Thread by @BrianKaylor

First couple of rounds of voting at #SBC22 have gone against @BaptistNetwork that's trying to push SBC further rightward. But those votes also are not good predictors of what will come today. Let's consider what happened yesterday & what's maybe happening today. 🧵 1/

.@SBCExecComm elected new officers yesterday. Candidates who voted to waive attorney-client privilege in sex abuse investigation defeated those who opposed. But many CBNers who opposed waiving privilege resigned in protest last fall. apnews.com/article/politi…
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CBN candidate for prez of SBC Pastor's Conference, Voddie Bauchum, lost close vote (religionnews.com/2022/06/14/sbc…). Although well-known, he's not actually SBC member. And he skipped part of Conference to attend CBN counter event. Significant baggage working against him for this role 3/

Also consider how few people voted in those elections yesterday. @SBCExecComm officer elections had just over 60 people voting. SBC Pastor's Conference had just over 1,300. Today's votes will be closer to 10,000 or more. Yesterday's votes don't signal how today will go. 4/

But yesterday's votes do offer a warning for how rancorous today could be. Baucham's loss at Pastor's Conference sparked claims of voter fraud & rule changes from both sides. Add that to claims from his camp that other side is "liberal" & "woke" & today could be bitter. #SBC22 5/

Big focus, of course, on today's #SBC22 prez vote. This vote could signal a shift in SBC direction if @tomascol defeats more establishment @bartbarber. Given prez power to appoint key committees & use bully pulpit of largest Protestant denom, this is not insignificant role. 6/

Wild card in today's #SBC22 prez vote is what impact will @tomascol campaigning on rightwing Trumpian media have (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/will-sbc-den…). This is unusual campaign strategy. We don't know yet if it'll work. But if he wins, this is likely a key reason. 7/

If Ascol wins #SBC22 prez race today, media coverage should note figures like @JennaEllisEsq, Charlie Kirk, @ericmetaxas, @SteveDeaceShow, OANN, & more pushing for him. Why does rightwing media care about SBC prez? Because they know political power of largest Protestant denom. 8/

Other key #SBC22 votes today include recommendations related to sex abuse report (which some CBNers are attacking), an effort to target Saddleback/Rick Warren, & whatever resolutions come from Barber's committee & floor (will Jan6 be one? publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/will-sbc-den…). 9/

Proposed #SBC22 resolutions just dropped: sbcannualmeeting.net/wp-content/upl…. There's not 1 on Jan. 6. Last year they pulled it (tennessean.com/story/news/rel…). This year they'll ignore it as hearings happen in DC. May instead elect someone who repeated election lies: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/will-sbc-den… 10/

Key is anything could happen today at #SBC22. Several thousand people will show up but 1 wing could show up more & move the needle. Last year we saw a bit of messenger revolution (wordandway.org/2021/06/18/the…). Will that happen again & in what direction? We'll learn later today. 11/11