Conservative resurgent supporters in Tennessee Baptist Convention shift to panic mode

In the print edition of this week's Baptist & Reflector is a paid advertisement that proposes a motion for the Tennessee Baptist Convention to affirm the Baptist Faith and Message statements of 1925, 1963, or 2000. My spin on the background for this is here.

Quoting from yesterday's More Urgent Than Ever - Concerned TN Baptists email from Larry Reagan:

"Those who support the moderate agenda for the TBC realize what is on the line for this year's convention. They have advertised their key motion. They have announced their candidate for Presdient (sic), which is Randall Adkisson. Their goal is to defeat Tom McCoy and the conservative resurgence. They plan to defeat Amendment #6 that is being offered for our current President, Ron Stewart. They plan to defeat the 7 amendments to the Committee on Boards Report. We've placed it on the line, and now they have also. This the definining moment for the TBC."

Wow. Now the moderate agenda is somehow a threat to the conservative resurgence (not to be confused with the conservative agenda)? Dear Concerned Tennessee Baptists, have you ever heard the expression, "That's the pot calling the kettle black?" At least those who want to propose an alternate solution chose to make a public announcement of their intentions rather than sneaking around behind conservatively closed doors like some conspiracy group. Those who paid for that announcement did so because Lonnie Wilkey, B&R Editor, would have been run out of Brentwood on a rail had he published it as a news story!

Is there even the slightest chance that Baptists watching this spitting contest from the pews are sick of the conservative resurgence? The folks in Missouri seem to think that power-hungry groups shouldn't be in control. And get this, someone had the nerve to print, " Fighting – especially when it seems to be as much about power as principle – is lousy advertising." I wish I had said that.

How's this for a "defining moment for the TBC": let's get back to ministry and learn to fellowship with diversely-opinion-ed brothers (and sisters) and put all this non-productive, disgracefully political in-fighting behind us. How's that for a motion?

Baptist & Reflector editor reads email...shocking news gathering technique surprises Todd Stinnett

In a recent post on the Concerned Tennessee Baptists' web site, Todd Stinnett challenges Lonnie Wilkey, the editor of the Baptist and Reflector' s personal reflection editorial:

(Quoting Todd Stinnett) "In your editorial, you also mentioned that seven of the names offered up by the Committee on Boards will be challenged. I’d like to know how the editor to the B&R is able to gather this type of information. Certainly, that type of information is not available to those of us who are rank-and-file messengers to the TBC."

Todd, I'll explain it simply. Mr. Wilkey is much older than you and considerably more experienced in getting his facts straight. How would he know if 7 will be challenged? If you read your email from Brother Larry Reagan, CTB editor, it clearly states the following:

"...There will be 7 proposed amendments
- To the TBC Executive Board:
Terry Kirby, Pos. #35, Alpha BC Morristown, 16.29% CP
Roy Terry, Pos. #34, Laurel Creek BC, 6.8% CP
Bill Carden, Pos. #64, FBC Tullahoma, 12% CP
David Williams, Pos. #49, Hillcrest Morristown, 7% CP
Craig Cummings, Pos. #54, Union BC Knox Co., 9% CP
- To the Committee on Committees
Dave McRight, Pos. #427, FBC Hohenwald, 12.9% CP
Craig Ward, Pos. #428, Lincoln Ave. BC, 5% CP
All 7 of these affirm strongly the BF&M 2000. They are being nominated in place of those who refuse to affirm the BF&M 2000."

I do find it interesting, Todd, that you do not consider the Concerned Tennessee Baptists to be part of the "rank-and-file messengers to the TBC" since the Concerned Tennessee Baptist mailing list was likely the first to hear of these 7 nominations. That is enlightening information. The CTB nominates Todd for 2nd Vice-president and fails to tell him about the 7 proposed amendments...really??

Lastly, Todd, I take issue with your questioning of Lonnie Wilkey, the editor of the Baptist & Reflector, whose newspaper is anything but a source of balanced information for Tennessee Baptists (there is nothing balanced about Tennessee Baptists anyway). I have much more experience than you at giving Lonnie a hard time and I am trying hard not to be resentful of you for questioning Lonnie's very personal and historically accurate, Baptist reflection.

Anyone up for hot apple pie a la mode? Anyone care to affirm 'pecan pie' as a Baptist amendment dessert? (lots of nuts, a sticky mess, crusty around the edges, and stays sweet while being chewed out).

Todd Stinnett takes issue with Baptist and Reflector editor's reflections

Todd Stinnett, heir apparent to the TBC's 2nd vice-presidency, doesn't feel that enforcing* the BF&M2000 should be a problem with Tennessee Baptists and takes issue with Lonnie Wilkey, the editor of the Tennessee Baptist Convention's Baptist & Reflector. After all, the convention voted last year to adopt the Baptist Faith & Message as well as the RJSV nomination form. The votes weren't close. But now, the 20% who failed to vote for the BF&M2000 motion are second-class Tennessee Baptists, and, according to Todd are not 'doctrinally accountable' and thus should not be eligible to serve on TBC committees or boards.

Todd, I understand your passion to rid the Tennessee Baptist Convention of liberalism and make us all doctrinally accountable. It is a well intentioned and well-meaning goal...if it is to become the primary goal of the new conservative leadership in our convention, then please, at your earliest convenience remove the word Baptist from the name of the state convention. We, as a convention, have affirmed the BF&M2000, great. Can we get on with the mission of our calling? Please, let's not use the BF&M2000 as some pharisaical-looking effort to divide the convention further by marginalizing individuals who do not view their cooperative relationships with other Baptist churches in the state the same way that you do. It may be fundamental but it is NOT Baptist.

