Dr. Avery Willis - An Endorsement

We have good crop of candidates in the pool who are seeking the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention. This year's mix includes some predictable faces, great pastoral leaders, and wonderfully gifted men.

Without hesitation, I personally endorse Avery Willis as the candidate to represent all Southern Baptists. Avery's passion for missions is amazing. His understanding of discipleship is well documented. He understands the power and challenges of Baptist churches with small congregations more so than anyone I know. Avery is a practical man with approaches to ministry/missions/discipleship that would be a breath of fresh air in the SBC.

I pray for all of these candidates...but I love the senior, statesmanship qualities of Avery whose life at home and abroad defines what I love most about Southern Baptists. There are many areas of the conservative direction of the SBC where Avery and I would disagree, but I am convinced that Avery's understanding of fellowship among Baptists is more 'embracing' of our diversity rather than 'narrowing' due to our differences.

Two Rivers Baptist Vote - Again, Confusing

Somewhere in Roberts Rules of Order there (evidently) exists a clause whereby members of an organization who are charged with wrongdoing are not allowed a vote should the issue of their membership status arise. From my experience in running meetings over the last 40 years, that is new one. In one article
Two Rivers Baptist Church attorney, Larry Crain, is quoted as saying,

"If you're charged with a crime, you can't sit on the jury"

Attorney Crain is certainly correct when his comment applies to the court system...I find it a stretch to apply that same logic to a group whose dissension (or sin) is compared to a criminal or illegal act. I would suggest that if that logic were to be applied equitably, then all of those at TRBC who has been accused of financial misdeeds should not have been allowed to vote either.

I am really confused over the 'surprise' Mother's Day vote at Two Rivers Baptist Church. From one Sunday's vote where members were required to show identification in order to vote, to the next Sunday when the very same issue is resolved by a simple show of hands, I believe there is room to question motive as well as action. Those who 'lost' on Mother's Day will no longer be able to vote as 'members' of Two Rivers Baptist Church...otherwise, I am not certain that the second vote accomplished anything other than raising additional suspicions within the congregation.

I will stand by my previous post. Those who have problems with the leadership at Two Rivers Baptist should find a new home..a new branch. Those who remain should re-focus on the mission of the church and bearing new fruit. John 15:1-2 reads, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful."

Many of the members at Two Rivers Baptist Church who were ousted on Mother's Day became members when Jimmy Henry was pastor. I cannot imagine that Jimmy is not heartbroken by the distractions at his previous pastorate. Perhaps some of Jimmy's retirement time could be spent in counseling his older TRBC flock. Certainly there is great need for healing on both sides of the issues at Two Rivers Baptist Church.

There Are Other Churches Besides Two Rivers Baptist

I read (yet) another report claiming mis-deeds from Dr. Jerry Sutton, Senior Pastor at Two Rivers Baptist Church. There are members who are claiming all sorts of financial irregularities and have gone to court to gain access to financial records. According to the report, "(Dr.) Sutton sent a letter to members saying those who've sued the church will be thrown out if they don't shape up."

My advice to those who disagree with how things are being run at Two Rivers: it is time to find another church home. It is obvious that there is a disagreement. It is obvious that the pastor does not intend to budge from his position. It is obvious that the seventy (or so) members who want to oust the pastor are a small minority. There is nothing that a court suit, a facebook.com group, or additional head-butting in the media will do to bring any glory to this situation. If there is wrongdoing, God will deal with the sin involved.

Full disclosure: I left Two Rivers Baptist Church a month or so after Dr. Sutton appeared on the scene and summarily dismissed some of the finest women ministers in the Southern Baptist Convention. It was my choice to leave. I spoke personally with Jerry and expressed my disappointment in his decisions. We agreed to disagree. I chose to find another church home. I am still at peace with that decision and view it as a door that lead me to new areas of service that I might not have discovered had I stayed.

Wonderful things have happened to Two Rivers under Dr. Sutton's leadership and although we may disagree on many things, God has blessed Jerry's ministry and Two Rivers Baptist Church. I wish Dr. Sutton the best. I wish those who disagree with Dr. Sutton the best as well.

