Do I make any decisions? no
Do I make any policy that impacts the convention? no
Do I control any nominations, committees, or such? no
Do I do anything? not really
What I have found, though, is that the 2nd V.P. position offers me a chance to share my perspective and Southern Baptist Experience. I am not your 'typical' SBC officer. I am 26. I Pastor a Church of less than 100 people. I live in a town of 500. I don't like to wear ties. Because of this a-typical situation my desire over the next year is to learn and share.
I want to learn, first of all, about your experience with the SBC. What is your involvement? Why are you Southern Baptist? Why are you not Southern Baptist? What do you foresee for the SBC ? The future of this denomination is constantly in flux and in question, it is the nature of the Baptist ecclesiology and cooperation. What do you think we are doing right? How can we improve? What are we doing wrong? What are you concerns? I want to hear these types of things! Let me know in comments, e-mails or tweets.
Second, I really want to share. I want to share with people why I am Southern Baptist. It is a question I have struggled through and will continue to struggle through. It is a question we always have to ask ourselves about any denomination or group. I want to express my support of small churches, the Cooperative Program and Biblical literacy. I want to discuss these things.
So, here is my favor to ask - tell me what you think about the SBC. Let me know what is on your heart. . .
3 comments:
I look forward to reading more of your blog Eric. I will think on your questions and hopefully provide commentary that is both spiritual and inteligent.
I also hope to find some pictures from your days as my intern...
Eric,
I'm excited that you are our 2nd V.P. at the SBC. You are likely correct that historically this position is limited in its powers. I would say however, that I now see it as an opportunity to give voice to the "little guy."
While I thank God for the leadership and wisdom that comes from our conventions larger churches, I have often felt that our smaller churches have not had the same opportunity to impact our convention. Perhaps change is in the air? I certainly hope so, as I am also a pastor of a typical "less than 100 member church." I have a vested interest in this.
I appreciate your honesty in stating that you have often struggled with the question of why you are a Southern Baptist. I also have and continue to ask this question on a regular basis. I personally think that it is healthy to always ask why we believe what we believe. I'd hate to wake up one morning wondering why I am pastoring a SBC church rather than a Lutheran or Methodist congregation and not having a solid answer to the question.
For now, I'll just share my answer with you in it's most simple form. I am likely a Southern Baptist primarily because my parents were. Now I know this sounds juvenile, but it is the truth. (Sure, I stay Southern Baptist for other reasons; like the fact that we believe that all scripture is God breathed and that God's grace, forgiveness and love is so perfect that my salvation, "that he suffered and paid for," is eternally secure.)
Ultimately though, I came to know these wonderful truths that the SBC holds dear thanks to parents who introduced me to a small Southern Baptist church in Texas in 1972.
What troubles me most is knowing that we are living in a time when many parents are not taking their children to church as mine and likely yours did. Maybe we need to pray that God will begin a revival in the hearts of Christian parents and churches? Maybe this will be our next great mission field so that in 20 or 30 years some other young man can ponder the question, "Why am I a Southern Baptist?"
Sorry for the lengthy response. I'll try to keep it more brief next time. God Bless.
Derrick Barnes
First, congratulations. I admire your humility, but being 2nd VP of the Southern Baptist Convention is still an honor and a sacred privilege.
As far as the SBC goes, one of the wonderful things about it is how lightly it rests on its constituent churches. Unlike some other denominations, where the strong hand of the bishop or other ecclesiastical leader can direct a local congregation, the autonomy of each church and believer is one of our strengths. The Convention does many excellent things, but each church is free to participate, or not participate, as they feel led by the Spirit and their own best judgment.
My request of you is that you continue to be a voice for the independence, in cooperation, of the member churches. In that respect, the SBC will remain the quintessential American denomination, one part of the broader (and far more significant) family of Christ.
Wayne Bowen
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