Most of us learn over time that it’s possible to be proud of your family without necessarily being proud of everything every family member does. That’s one way to describe how I feel about my Southern Baptist family as I reflect on the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention I just attended.
Almost 13,000 messengers from all over North America attended this year’s SBC, plus more than six thousand guests and exhibitors. Streets, buses, hallways, and meeting rooms were full, and the heat and humidity of June in New Orleans lived up to its reputation. More to the point, some of the issues messengers were asked to consider this year were susceptible to misunderstandings or sincere differences of opinion.
Even a close family placed in those conditions is bound to make a few mistakes and step on one another’s toes. And I saw that happen both figuratively and literally. There were times I found myself embarrassed at the behavior of a few thoughtless or immature family members.
Still, I left the meeting proud of my family. The proceedings of the convention were handled with Christian grace and civility, following the encouragement and example of President Bart Barber. More messengers spoke from the floor this year than in any annual meeting I can remember, bringing multiple motions, amendments, and questions. Yet all received due process and were treated with consistent fairness. It was refreshing to me to see so much of the convention’s input and direction come from the floor and not just the platform.
I was also proud of my family because they faced into some important and challenging issues. The serious work of convention-wide sex abuse prevention was affirmed and continued, while stepping back from partnership with controversial Guidepost Solutions. The appeals of three churches deemed not in friendly cooperation with the SBC were respectfully heard yet denied, including an appeal from Saddleback Church, formerly one of the SBC’s largest. The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) doctrinal statement on the office of pastor being reserved for men was clarified and supported in multiple ways.
Task forces to further study issues of considerable concern were created. Even President Barber was challenged for reelection, breaking the tradition of recent years. Yet civility and decorum prevailed.
Perhaps most important, I was proud of my family because Great Commission business remained the main business. While messengers carefully and democratically addressed many challenges issues, 79 new international missionaries were celebrated. Six SBC seminaries delivered encouraging reports about the ministers and missionaries being prepared for today’s and tomorrow’s churches. The ministries of thousands of chaplains, church planters, disaster relief volunteers, and many others were celebrated. And a nationwide rebound in baptisms was reported.
You may not have agreed with every proposed action or decision at this year’s family gathering. I didn’t. Occasionally I wondered why harder questions weren’t asked. Or I raised my ballot with the minority and wondered if I was out of step. At times I understood why some churches feel strongly enough to vote their convictions with stern letters or rechanneled giving. And if you have concerns like that, I’d like to listen.
But none of my concerns were even close to being substantial enough to lead me away from our Baptist family, or to presume I could find a better one. This is my family, and I’m still proud of the overwhelming majority of what we’re doing together.
So let me recommend that you make next year’s SBC in nearby Indianapolis a priority. I think you’ll find that, like all families, ours isn’t perfect, yet. But I think you’ll also find that gathering in humility, and sincerely seeking the Lord’s leadership toward biblical unity, still gives us many, many reasons to continue being proud of our family.
Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. Respond at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.