April 6th Offering for Union University

The Tennessee Baptist Convention's new president, Tom McCoy, has called for an offering to be collected April 6th across the convention to support Union University's re-building programs. In Tom's matter-of-fact, personal touch, way isn't asking churches to spend a whole Sunday on the subject, but enough time to inform congregations and to pass the plate. The Jackson Sun and NewsChannel5.com covered this story as well last week.

James Porch, the TBC Executive Director, outlines some of progress that has already happened since the February 5, 2008 tornado.

If you are not a member of a Baptist church and wish to help in the re-building process, I encourage you to do so (securely) online.

Belmont University, though not affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention, set up a special web site, held a benefit concert, sent student volunteers to assist in the clean-up, and delivered a $100,000 check from the university's trustees to help. Thank You, Belmont!

How About Them Belmont Bruins

I watched in amazement as the Belmont Bruins gained "Significant Respect".

Does Basketball Really Need this Sort of Madness

A Belmont University friend of mine made sure that I had tickets to this year's Atlantic Sun basketball tournament. I made it to several games and discovered a lot of great basketball, mid-major style. I also discovered something that I think this set of mid-majors can do without.

Fans at Lipscomb University and Belmont University do not like each other, at least during athletic competitions. I suppose that distaste and disdain goes along with the intensity of the rivalry. What should not go along with that distaste are uncreative cheers that constantly include the word "SUCK". I have heard the same trash-talk-potty-mouth shenanigans at professional hockey and find it equally distasteful, but the students at Lipscomb and Belmont are far more creative to stoop to this level of debasement.

I have heard the story several times about the Belmont vs. Georgetown game in the opening round of the 2007 NCAA basketball tournament. The Georgetown fans began chanting, "Where is Bel-mont"...in response, the Belmont students (and ultimately the entire arena) responded with a chant of "What's a Ho-ya". Even the Georgetown fans got a kick out of the response...it was fun to see and to hear. I would challenge both schools to focus that amazing volume of creative energy into high-spirited, creative, competitive cheering/jeering. To turn a Tom Hanks line from A League of Their Own...there is no 'suck' in basketball.

Happy (belated) New Year!

Back from an extended trip to NC and behind on responding to email and blog questions...so, Happy New Year to you all!

Merry Christmas!

I am off later this morning to see some old friends get married in North Carolina...and felt that I would be remiss if I did not stop long enough to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all those who stop by the Refugee Baptist. I wish you one and all a joyous and blessed holiday season...now, go. Hug somebody!

What kind of Baptist is Mike Huckabee?

I have my own opinion of Huckabee, the political candidate, as a Christian and a separate opinion of what kind of president he might make. I cannot help but flashback to the author of "Why Not the Best" and similar feelings for another southern governor's campaign in 1976. My thoughts today are a more denominationally focused. Mike Huckabee's response to the GOP candidates' debate question , Do you believe every word of the Bible?:

"Sure. I believe the Bible is exactly what it is. It's the word of revelation to us from God himself. (Applause) And the fact is that when people ask do we believe all of it, you either believe it or you don't believe it. But in the greater sense, I think what the question tried to make us feel like was that, well, if you believe the part that says "Go and pluck out your eye," well, none of us believe that we ought to go pluck out our eye. That obviously is allegorical.

But the Bible has some messages that nobody really can confuse and really not left up to interpretation. "Love your neighbor as yourself."

And as much as you've done it to the least of these brethren, you've done it unto me. Until we get those simple, real easy things right, I'm not sure we ought to spend a whole lot of time fighting over the other parts that are a little bit complicated.

And as the only person here on the stage with a theology degree, there are parts of it I don't fully comprehend and understand, because the Bible is a revelation of an infinite god, and no finite person is ever going to fully understand it. If they do, their god is too small."

I did not see the words infallible or inerrant anywhere in Huckabee's answer. So, in Baptist political terms, does his answer qualify him as a fundamentalist, refugee, moderate, or liberal? I would suggest that if he ever gave this response as his answer if/while running for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, that he would find himself taking a lot of heat.

