I thought I would deal with several things concerning the May meeting of the IMB BOT in this post.

CJ Costello asked in the comment section of a previous post how far out the locations for these meetings are chosen. I am not sure how far in advance sites are chosen, but I know they are chosen well enough in advance that this meeting was scheduled before any current Wade Burleson issues were on the radar screen. The various entity Boards are supposed to schedule the meetings in various places in America so that Southern Baptists everywhere can attend them.

Which leads us to the possible move against Wade Burleson again in May. Because the meeting is in New Mexico, it will be harder for several of the bloggers who were in Tampa to get to the May meeting. This situation is creating a perception that the glaring light of scrutiny will be lessened in New Mexico. Again, this is short sighted. I personally know of people who are going specifically because of the potential conflict.

Their presence will force the BOT to do one of two things. They will either go into “Executive Session” to cover what is done and to protect themselves from scrutiny OR they will publicly list everything they can to vilify Wade. At some point you might think these folks might realize that Wade on the Board is better than either of these alternatives.

Executive Session will raise the ire of YSBC and many of VSBC (Veteran SBC) in a way that will make the January meeting look like a family picnic. I can think of a few reasons they might believe this to be survivable. They think that a month out, not many can change plans and make the SBC in Greensboro if they were not already coming. They may think that they outnumber those that oppose them and they can, therefore, simply impose their will. They may think that the rules are on their side and that a motion to vacate the Board will be ruled “out of order.”

After considering each of these possibilities, I think they are wrong – if this is what they believe. It would be nothing to move people a month prior to the convention if they do something seriously egregious. Most of us have been moving toward Greensboro any way. I think they underestimate the numbers of people who are very angry with this type of behavior. As to the legality of a motion to vacate the board, it is irrelevant. I have been over both the by-laws of the SBC and the governing documents for the BOT and the process for Trustee removal is beyond them. If they seek to remove Wade at this juncture, it will be ruled “out of order” from within their own Trustee Manual.

If they choose to openly vilify Wade, they will be seen as pejorative and hostile. As I have often said, people’s words reveal more about themselves than they reveal about the person who is the subject of those words. Those words will be dissected and rehashed in ways they have yet to realize. It will be like pouring gasoline on the flame.

Or, they could learn to accept Wade for who he is. They could understand that the SBC is in desperate need of credibility from within and his voice of dissent gives it to them.

Who knows the Pandora’s Box that will be opened if they pursue this course of action? God alone. But I have a pretty good idea as to what will happen, and so do you.

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