The Organic Revolution Pt. 1
Mar 1st, 2007 | By art rogers | Category: Church, Missional, SBCThere is much conjecture about the future of the SBC. I just read, on Bart Barber’s blog, where a student at SWBTS had called a certain group, “radicals.” (*Side Note – I thought this morning that the reference may be to Ben Cole’s series entitled, Rules for Radicals.) I assume I am one of them, from the way he wrote. The “Younger Leader” talk of last year that has morphed into “missional” talk by now seems to dominate the minds of many when talking about our future.
The questions being raised seem to center around whether or not a certain group or another will be able to subject the SBC to its vision for the future. From one perspective, we are asking the question, “Will we be able to stop a small group of people who are dangerous in both their theology and their practices from controlling the SBC?”
From the other perspective, we are asking… well, pretty much the same question.
Over the last year, I have become so tired of the political wrangling going on. It is so wearisome. In many ways, I admire guys like Kevin Bussey, Nathan Finn and others who have stopped blogging about the SBC. I think that it is just the realization of how futile it is to try and herd an organization as big as the SBC. That’s just not going to happen – by any of us.
Let me be more clear: Paige Patterson cannot herd the SBC. Marty Duren cannot herd the SBC. Bill Harrell cannot herd the SBC. Ben Cole cannot herd the SBC. Roger Moran cannot herd the SBC. Art Rogers cannot herd the SBC. Etc. You know. Ad nauseum.
No matter what the stature of the person in the SBC, there will always be someone that will listen to them, and someone that will not.
Last year, in the time leading up to the Memphis Declaration, Steve McCoy made an observation that he did not think such political maneuvering would bear fruit, but was a waste of time. Let me hasten to say that I don’t think Memphis was political. Just the opposite, we chose to eschew politics in favor of self evaluation and a commitment to higher standards as Southern Baptists. Not all agreed with what we did, and some still seem to suspect that we are lying about it to this day. All are welcome to their opinion, and it is foolish to argue with those who are determined to be convinced, so I won’t bother.
Still, Steve has a point that I must now concede. The gist of Steve’s comment was that (this is a paraphrase) by being missional, we will gain spiritual success and influence whom we influence. The SBC is bound to come along for the ride. Or if not, then we will still be where we need to be. If I am mistaken, Steve, feel free to correct me.
I went to Steve at the Baptist Identity Conference and told him that, after a year, I thought he was right. He asked me what I had seen that made me say that. I responded that it was what I hadn’t seen that drew me to that conclusion. I had not seen the majority of the SBC clamor for the ideas and practices of the young missional leaders. I haven’t seen them reject it, either; nor have I seen them clamor for a return to the 1950′s, nor reject it wholesale.
Frankly, I see the SBC going through the changes and dealing with the issues that we are all dealing with on a local level. Sure, some are more committed than others to a particular viewpoint, but that is no different than the voices you currently hear (or read) at a national/international level.
Am I now saying that the future is not in the balance? Should we just go on about our business? No involvement in the SBC or it’s politics?
Really, I am saying just the opposite. The future is in the balance. We should be involved. I’ll tell you how and why in the upcoming installments of this series.
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We’re (as a denomination) at ease in Zion, IMO. I stumbled across something that brought that to the forefront of my mind,in a big way, a couple days ago. And I posted about it. Check it out.
Excellent.
