Biblical Recorder - Such Prophetic Words

14. November 2008 by Shane Nixon

I was sitting with a couple of friends in the last session of this year’s BSC annual session. I believe said session will forever be remembered as one of “those” times. I mean one of those “know where you were when” kinds of moments. I know that I, for one, will remember it as long as my brain functions normally.

As the vote totals for the amended single giving plan were read . . . well all the metaphoric clichés have been used . . . it was disheartening. Some folks literally sank in their chairs, and yes I am aware that there were others jumping (for joy) out of theirs. But I am not seeking to espouse a view on either side of the nearly evenly divided issue. The vote was close, the decision is final, and it was and is what most of the people (and hopefully the churches they represent) in the room wanted. I can move on. I really can.

But I keep hearing the words of BSC president Rick Speas ring in my ears. Within minutes after the reading of the numbers, Speas dutifully took the podium and said something like this:

Well, I think we are just about done.

I never thought of the BSC President as a prophet, but I believe those were prophetic words. He was speaking of course of the actual business of the session itself. I fear the prophecy might be of so much more. I am a (relatively) young man. But even I remember when a 5000 seat “bowl” wouldn’t hold all the messengers for a BSC Annual Meeting. Every year, there were more and more NC Baptist to meet, get to know, and fellowship with. But that might well be history. The continuing trend of record lows in attendance made worse because some churches won’t even bother to send their monies through CPMG and thus won’t be granted messengers. The feelings of exclusivity made more rampant by shouts to get certain things (and people) out. I could go on, but won’t.

It is just that I think the Convention, the annual session, as I have known it all my life, might very well be done.

If I go any further, I will most likely begin to do what I said I was not going to - expound a position. So I’ll stop. I can only hope those words were not as telling as it looks like they might be.

Categories: The Way I Hear It
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Matt Ledbetter

The way I hear it, is that the convention spoke, and some refuse to accept it. It was fine when the CBF was getting everything they wanted at the convention. They claimed "the will of the people" has spoken. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, we conservatives (i.e. SBC supporters) are the "big evil mean people." The last time I checked, the CP was a brainstorm and missions giving process developed by the SBC; some 70 years before the CBF. Though I understand wanting to "reach out & compromise," there eventually has to come a parting of the ways. The CBF is not a brainchild of the BSCNC. It is a split from the SBC. Though the CBF hates to admit it, they are a denomination. Pick one! That's the way I hear it.

posted Friday, November 14, 2008 8:33 PM | Report Abuse

T. Parker

Matt:

Do you really believe the convention has spoken? Only a handful of people voted and yet the convention has spoken. The way I see it, it will not be long until there are just a few people left in the convention, all like minded. But some would have it that way. The lost world is watching how we treat each other.

posted Sunday, November 16, 2008 7:51 PM | Report Abuse

Kenny Davis

Matt,
Yes, the CP was developed by the SBC. Of course that SBC is dead. That SBC required no signing of creeds and respected autonomy among other things. Many leaders today who are no longer associated with the SBC have been strong CP supporters and cary on the same Baptist heritage and polity as the leaders who developed the CP. Further, Shane has correctly noted that what North Carolina Baptists have been giving to for years is the CPMG- Cooperative Program Missions Giving. It is NC's unique adaptation of the CP and it was developed to have room for a diversity of NC Baptists. It was not developed by the SBC.

posted Monday, November 17, 2008 6:22 PM | Report Abuse

Kenny,
Call it what you want. It still has the letters "CP" in it. It is still an SBC idea. No one has kicked anyone out of the BSCNC. All the vote did was cause a church to have to write an extra check (to the CBF). We have finally gotten back to the way it is supposed to be: 1 giving plan to support missions.
T.,
The last time I checked, everyone had the same opportunity to vote as I did. I don't like who got elected commander in chief, but it was the will of the people.

posted Monday, November 17, 2008 7:24 PM | Report Abuse

Parker

Matt:

I don't have one problem at all with your voting, but why was the vote planned when there was so few around? Was that intentional? I really would like to have an answer to that question. You can say it was the will of the people till the cows come home, but why not schedule the vote when the majority of the messengers were present. I think I know the answer. The world is watching how we Baptists conduct ourselves when we have our meetings and I'm not sure we are presenting them with a very flattering picture. It sure looks very political. But you won.

posted Monday, November 17, 2008 7:50 PM | Report Abuse

John Rollyson

I would like to know why the vote was planned for Wed morning also. However, if the vote had been planned for a time when there were more messengers, I believe things would have gone just the same, but that the vote would not have been nearly as close.

posted Thursday, November 20, 2008 11:56 AM | Report Abuse

Such Prophetic Words

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