An amendment to the new wording that would restore the “10 percent” language failed.

There was a couple of songs, video and missionary couple who shared about the CP.

Morris Chapman is speaking. His message is about cooperating together in love as Southern Baptists. He took on most issues and maybe danced a little too close to the fire on the Calvinism issue, encouraging pastors not to try to move congregations from congregational rule to elder rule. I’m sure several will be upset with that section.

He did say some good things in hopes of encouraging unity on this issue.

Overall, though, it was a call for cooperation, and a good one.

Motions are being made. Wade Burleson was first and was not hindered in any way. There are many motions being made that deal with entity practice. I can tell you that most will be ruled out of order because they direct the SBC entities to do things which is out of order by definition.

Cliff Cummings just offered a motion to reinstate Wade Burleson to full duty. Unfortunately, I am afraid it is out order.

There was a strong, positive response with cheers and applause to Cliff’s motion, however. The mood of the room is amazingly positive for Wade.

In conjunction with previously reported events the outlook for this SBC is historic.

Live blogging from the Executive Committee Plenary Session…

The by-laws committee has brought a list of amendments to SBC by law 15. The gist of these amendments is that the issues of continuous service, nepotism (husbands and wives serving simultaneously), and general recycling of leadership are being cut into severely. This is great!

This passed with one “no” vote.

It will now be brought to the floor of the convention as a recommendation from the Executive Committee.

If it passes, it will affect 7 – 10 trustees on the IMB BOT, including John Floyd who will have to leave after this year. Unfortunately, it would be too chaotic to make it retroactive.

Be ready to vote.

The Committee on Committees, appointed directly by the President of the SBC, is bringing its report this week – recommendations for the Committee on Nominations. The Committee on Nominations is the committee that recommends the future Trustees of the various entities of the convention and the other slots that must be filled. It is this committee that is the heart of recycling leadership and that opens us up to the charge of cronyism, connectionalism and caucusing.

The chair of the Committee on Committees was introduced to a group of us last night.

We were told that his committee, at the direction of Bobby Welch himself, was bringing a report (recommendation) that was clean of any leadership recycling, nepotism or cronyism.

Who can say that we don’t all win when this happens? Only those who seek to UNJUSTLY control the SBC could say that.

I applaud the efforts of Bobby Welch and the Committee on Committees for excellent work that smacks of integrity. Thank you ALL very much.

When Tim Sweatman and I were getting our Press Credentials (observer status – means we can listen but not ask questions), we were introduced as bloggers. One of the ladies behind the desk – while we were standing 18 inches from her and filling out the paperwork – said to the lady next to her, “[Name Withheld] is going to have to do something about these bloggers. I mean anyone can just sign up for a blog.”

A few observations:

That anyone can sign up for a blog is the beauty of the whole deal.

I understand that press credentials cannot be handed out to everyone in the convention, so they do need to deal with the situation in some way.

The condesceding attitude that pervades many within the convention concerning the blogs remains baffling.

The attendace, issues, contested election, recent reversals of direction, etc. are all a result of the blogosphere. I am frequently asked for perspective on the influence of blogs and know of at least two stories being written on the subject by prominant publications.

Here’s an anecdotal occurance that may shed some insight. Dorcas, Kevin, Tim and I (there were other non-bloggers there as well) got on an elevator going down so that we could head over to the Waffle House for some food and fellowship. A young man got on the elevator a few floors down and rode the rest of the way with us. I asked if he were here for the convention and he said he was. I introduced myself and the rest of the elevator. He gave his name and said that he was a seminary student (he told where, but I’ll keep that private). After a moment he said, “So this is the blogging crew,” and we all looked around and agreed that, yes, we were the blogging crew – or at least part of it. When we got to the lobby he came to me directly and asked how I saw the convention going. We talked for a few more minutes and parted ways. Really nice guy.

My point is this: Blogging is the free flow of information. It has its drawbacks – no question – but no other one thing is doing more to shape the convention than blogging. There is some action right now to archive our posts from the last year so that history will be able to read what we wrote and people will know how the current climate of the convention came to be.

I said it before and I will say it again: Trying to control the SBC at this point is like trying to scoop the ocean with a butterfly net.

My good friend, JUSTAMOE (Just a Minister of Education), posted in my comment string several predictions for the SBC. I value his opinion a lot and think that some of the things he said were probably accurate. One thing with which I disagree is the outcome of the voting. I am seeing a lot of young faces in the crowd. It looks about 50/50 at this point. Still, who knows?

