Ten things messengers should expect from the SBC meeting in Greensboro

My first Southern Baptist Convention was the Houston Convention of 1968. I have attended most of them since then. To the best of my recollection I have missed three Conventions in 38 years. Those years when I was not present were due to pastoral or family-related deaths.

But through the years I have learned that there are some things that a messenger ought to be able to expect from the annual session of the SBC.

First, there should be the expectation of heart-warming singing, strong biblical preaching and soul-stirring worship. Great choirs, gifted musicians, spirit-anointed preachers and responsive messengers make for worship experiences of celestial proportions.

Second, there should be the expectation of business sessions that are conducted in keeping with the Constitution which states that the Convention was established for the purpose of “providing a general organization for Baptists in the United States and its territories for the promotion of Christian missions at home and abroad and any other objects such as Christian education, benevolent enterprises, and social services which it may deem proper and advisable for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.”

The messengers also have a right to expect the Convention to be conducted with fairness to all and according to proper parliamentary procedure.

Third, there should be the expectation of the trustees and boards of all of our institutions and agencies carefully fulfilling the fiduciary responsibilities entrusted to them by virtue of their election. Those serving in these elected capacities should never hold their office so much as a badge of honor, but as a solemn stewardship.

Fourth, there should be the expectation of our mission boards, both NAMB and IMB, fervently, passionately, and consistently leading us to increasingly become a great commission denomination.

Fifth, there should be the expectation of our seminaries equipping students by helping them to become doctrinally sound, academically strong and spiritually suited to be servants of God. As one seminary president has said, “We want our students to exemplify scholarship on fire.”

Sixth, there should be the expectation that our Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission lead us in the fight for faith and family values and represent Southern Baptists’ interest in the halls of Congress, before U.S. presidents and in the major media.

Seventh, there should be the expectation that our leaders will embrace the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message with a steadfast commitment and insist that we all “should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.”

Eighth, there should be the expectation that if there is a better way for Baptists to accomplish their stated purpose than through the Cooperative Program that it be stated and that if indeed there is still no better way to fulfill our mission than through the CP we should be more committed to it than ever. Therefore, leaders should be pacesetters in CP giving so that they can inspire others to give.

Ninth, there should be the expectation that multiple nominations for Convention offices are welcomed. Indeed, we should insist on Convention officers having an uncompromising allegiance to the Word of God and we should affirm that our chosen path of conservatism is correct, but we should forever be looking for new, qualified leaders who embrace the values we have so faithfully affirmed.

Tenth, the messengers should expect to be challenged to confront our secular culture with a marked determination to make a difference for the cause of Christ. Sometimes I feel like the words of Vance Havner are truer than we are willing to admit. He said, “We are many, but not much.”

We are many – more than 16 million strong. We must resolve to be cooperative and committed. We must recognize the urgency of the day in which we live. We must realize that we can do far more together than we can do apart. Our dedication to evangelism and missions must be greater than our differences.

I actually think I know where our problem lies. We have organized, agonized, reorganized, communicated, commissioned, connived, politicked, planned, promoted and demoted, debated, decided, demeaned, announced, pronounced, denounced, schemed, skewed, scuffled, accused, abused and misused, fought and sought for so long we have forgotten how to pray.

Someone said, “We can do many things after we pray; but we can do nothing until we pray.” Let us pray that our grandest spiritual expectations will be experienced at the Greensboro Convention.