There are several things that you will want to look for throughout the week.

The Pastor’s Conference. I have avoided writing about the PC because I didn’t want to be negative. I’ll more or less keep to that vector throughout the next couple of days. I thought last year’s PC was a good step forward by giving a balance of some of the new trends in worship alongside some of the more traditional trends. It didn’t go completely one way or the other. If YSBC (Young SBC) is going to start coming to these things, hooking in and contributing to the success of the PC and the SBC, we are going to have to accommodate their style of worship. I am convinced that one of the reasons that YSBC stays away in droves is the traditional approach we exclusively take in this area. Last year we opened the door to YSBC and this year, we shut it back again, returning to the same old, same old. Don’t expect a lot from me during the PC. I don’t care to subject myself to something in which I am disappointed and thus be tempted to critique harshly.

Prayer. I am hearing of many more prayer meetings this year and look forward to the movement of God that comes with prayer.

Surprises. I am sure that this year will have it’s fair share of surprises.

1. Will the BGCT show up? How many?
2. Will the Inner Circle run a surprise candidate for President, in an attempt to unseat Frank Page? -I don’t think they are that dumb, but there are some who still think he needs to go ASAP, so they may be waiting to evaluate things from the floor of the Convention. The Convention is a dynamic thing. It grows and changes from year to year and even session to session. If they sense that Page is vulnerable, who knows? He’s not, by the way.
3. Jim Richards vs. David Rogers? Certain Southern Baptists are touting this as the vote of votes. The referendum on “BFM as sole standard cooperation” and “BFM plus additional theological nuances as determined by the BOT” ideologies. The reason they are doing this is clear: They expect to win. If they can paint this vote as THE vote and referendum, and they win, then they can declare victory, gather a head of steam over the next year and “set things right” as they perceive them. The problem with that is twofold: they may not win, though they should, and there are other things that will distract from this election. Remember the alcohol debate that raged last year? There is still fallout from that happening today. I heard some yesterday. We have no idea what all people will say and do that will dominate the conversation over the next six to twelve months. Putting all your eggs in this basket is a tenuous situation. If either of the two problems I have mentioned materialize, there will be difficulty building steam for Indy. Remember that Jim Richards is the “anointed” candidate of the Inner Circle. If he loses, you will see conservative traditionalists begin to distance themselves from from the IC. I’m not saying they will start attending our camp meetings, so don’t misunderstand me. :) Also, I agree wholeheartedly with Marty’s analysis of this issue. Either of his scenarios are plausible and I have tauted them both at various times.
4. Motions. I have heard a tremendous number of potential motions. Many of them will be referred without a debate, but if certain motions get to the floor for debate, the 1VP election will be a footnote. I am sorry, but I can’t tell you more at the moment.
5. Ben Cole will become an even greater lightening rod for controversy. They see Ben as leverage through which they can push back unwelcome changes for various statements and stances that he has taken. This is what the Florida Baptist Witness is doing. Everyone gets their major statements proofed by those who craft words well. Ben, Marty and others have done it for me in the past, and I do it for them and others from time to time. I will tell you David Rogers is not the only one who has sought Ben Cole’s help this year. Others from the “other side” have also sought his wisdom in getting some things done, and he has willingly given it.
6. Resolutions. Which resolutions will come out and which ones will be challenged from the floor? Ben’s gluttony resolution will be merged into another resolution, thus preventing him to call for it to come out of committee and being able to read it in its entirety from the floor, only to have to voted down by the Convention. It will not, however, prevent him from moving to amend it to its original form. Whether or not he will do it is another issue. Tom Ascol’s resolution on integrity in church membership will get to the floor and pass, I predict. This issue so resonated with Southern Baptists throughout the Convention that it picked up a great deal of steam without anyone pushing it. We heard it proclaimed from the dais at the Baptist Identity Conference, much to most of our surprise. Tom was in the audience and, I believe, was greatly encouraged, as was I.
7. Me. The time has finally come to tell you that I have lost quite a bit of weight. For those who haven’t seen me since February, I am a lot skinnier – though by no means svelte. In February, our church’s Minister of Music/Youth and I engaged in a “Biggest Loser” style battle to lose weight. The church bid a certain amount of money per pound lost between the two of us, with the proceeds to go to Annie Armstrong. We weighed in before services every week and announced progress to the church. Talk about accountability! We almost doubled our goal. At this point, I am down 40 lbs. from where I was in February and I am still working on it.

Well, that’s enough for now. I’ll post more later, as you may have guessed.

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