! Come cast a vote and come enjoy the fellowship.

It won’t be hard to find like-minded people. My fellow elder and I traveled to the convention together and kept each other company. Denny Burk is a beloved brother, as is Barry Joslin, and it was great to hang out with them and my mentor, Tom Schreiner. Several of us had the privilege sharing a meal with Sam Storms; it was great to catch up with Eric Redmond, meet Voddie Baucham, and all this is to say nothing of the many other old friends, new friends, and old profs it was a joy to see. The 9Marks crowd all sat in the same section gathered around their esteemed leader, and there were plenty of seats near them for you to find a place next year!

You really need to be there next year to elect Dr. Mohler president, so that he’ll be president in 2009 when the convention meets in Louisville in the year of the 150th anniversary of the founding of Southern Seminary.