Today, February 20, 2012, the Southern Baptist Convention will announce at a meeting in Nashville the proposed 'new name' for the SBC. In light of the global execution of ministry that the SBC enjoys I believe this is a prudent and appropriate action. I affirm this initiative.
Having said that, I agonize over the issues of greater significance that the SBC REFUSES to address. Some of these are:
#1 - Truth telling about the true number of members (16.3 million claimed - - but on the best Sunday of the year there are not 7 million people gathered to worship).
#2 - The causal issues behind that attendance gap. This is driven by a seriously flawed doctrine of Soteriology. People are swept into membership that are simply not redeemed as evidenced by the total absence of progressive sanctification.
#3 - An almost paranoid focus on giving to the Cooperative Program. Failure to give is another indicator of people who are not submitted to the Lordship of Christ. Change the hearts and the contributions will rise dramatically.
#4 - An unrelenting refusal to embrace a Metric for effective ministry that measures transformation rather than mere activity.
So, we can "Dilly Dally" and change the name, % given to this program or that but until the Sovereign of the Ages brings us face to face with our sin, we repent and humble ourselves - - the name change will be just more "Dilly Dally". I welcome your responses to these thoughts.
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