Right before folks were nominated and then received votes for President, Marty Duren and I were looking for a seat in the convention center. Of course, this is the premier moment and everyone was there for the vote.
We ended up going to the second level, which was also quite full. As we made our way down the side we saw some empty chairs at the top of what turned out to be some pretty steep stairs. Since no one submitted a picture of me, and you didn’t meet me at the convention, you might not know that I am no longer the slim young man I once was.
That is to say, I suffer from “Dunlapped Disease.” In the words of Jeff Foxworthy, my belly Dunlapped over my belt.
Anyway, on the way up, I saw Steve McCoy and Joe Thorn about halfway to my destination. Finding them to be quite fun and funny upon meeting them face to face, and needing desperately to stop and suck in much needed oxygen, I paused for a quick word of greeting.
A few minutes later I was at the top, directly behind the “Missional” men, removed by about 10 rows. I kept thinking that if I had anything to throw, that I could easily have hit Joe’s head as it presented itself as an inviting target. Alas, I had no ammunition.
The first two presidential nomination speeches were full of cliches, dropped names and winking nods that their man was inner circle connected. I found the whole thing humorous.
I particularly found it funny when Johnny Hunt declared his nominee to be “Missional.” Apparently, so did Steve and Joe, because I thought they were going to literally fall out of their seats. They were laughing so hard, I thought they might hurt themselves.
I knew this would be true, because Steve suggested a couple of weeks ago, at my expense, that one must read something akin to a doctral dissertation before being allowed to use the word.
Marty took off down the steps to say something to them about it, but I was laughing pretty hard myself and couldn’t move.
Amazingly, this was the last I saw of those two. I wonder where they went.
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Steve McCoy
on Jun 17th, 2006
@ 11:56 am:
It’s not the volume of material needed that’s important, it’s the content. I’d be happy if someone read an accurate sentence fragment on “missional.” Geez. Were those nominations awful or what?
And please now admit, Art, that we as SBC’rs have completely ripped “missional” out of its defined glory. If that isn’t clear after those nominations, I don’t know what is.
Oh, and as to where we went, after the resolutions we had a meeting with an “important insider” and then left because my Grandma had a stroke.
By the way, great to meet you finally.
art rogers
on Jun 17th, 2006
@ 12:55 pm:
Steve,
I wholeheartedly agree that the word is now just a buzzword among the SBC with little context for most who use it. True dat.
Again, praying for you and your family.
It was great meeting you, as well. As I said at your place, you are much taller in person than on your blog.
art