Baptist Evangelical Convention

There are suggestions afloat that the Southern Baptist Convention should change its name. Honestly, I don't think it's a bad idea - seeing that the convention was born out of "less than ideal" circumstances (i.e. obstinate, bigoted rejection of the abolition of slavery and the formation of the Confederacy).

So, in order to put in my two cents, I offer the following suggestion:

The Baptist Evangelical Convention

I think that it communicates a sense of cooperation (Evangelical), which is in keeping with a true "together for the gospel" mentality (not to be confused with the conference, which is organized for other reasons). Yet it retains the only distinctive that we would like to uphold - historic, Baptist identity.

Some may laugh, others scowl, but I like the name. I'm not really "jazzed" about the word convention, but there it is - a word that means "assembly" but without the associations of being in any way the church. Because the convention is not the church. Its agencies are not the church. They could all disappear and - though ministry would be more difficult and cooperation more taxing - the church would not miss a beat.

But I digress.

Let me know what you think about the name. It won't go anywhere. No one will really even care, but I thought I'd throw it out there for good measure.

Oh and, by the way, I know that the logo is completely and utterly lame. I just threw it together so that I would have an image of some kind on the page.

Great Commission Resurgence

I signed the resolution and so should you.

Though I really appreciate Dr. Danny Akin's passion, resolve, and explanation of the GCR movement, I am particularly grateful for the contributions of two pastors: Johnny Hunt and Dwayne Milioni.





Pastor Dwayne was interviewed recently and sheds a great deal of light on particular issues that the GCR is hopeful to address; and Johnny Hunt gets to the heart of the matter in the first 40 seconds of his address: stewardship of resources.

For me this is a matter of applying the Kingdom of God to our convention by asking the question, "If God were in charge of the SBC, how would he run things?" I think that the GCR movement has already begun making suggestions that answer that very question.

This, combined with the fact that the intentions of the GCR movement seem sincere and amicable, has convinced me - so that I can see no reason why any Southern Baptist should not sign this resolution.