My real issue is one of attitude. While Justamoe’s attitude was relatively positive, if not optimistic, I have read several very defeatist comments from bloggers and younger leaders. At this point I would like for everyone to understand that this convention is not a referendum on the resurgence; Paige Patterson and Paul Pressler; the IMB issues; Ronnie Floyd, Frank Page or Jerry Sutton; or even the younger leader movement. We are simply going to express ourselves as Southern Baptists and find out who we really are, after all.

The fact is, we have already won the right for the convention to reflect us. It does now more than ever before and it can only get better from here. Let me show you…

Wade Burleson is still a Trustee at the IMB. Yes, he is in the penalty box, but keeping him there does the “Inner Circle” more harm than good. They continue to give him credibility by attacking him. Have you ever heard the story of Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby? In times past, a Trustee stepping out of line would have gotten his character questioned publicly and they would have moved on. Or maybe just the threat of such would have kept them in line. Nevertheless, Wade has more influence now than he ever did before. In fact. he has far more hits daily on his blog than he had for weeks at a time before the January move to have him removed.

The Dobbes are going back to West Africa. In times past, this, too, would have gone unnoticed. A few years ago, some IMB missionaries who were part of our church were fired. The pastor at the time cautioned everyone to trust the IMB and not ask questions, lest it hurt our Lottie Moon Offering or our tithing. They came home hurt and moved away. I don’t know if they deserved to be fired. After what was happening to the Dobbes, though, I think a few questions were in order. Only the WOM directer stood up for them by writing a letter, which was never answered. To my shame, I never said a word.

There are now contested elections at every level, which hasn’t happened in decades. At last count, there were 3 for President, 6 for 1VP and 4 for 2VP. These are numbers I heard from others and while I know a name or two that might be unannounced, even I don’t know them all.

Young Southern Baptists are active and present in abundance.

Information is reaching the masses without it being filtered for content.

The tide has already turned. It may not be fully expressed at this convention, but it is just a matter of time.

Let me give you an example.

Wade has published a motion that he intends to bring to the floor of the convention. It has been rumored that there is a plan to block Wade from getting to the Microphones. This is old school politics they just keep trying to run in the new world.

What do you think will happen if the motion is prevented from coming to the floor? It will be like throwing gasoline on a fire. Can you imagine the fuel that would provide for the bloggers? For the standard media? The two possible outcomes are that more light is shed on the controlling nature of the Inner Circle and therefore more Southern Baptists become even more determined to ouster the Inner Circle OR vast numbers of Southern Baptists – the future of the convention – decide that the SBC is not a welcoming place and they leave, taking their churches, members and Cooperative Program gifts with them.

Lose, lose situation. Leave the Tar Baby alone. The SBC is what it is and attempting to control it is like attempting to scoop the ocean with a butterfly net.

No matter what the vote or whether any significant motion or resolution hits the floor and receives a vote, we have already won.

Chuck Kelly, Pres. NOBTS, shared about Katrina and turning around the dispair to see an opportunity to share the Gospel. He said that New Orleans had always had an aggressive undercurrent against the Gospel, but this had given us an opportunity to overcome it.

Then, in dealing with the question of suffering, Kelly said that God had not ever said that all things would be well. Rather, things will always work for “His glory and our good.”

I would take it a step further and say that His glory is our good. If He is being glorified, then we are benefited because we fulfill our designed purpose. If it hurts, does that not make His glorification more worthwhile?

I remember when David was offered the land for the Temple. His response? “Far be it from me that I might offer to God that which costs me nothing.”

The power went out because there was massive storm over the convention. I had to drive through that storm to get to the convention.

Also, the convention is being webcast. If you can’t be here but want to watch for yourself, you can check it out at SBC.net.

I couldn’t make this up… I drove up to the convention on Patterson St., which dead ended at the convention site.

Then the power went out while Johnny Hunt was speaking.

Freaky.

Packing up and getting ready for the SBC. I hope to see quite a few people while there. I know a few who are looking for me.

Kevin Bussey put a picture of me in Seminary up on his blog a few weeks ago. My wife fell on the floor laughing at that. Up until now, though, I have survived not having a current pic published. The result is that, if you weren’t in Memphis or don’t know me outside the blogosphere, you don’t know what I look like.

Here is a little contest from me. I will give a prize for the best clandestine picture taken of me at the SBC. Here are the rules:

1. If I see you taking the picture, it doesn’t count.

2. All pics must be emailed to me by Thursday, June 15.

3. Composition and other artistic content are of no value for this contest.

4. If you get a picture of me drinking Starbucks, you automatically get an honorable mention.

5. Bonus points if the pic includes fellow blogger and camera shy SBC Messenger Marty Duren. Seperate pics of Marty alone still get recognition and publication.

See you there, or you can read about it right here.

Art