I'm doing what bloggers do best: speculate openly about matter about which we have no evidence. Why not?
I would not attribute to Bryant Wright the slightest amount of guile in his appointing of an informal committee to study and advise him on a possible SBC name change...but...the committee and the SBC has some very savvy people.
My question is this: Has someone already registered a new name, or a selection of new names, for possible SBC use?
There are only so many possibilities:
"Southern" This is the so-called offending part of our name. How many appropriate adjectives are available?
"Baptist" No one will touch this. It's the third rail of this matter. A new name without "Baptist" is DOA.
"Convention" Convention, fellowship...whatever. I'm ambivalent about this.
And what clever and resourceful blogger will be the first to ferret this out? Has the Executive Committee registered some names? Has some third party registered some names on behalf of the Executive Committee? Will someone ask Bryant Wright, Frank Page or other leaders if this has been done?
Hmmmm....
4 comments:
For some reason, I doubt that anyone has already registered a name on behalf of the ExCom. I could be wrong though.
Does it cost money to register a name? If not, then the possibility increases. If it costs money, then the possibility goes down a bit.
If they have enough votes at any convention meeting down the way to actually change the name, I'll be really surprised!
Tim
Tim,
When a preferred name is decided by this special committee, a messenger vote will be a mere formality. The proposal will be made privately to groups of key pastors around the nation (making them feel important, part of the process, giving them a sense of ownership, etc...), these pastors will spend a year or so talking up the name change, so that when a motion comes up at an annual meeting, the few who oppose it the change can be properly ridiculed (note to bloggers, be prepared for comments about mother's basements and bathrobes). :)
Look for names like:
International Baptist Convention (complete with full geo support and participation)
Global Baptist Mission (a great name that foresees the ultimate combination of the NAMB and the IMB...and "global" seems so much more 3rd millenium than "international")
With either of the above names, we can move toward annual regional meetings and a biennial combined meeting.
Tim, cost would be insignificant. It seems prudent to me to do this and with domain names as well. I bet someone has done some work on this.
Makes sense to me to build support through key leaders, I just don't think one could keep it private in 2011. You could 20 years ago.
You can register domains for less than $20 each per year. So it would make sense that any name that's getting serious consideration should be snatched up quickly. I doubt you'll see the SBC do it officially, but individuals could lock them down and then hand over whatever the final name is.
Otherwise, some obstructionist blogger might try to block the name change by grabbing the domain names first :)
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