OK, so we're not going to be Creedal, we're going to be Doctrinally Accountable. I love buzz words. I hope I can get a rubber stamp on my hand with "DA" in purple ink so that I can get back into a TBC committee meeting. Or maybe it is time to get little DA tattoos, a secret handshake, some cool candles, gold embroidered vests, and pointy looking hats.

Just so this post will not be construed to be completely antagonistic, Todd and I agree on major problems within our denomination.

*Enforced is the word chosen by one of Todd's fellow co-conspirators Concerned Tennessee Baptists, Larry Reagan.

Using the Baptist Faith and Message as a Means to Divide Tennessee Baptists

There is an Associated Baptist Press story online, Tennessee Baptists gear up for struggles over trustees, that I recommend as balanced assessment of what we may see this year at the Tennessee Baptist Convention. It speaks of a certain level of disinterest of some of our church leaders to continue battles that aren't significant to ministries in our local churches. It also refers to the "aggressive tack" of Larry Reagan, pastor of Adam's Chapel in Dresden, Tennessee.

I have taken quite a bit of time to mull over the angry sentiments that I read from Pastor Larry Reagan over at Concerned Tennessee Baptists regarding those who have been nominated for Tennessee Baptist Convention positions who chose to say they did not or would not affirm the BF&M2000. Pastor Reagan's passion is not something I want to question or offend, but I want to walk around a few things that he has to say that I find worrisome. You can read the full context here and here...but allow me to focus on this:

"Our failure to require doctrinal accountability in the past has caused great harm to God’s work in Tennessee. The messengers from the churches understand this clearly. Last year we affirmed the BF&M 2000. This year we must enforce that affirmation. It is time to show up, stand up, and speak up. It is time for changes to be made. If our executive leadership continues to resist the enforcement of doctrinal accountability, then it is time for a change in executive leadership.
We have many great servants in positions of leadership in the TBC. They are working hard to lead the TBC by biblical principles. They deserve executive leadership that agrees with the churches. Doctrinal accountability matters!"

Last year, the Tennessee Baptist convention did affirm the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 by a considerable majority. Now, according to Pastor Reagan, agreeing with that document is apparently a litmus test to be used to determine if an individual is "doctrinally accountable". Larry, I am sorry. Some of these individuals are hardcore Cooperative Program supporting Baptists who believe they are accountable only to God and His Word. If that somehow makes them doctrinally un-accountable, I think a different label (besides doctrinally accountable) is needed. Some of us who affirmed the BF&M 2000 did so because we felt it was important for the world to have something more abbreviated than the entire Bible to understand who Southern Baptists are and what separates us from other denominations. If agreeing to the words on the BF&M2000 is all that it takes to indicate that someone is doctrinally accountable, then I suggest we entertain a motion at the TBC to trim a little fat off the Bible and reduce it down to a few key verses in the New Testament.

Let me put it this way. I attend Baptist churches who are passionate about introducing Jesus Christ to a lost world and leading people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If someone who receives Christ in our church chooses to align him/herself with a Southern Baptist Church, then I would hope they would find a place where that person can set roots and grow in their relationship with Christ through Bible study and fellowship with other Christians. Being there, they will witness and learn of Baptist life, our ordinances, and our tradition of cooperative ministries with other churches. If that Christian finds another place to set roots and grow in a fellowship that doesn't include "Baptist" on the church sign or perhaps in another denomination, I will not condemn them because they choose not to affirm the Baptist Faith and Message, nor will I consider them any less Christian or less doctrinally accountable. Unless Brother Reagan is reading a different Bible, I am pretty sure that there is nothing in the Bible that commands us to go into the world and make BF&M2000 Baptists of every creature.

We as Baptist have a great tradition of arguing over our confessions, creeds, and statements of faith. I believe that we, as Baptist, benefit from having a statement of faith so that others will know the general principles of our beliefs. We produce these statements (and have for over 100 years) with the understanding that as fallible creatures that any creed we produce will not be infallible or inerrant. I want that debate to go on as long as there are Baptists walking the Earth. I do not, however, believe that there is anything worse than using a confession or creed to label another Christian as a fundamentalist, liberal, moderate, godless-CBF-er, progressive, evangelical, democrat, republican, independent, emergent, or doctrinally un-accountable. God will not bless efforts of any group to divide the Tennessee Baptist Convention further by declaring that some denominational document created by the hands of well-meaning men will somehow make us better Baptists or Christians. It might help us to understand how a diverse group of believers manages to cooperate in ministry without beating each other up with our Bibles. I sincerely doubt that the God of my Bible concerns himself with any man made creed...particularly if that creed is intended to somehow "enforce" anything.

To my brother in Christ, Larry Reagan, I pray that you will focus your passion on winning souls for Christ rather than wasting God's time trying to "enforce doctrinal accountability". God is quite capable of dealing with the sins of man and those called to minister to His flock. Let's not lose focus on God by pushing away fellow Christians (and Baptists) by creating new labels for individuals who do not believe the BF&M2000 to be infallible or inerrant or the litmus test for their personal relationship with Christ. I believe deeply that my brother Larry Reagan and I are on God's side. I sincerely wish that Brother Reagan would embrace my questioning of any creed as acceptable behavior in God's sight as I accept his passion for fundamentalism to be blessed by God.

I do want someone to be accountable for the menu at the meetings surrounding the TBC. .. nothing ruins a good fellowship worse than a caterer who doesn't understand the Baptist metaphor of Dunkin Donuts. *smiles*