Non-connectionalism in the life of the SBC: 🧵

Usually we use the term "non-connectionalism" to describe the fact that local associations, state conventions, the Southern Baptist Convention, and the various entities all along the way neither own nor govern one another. If you're not a Southern Baptist, it can be a bewildering structure. It comes down to this, though: These entities work together because we want to, not because we have to. Your local association can promote the SBC, attack the SBC, ignore the SBC, or anything in between.

About grieving.

We first noticed unmistakeable signs of dementia in Mom more than 20 years before she died in June. Her's was a slow-moving course of suspected Alzheimer's inflicted upon a very health body.

In 1997, Dad died within six months of his cancer diagnosis. So, those are two very different experiences of grief.

For Mom this year, there was a sense of relief that she had made it to the "absent from the body"/"at home with the Lord" finish line, since her body had become such a source of suffering and debilitation for her.

Since I just retweeted @ken_keathley regarding Baptist theology and Christian Nationalism, I'll offer a bit more precision.

It is not Christian Nationalism to vote or legislate in ways that are informed by Christian ethics. NOT CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM: Voting…
…for restaurants to be closed on Sundays.
…against any nonsense that can't tell a boy from a girl.
…against gambling, or payday loans, or legalized marijuana.
…to protect unborn life.

What is a "point of order"? Every deliberative body like the Southern Baptist Convention operates according to some basic rules of order.

As we near the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, my Twitter feed is going to be increasingly focused upon the primary task before me as SBC President—ensuring a fair meeting that protects the rights of all SBC messengers. Toward that end, I will make greater and greater effort, as June nears, to avoid expressing my opinions upon the questions likely to face the messenger body and to provide information that will help you to know how to navigate the processes of the SBC.

My annual physical takes place today. A lot of you probably don’t get one every year (or maybe ever). Here’s why I have done so for years: 1. My insurance pays for it. Regardless of deductible or coinsurance, they just pay for it. That means someone with all of the data and the math concluded that this is a worthwhile investment to prevent major, expensive illness down the road. I’m down with not being sick later.

Trying to put this into my heart and mind today: Whatever is true—you have solid, defensible sources to justify believing that it is accurate…

Well, I don't know what went wrong here…only the lead tweet of the thread posted. Hmmm. Anyway…

https://twitter.com/bartbarber/status/1630424164744978433

The second reason is that, alongside some narrow objections to the EC's recent decisions ("I agree in these cases, but worry that this will go further" or "I agree with the theology, but not with excluding churches over this"), many have decried complementarianism.

I think it is important to note that @Saddleback has the right to appeal the decision of the @SBCExecComm, and that this is actually the most direct mechanism for the messengers to be able to vote on this question.

https://twitter.com/AdamGreenway/status/1628536403788193792

To suggest that the SBCEC has usurped the messengers in taking this action both misrepresents the procedure outlined in our bylaws and misconstrues the spirit of the EC members in making the decisions.

Twenty-five years ago today, my dad died.

He was—he remains—a colossal figure in my life. I've written before in fits and starts about how and why he means so much to me. Today, instead, I thought I would just list off some of his accomplishments. 1. He was the Controller of Accounts for Arkansas State University when he was barely out of college himself. At the time, he was the youngest in the nation to hold that position for a state university.

If you’re at the @StateFairOfTX this weekend, stop by to see me in the cattle barn. We will be there with Iris the Show Heifer. I expect to be there Thursday evening, all day Friday, Saturday evening, late Sunday evening, and all morning and afternoon on Monday. I’ll be away Saturday morning to speak for the Brazos Valley Baptist Association. The crowd will likely contain large numbers of Aggies, so pray for me.

@profsamperry Thank you for replying. Do you mind if I pose a question or two to seek clarification?

Let's suppose that in our nation, by the grace of God, Christian efforts at evangelism and discipleship were to become EXTREMELY effective. As a result, 90% of the population was evangelical. @profsamperry In our hypothetical scenario, this evangelical supermajority made no efforts to establish any sort of church-state synthesis. Let's assume ad arguendo that they were overwhelmingly committed to the sort of church-state separation Roger Williams promoted.

A reporter recently asked me about Christian Nationalism. He asked me about a lot of things, and that material didn't make the cut, so I feel free to share it (expanded a bit) here. I love my country. I'm a proud American. At FBC Farmersville, we encourage people to obey Romans 13:7 individually, and we sometimes obey it corporately, giving thanks to God for our nation in our corporate worship.

Article VI of "The Baptist Faith & Message" is entitled "The Church." It is an important article for a family of churches (Baptists) who separated from other churches over the doctrine of the church and the ordinances of the church. Toward the end, this article reads "[A church's] scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture."

If you ask an abortion abolitionist to protect a woman from being prosecuted for having her life saved from an ectopic pregnancy, he'll be glad to put that sentiment into a tweet.

He just won't put it into his proposed law. If you ask him to protect minors, women coerced by abusive spouses or boyfriends, women coerced by parents, women coerced by their pimps or traffickers, he'll be glad to put that sentiment into a tweet.

He just won't put it into his proposed law.

This tweet represents the lowest point of dishonesty to which we can descend when we sell out to the crass tone of secular politics instead of following the way of Christ.

https://twitter.com/DustyDeevers/status/1570079767071961088

Deevers is attacking the consistent pro-life position of the Southern Baptist Convention as represented by more than 20 resolutions adopted over the span of 40 years. To give some specific details…

@jenlyell I'm on vacation this week, and my phone only works in specific places (and sometimes even time of day affects it). I apologize for seeing this so late, @jenlyell.

This is a very emotional topic. It's emotional for me, too. But I want to try to provide more light than heat: @jenlyell Jennifer Lyell's claims have been investigated and corroborated. They have been investigated by people close to the situation who have first-hand knowledge of the people and context involved.

August 7 is @sendrelief Sunday in the Southern Baptist Convention. I'm setting aside money right now to give to this offering, especially this year. Here's why: 1. In addition to all of the other ways that we are spreading the gospel through @sendrelief (and those are enough to earn my support), this ministry has stepped forward to bless and serve survivors of sexual abuse..

Happy Independence Day.

On this day, I offer you an address from the patriot Dr John Warren, delivered in 1775. Much of what he writes is eerily prescient. "Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful, but we have many friends, determined to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution.

The Baptist Faith & Message is the vehicle by which Southern Baptists have addressed "those articles of the Christian faith which are most surely held among us." (Preamble)

The words "most surely held" play a valuable role in that phrase.

bfm.sbc.net/preamble/ The MEANING of "most surely held": The BF&M has deliberately not included all of the doctrines that Southern Baptists have generally affirmed in 1925, 1963, or 2000. Rather, we incorporated into our statement of faith only those doctrines about which had the greatest certainty.

Best things about being SBC President so far. A top 10 thread, but not in any particular order: 1. Last week I went on the prayer lists of thousands of really effective prayer warriors.

2. From fellow-students with me to former-students of mine to partners in @fbcfarmersville's missions projects in the past, I've heard from so many people I've loved down through the years.