Saturday, June 19, 2010

Motions, motions, motions

One of the great things about the SBC annual meeting is that anyone - any megachurch pastor, any microchurch pastor, any yahoo, any scholar, any goofball - can make a motion and the convention has to look at it. It makes for some idiocy, some hilarity, and some intrigue.

Some of the 30 motions from Orlando this year, as reported by Baptist Press:


that Article V of the SBC Constitution be amended to require all convention officers to come from churches that contribute at least 10 percent of their undesignated receipts through CP, submitted by T.C. Pinkney of Good News Baptist Church in Alexandria, Va.


DOA. It was DOA when mod/libs pushed it 30 years ago. It's DOA today. This would have meant that the Conservative Resurgence never happened. I suggest TC not vote for any candidates that don't meet his thresholds.


that the Executive Committee explore the possibility of holding SBC meetings every other year instead of every year in order to save money, submitted by Daniel Palmer of New Covenant Fellowship in Raleigh, N.C.


DOA. Daniel can save his own money and shouldn't worry about saving mine or others. For many pastors taking their family to the convention is like a vacation. Also, do we really want the Executive Committee to be unfettered for a two year stretch?

that future SBC annual meeting sites “provide a meeting-long parking pass to be purchased by messengers and that the amount of the pass be published in advance,” submitted by Mitchell Minson of First Baptist Church in Lake Providence, La


There's always something the brethren don't like, although it is usually inadequate childcare or food prices too high or restaurants too crowded. People like to make money on these meetings...shocking!


a motion requesting that the GCRTF define the terms “missional” and “contextual evangelism,” submitted by Keith Eitel of Birchman Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.


Hmmm, a Patterson plant? Something in the works? Although this one was ruled out of order...better keep an eye on this.

that the IMB modify its appointment process to allow missionaries to fund themselves for one year when there is a shortage of denominational funds to support them, submitted by Mike Janz, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rosamond, Calif.


Fund what? Their salary? Benefits? Their support system? Housing? If one can pay for their own expenses, why wait for the IMB...just go.

that all educational institutions represented in the SBC exhibit hall be required to present proof “of a creation science emphasis in their science department and an inerrant theological stand in their theological department,” submitted by Harold Phillips of Pleasant View Baptist Church in Port Deposit, Md.


Why not just require exhibitors to give out free tickets to the Creation Museum?

that Article IV of the SBC Constitution be amended to require that on each board and committee 40 percent of members come from churches with fewer than 200 people in Sunday morning worship, 35 percent come from churches with between 200 and 1,000 and 25 percent come from churches with more than 1,000, submitted by Les Puryear of Lewisville Baptist Church in Lewisville, N.C.


Yeah, a quota system. Of course, if a church grows or shrinks the quota gets all messed up. Les is taking a break from trying to get SBC profs fired who don't suit him.

A motion by Channing Kilgore of South Whitwell Baptist Church in Whitwell, Tenn., that "LifeWay trustees reconsider the validity of selling the erroneous and/or heretical books of T.D. Jakes, '90 Minutes in Heaven' by Don Piper, and 'The Shack' by William Young" was referred to LifeWay Christian Resources.


What about all the Jesus junk LifeWay sells?

I'd have to say that the bruthren weren't very creative with their motions this year.

There were some that should be taken seriously...later.

4 comments:

Blake said...

The Acts29 rap was pretty creative.

Lee said...

I wonder which educational institution that exhibits at the SBC doesn't teach creation science or doesn't subscribe to inerrancy? Perhaps there should be a restriction on those who endorse Mormonism by inviting prominent Mormons to make commencement speeches.

Actually, the thought of including parking passes in a convention registration package isn't a bad idea. That way, you can choose in advance whether you'll pay the extra room rate to stay within walking distance or whether you want to drive. The SBC has exercized some good judgement in having the convention in some places recently where hotels and food were good and relatively inexpensive, parking was close and not to bad, and air fares and flight availability were good. Then there's Orlando, which is, IMHO, one of the worst places in the country to have a convention, in terms of prices, accessibility of the city itself and the convention facility, which is apparently what prompted the messengers motion. I don't know what criterion the SBC uses to determine the location of its annual meeting, but it needs to take Orlando off its list permanently.

William Thornton said...

...but Orlando is a place where pastors with kids love to visit. The concept of vacation/convention is standard for some of us and appreciated, since some of the spending is defrayed by budgeted church funds for convention expenses. Complaints about convention stuff is standard fare for us. With attendance in the 8-12k range, options for cities are plentiful. I don't care if the SBC ever returns to Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, St. Louis or Kansas City.

It's up to the messengers to plan for their spending but stuff like the cost of parking and in-house food service should be readily available.

Blake, I missed all the rap stuff...thankfully.

Anonymous said...

Defining "missional" doesn't sound like a bad idea - seems like something Southern Baptists would want to do. After all, CBF has been promoting all-things "missional" for a number of years now. Although, I sorta think that Rob Nash and Ed Stetzer are operating from slightly different definitions of that terms...

Wonder if Les Puryear had the opportunity to exchange greetings with that prof he tried to get canned and the person who leaked his e-mail (Danny Akin!)..

I thought Les sounded utterly ridiculous when he started hollering during that nominating speech.

BDW