Break in series (Continued): “First Thoughts toward an SBC Reform Agenda”

Ben Cole’s challenge to Wade Burleson last week on SBCOutpost to flesh out an agenda for reform in the Southern Baptist Convention did not go unnoticed.  However, since it may well be that Wade sees himself more as a voice crying in the wilderness in regard to the International Mission Board, which he still serves as a trustee, though currently under censure, and, as a result, would prefer not to start the in-print discussion of such a needed agenda, I am crazy enough to do so.

No, it is not that I fancy myself in any “leadership” role in such a reform movement.  It is simply that somebody needs to get that ball rolling.  It is entirely true that, after a while, even the most legitimate criticism(s) being offered without helpful ideas as to how to fix the problem(s) get old… and get tuned out.

And, I am under no illusion that this is going to be done quickly.  Hence the above title: “First Thoughts… .”  At this juncture, I think I will do at least four posts on this subject (as I will explain more below), though that may lengthen as readers give their own “iron sharpens iron” input in response to what I lay out.

Before proceeding, I want to ask up front that you be patient with me.  I’m hardly a stranger to conventional “agendas,” having chaired many meetings as both a pastor and an academic dean and having the responsibility of setting the agenda for all those meetings.  However, I have never attempted anything like this before.  And, in a gross understatement, there is a lot riding on the shaping and communicating of a well-thought-out agenda for the reforms that are currently strongly needed in the SBC.

All I am going to do today is to lay out the areas in which the kinds and levels of reform are needed.  Then, I am going to skip a post on Wenesday, since almost everybody who might normally be reading will be focusing on Thanksgiving and their families.  Also, my Friday posts are almost always a re-printing of my weekly local newspaper article.

But, starting next Monday, I will be laying out my thoughts on the reforms needed in the SBC Constitution and Bylaws; in regard to the spiritual quality of leaders and trustees that the SBC needs to elect and appoint; and the spill-over effect that these areas have on SBC ministries, whether SBC entities, churches or missionaries and some general thoughts on how those areas can be corrected.  In the process, other areas crying out for reform may show themselves.  So, as I said, I am planning on doing four posts on this subject, but I reserve the right to extend things, if ideas start to “hatch” or helpful debate catches fire in one or more areas.

It is, of course, a basic fact of history that Martin Luther’s nailing of his “Ninety-five Theses” on the door of the church at Wittenberg became the spark for the Protestant Reformation.  However, it is sometimes forgotten that those theses were only about the abuse of indulgences in the Catholic Church.  Over the ensuing several years, the scope of Luther’s critique expanded greatly, given how bizarre Catholic medieval theology had become as well as the level of corruption of the papacy and the rest of the church heirarchy.  In that light, how sad it would have been if Luther and the other early reformers had continued to be narrowly focused on the problem of indulgences!

In parallel, every necessary reform movement starts somewhere, usually in regard to a narrow area that sparks heated emotion.  And, in the case of the SBC, the current calls for reform probably started with Wade Burleson’s reaction to the high-handed actions of the IMB Board of Trustees in the Fall of 2005, publicly aired through the starting of his blog (although Marty Duren had undoubtedly already softened the ground somewhat by starting the original SBC Outpost).

But, as important as Wade’s concerns were, and still are, it has now been long since realized that, in the big picture of the SBC, they are but one small, though tragic, part of an overall pattern of widespread fleshly abuse of power and arrogant unaccountability to the people of the SBC.  As a result, even though I respect Wade Burleson immensely, whatever Wade chooses to do or not do, the time has certainly arrived to start the grassroots debate over what the reform agenda needs to be.

Why do I say “grassroots?”  Because the powers that be have heard the cries of “foul” in regard to their championing of the narrowing of the doctrinal parameters beyond the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, as well their ways of doing/not doing things for a couple of years now.  And, basically, their response has been, in effect, to try to silence the mounting dissent (with the undertone being “Who are you, peons, to criticize SBC royalty?”).  And, although it has now become evident that many second-tier SBC leaders do not agree with what their more powerful “peers” have done, and are doing, they are all too afraid to stand up and do what is needed to show the way and lead in reforming the SBC.

Bottom line: Until one or more of those leaders grows a conscience and a backbone (hopefully, through faith and dependence on the Holy Spirit) that moves them beyond their current “go along to get along” fearful, dysfunctional self-protective posture, the already significant impact of reform thinking at the grassroots level must continue.  And, I earnestly pray that my next several posts, beginning the discussion of an SBC reform agenda, prove to be of some help in that regard.

Coming Wednesday: Break in series: “Thankful Reflections on 2007 So Far”

Coming Friday: “Fridays are for Newspaper Articles”