Observations:
1. Every organization (social system–the existence of which is God’s idea; Gen. ch. 1) has a life-cycle; the cycle can be influenced positively by great leadership, but still there is a cycle;
2. Any year’s version of the BF&M is representative of the personal theological persuasions of every kind of Baptist ever walking on the planet earth and can be the basis for our cooperation if we will cooperate (and where cooperation is needed on a scale larger than the individual believer in his local church);
3. Relatively speaking, almost no Southern Baptists pay attention to what happens in the convention–and even fewer attend annual meetings–making the convention as a whole next to impossible to influence;
4. The SBC’s president can speak to a wide audience–of those who pay attention anyway (Dr. Page is demonstrating this truth now–but again, only among those who are paying attention anyway)–otherwise, anything that any president of the SBC does has minimal effect on the lives of average Southern Baptists;
5. The devil is pleased with our disagreements; God is pleased with our agreeing to disagree peaceably and continuing to move forward together and with Him for the gospel;
6. Few things among all of this are as important as being able to contact a brother in the Lord whom you’ve never met in person to ask that brother to reach out to another Christian brother new to the city to find out how is family is doing today (Art did this yesterday when I asked him to contact a friend who has moved to Tulsa)–this is what we really have time for and find the most joy in doing.
Art,
I care about the SBC. I stopped for the most part because you, Marty, Wade & Ben say it better than me.
I focus more on my struggles with legalism & hypocrisy. I comment on you & other SBC blogs when I have something to say.
I appreciate your insight.
Art: I have been reading your blog for awhile, and it is one that I read with regularity. I appreciate nearly all of your comments, as you challenge this reader to think about things going on in my denomination.
The bloggers in the SBC get a lot of notice. That is fine. I think that everyone needs to know we can think for ourselves, have opinions that matter, and keep those in positions of “power” accountable. Indeed, like in other areas of life, blogging keeps things “grassroot” — which is certainly what our beloved denomination upholds — I like to think.
However, one of my concerns with “the bloggers” is that even this species will stick too close together in your thinking. Do we wait for the latest post from Wade Burleson, then fall in line to rail against the evil empire at the IMB? Do we wait for Ben Cole’s latest on Paige Patterson and pile on? Sending our comments of appreciation and “well see you at the next conference.” Do we all have to think alike?
I’ll be the first to say that I thought what Paige Patterson did with the message delivered by trustee McKissic was not good. But to start a movement around Brother McKissic and a certainly debatable area of theology, just to get at Paige Patterson, leaves me scratching my head.
So to you and all the other bloggers that draw the ire of the “establishment”, I say keep at it. Keep probing, keep thinking, and folks like me will keep reading, and as the Lord sees fit change will come. (Who ever thought when the Founders Ministry was starting that they would fill four rooms at a big hotel for their SBC breakfast?) I just hope we don’t fall into a “group-think” mentality that none of us like — that has been happening too long. May we not be afraid to be independent thinkers, all the while following hard after our Lord & Savior. To Him be all the glory!
People who care enough to read the Baptist blogs also care enough to talk about the issuses that they read about. They are SS tachers and mission leaders as well as pastors and staff. They are grandparents and and young people called of God. In the same way that you have no idea how many people read you, ya’ll also have no idea of your far-reaching influence. Don’t waver. God is using you.
Art,
Great post! I am looking forward to the rest of the series. Now, a slightly personal note on the whole missional thing: I am in need, for a variety of reasons, of a new place to serve. I haven’t felt at peace about just sending out resumes again, and God has laid church planting on my heart. Don’t know what all that means just yet, but I am an Okie myself, and I want to plant closer to home and family if I am going to plant. That is, if God allows that- He may have other plans. All that to say this: is there a need for more planters in the Tulsa Metro Association? Are there any churches looking to plant, but need someone to work with? Any direction you can give me here would be greatly appreciated. You can email me at timlyds717@yahoo.com. Thanks!
In Christ,
Tim Cook
Kevin,
I know you care very much about the SBC. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. Sometimes, though, I grow weary of trying herd the SBC where I want it to go. Silly me. I realize now that it is impossible. During the time it took me to realize this, I often envied your freedom to focus on the nitty gritty of the Christian walk. That’s all I was saying.
Heath,
Thanks for reading. I think that you could have, at one time, easily perceived me to be following others as they led in these conversations. That lasted for a month or two.
At this point, I can simply assure you that I speak for myself and only myself. My last post about Dwight was written because I have seen what appeared to be a targeting of Dwight by James Smith. It came from me.
I know that some think we follow others, speak for each other and that we are a team. I know that was not your claim, but I am spinning off on a tangent now, so please indulge me.
For the most part, none of us know what the others are working on. We really are individuals with similar, yet distinct, perspectives. The lump and dump attitude of some – again, not you, Heath – is a convenient way to dismiss real minds speaking real thoughts. It just doesn’t hold water, I’m afraid.
Again, thanks for reading. If you wonder that I have become part of a group think mentality, keep reading this series. I think you will be assured that I am not. :)
Tim,
I’ll contact you privately to talk about Tulsa Metro.
Art
You can’t herd cats.
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art,
lighten up, bro. it was just a joke.
david
David,
Don’t be so dimissive. It read like it was passive agressive – intended to sound like a joke, but be hurtful.
If you weren’t intending to call people names, then you should be more careful and read the full context of the thread.
Art:
It is interesting to hear and read comments about people who are now pleading for individuals and churches to be “missional” as if that is a new revelation and a cause worthy of “revolution” in the SBC. Some seem to have claimed ownership of this idea by virtue of their age (“young” bloggers or “young” leaders of SBC renewal).
I assert that “missional” is not new nor is it the exclusive domain of the “young.” For a very long time, while the SBC was being jerked in the direction of parochialism, there were many “old timers” (I never intended to be this old this soon) who understood that the genius and heart of the Southern Baptist Convention was being sacrificed on the altar of conformity and power politics. Among those “old timers” were many who were just as marginalized as many others in their call for a mission and evangelistic refocus. For nearly an entire generation the landscape was scattered with broken hearts and broken ministry careers of those who believed a call from
God meant a life given to pursuing the will of God in both local and national settings because emergent (uh oh, a dirty word) leaders in the SBC had another agenda. Slash and burn was the modus operandi as networks were contrived in every State Convention to eliminate the perceived enemies. Good and Godly people were pushed aside with the question, “Do you fully agree with the Conservative Resurgence and those who lead it?”
My observation has been that the vast majority of older (at least they are aging at this point) pastors and leaders tried to “stay by the stuff” that provided hope and obedience to God’s direction…they worked hard at being “missional” where God had planted their lives and where they could make a difference in spite of what was happening on the broader SBC stage. Most of these men and women had little influence at the national level, so they simply lowered their heads, put their energies to the tasks where they could spend meaningful ministries, and prayed that somehow God would cause people to see what was happening to our beloved Convention.
What has changed? Let me remind everyone of those many occasions at SBC meetings when ordinary people would step to the mikes only to have them turned off or were called out of order. Letters or phone calls to agency leaders or trustees produced little effect related to concerns of average church members and leaders. Again, what has changed? The evolution (oh, my! I guess I’ll never get a professorship at Southern Seminary) of technology (specifically the internet, blogs, etc) has opened a path to actually dialogue about important issues and concerns, and for accountability of SBC leadership to be called for from the grassroots.
Now, anyone who wishes to participate in an open and sincere discussion about what seems to be important “out in the churches” or even in the larger organization has a venue that allows for their input. Yes, there are some who abuse the privilege, but it appears to me that their is a large amount of built in accountability by those who watch, read, care, and who have a sincere heart for God, His church, and the world in which He has placed us. A large part of the value of the blogging internet is not the createion of a “herd mentality,” but the value of allowing ordinary SBC Christians an opportunity to share “their two cents worth.” If their contribution is invalid or not helpful, it can be ignored or called to account. If their contribution is thoughtful and constructive, it can add to the dialogue…this was not possible before now in any meaningful way.
Art, stay with the stuff. Keep posting, prodding, and praying. Organizations and agencies can be changed though the larger they are and the more extensive they are, the longer it may take. There is a fresh breeze wafting across Southern Baptist life. You and I cannot make it happen, but we can participate in what the Spirit is up to.
Charles Clark
Art,
Man, you read my blog more carefully than I do (lately, anyway). I’ll have to go find the comment to see who we’re talking about.