So. What kind of Baptist is Mike Huckabee?

$1.2 Million in TBC litigation expenses

I wish that someone would tell me that this number is incorrect. Someone asked from the floor at this year's Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting just how much the Belmont Study Committee expended in the process of suing Belmont University. The gasp from those in attendance at the revelation that $1.2 Million was spent should have echoed in every church across the convention. To put that in perspective, convention-wide giving for the Golden Mission offering in 2006 was just over $1.6 million. Belmont probably spent a ton of money as well preparing its case, bringing the combined TBC and Belmont total to more than the 2006 mission offering amount. Let's be thankful that this is over and that we can move on. I just need some time to get over the news of the waste and get the 'mad' out of my system.


Happy Thanksgiving! (no food reference required here).

On my way back to Nashville

My flight leaves a little later this morning, but I am at the Guatemala City airport already. All went well with Jorge's surgery. Miraculously the bullet that ended up in Jorge's neck did little permanent nerve damage and had dislodged itself from its original position close to the spine before surgery began. Jorge, in jest, suggested that surgery be delayed another day, so that his family could finish 'praying the bullet out completely'. There is a sermon in that kind of faith that needs to be preached.

I have much to reflect upon from this trip, much to be thankful for. For those of you who lifted Jorge up in prayer over the last several days, I am immensely grateful. For things to have gone as smoothly as they did in circumstances that would make most health workers squeamish, God had to be in this.

I'll be printing out news stories to read on the plane until I run out of quetzals to pay for them. I've some catching up to do. TBCelder did a respectable job of posting in my absence, I had no idea that he could be so restrained in his comments...dinner tonight over Chick-fil-a will be his chance to blow off some steam, I am sure. Thanks, SGM Gary...as you were.

Will

North Carolina Baptists might be on to something

An Associated Baptist Press story covering the proceedings at the North Carolina Baptist Convention reports the folowing,

"Messengers later responded to an altar call to "give up negativism, back biting and sniping at each other." The plea came from Mark Harris, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, in the convention sermon. When he issued an altar call, hundreds of men and women poured from their seats to kneel at the front and pray for a new day in North Carolina Baptist life -- described as a rare response in a convention recently wracked by division."

Of note as well, the North Carolina Baptist Convention, "approved the first of two steps required to relinquish trustee selection of its five colleges."

Giving up negativism, back-biting, and trustee selection of colleges...'good food for thought within the Tennessee Baptist Convention as well.

Note from Guatemala

This morning is the first real opportunity that I've had to sit long enough where there is internet access so that I can send an update. My connection is pretty slow so this will have to be short. All is going well here. Jorge, his family, and a number of sweet people from his church are attending to his needs at the hospital. "Hospital" is a little different here and families are much more involved in day-to-day patient care...it isn't bad, it is considerably different from what one would find in the states (more on that later). Jorge will have surgery tomorrow. I have a picture of his x-ray showing where the bullet is lodged near his spine, but no good way to upload that picture from here. The surgery if far from routine but may not be as difficult or critical as the earlier diagnosis suggested. I'll keep you updated as best I can.

I did a quick scan of the TBC news. I'll have to do some reading when I return in order to see how people feel about the events of the day. At least the Belmont mess is over...that sounds like news worthy of a great season of thanksgiving.

Ya'll talk amongst yourselves,
Will - from Guatemala City

Tennessee Baptist Convention - Clearly Divided

The votes at this year's Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting appear to speak for themselves. One vote, to soften the stance on using the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 as a measure of a committee nominee's doctrinal accountability, failed by a 7 vote margin 497 to 490 (50.4% to 49.6%).

One proposal from the Concerned Tennessee Baptist party would have given the elected TBC President additional power to nominate two, hand-picked candidates. East Tennessee's timesnew.net reported,

"However, the amendment failed when the convention voted 338-331, which was a just shy of a 50.53 percent to roughly 49.47 percent vote — far short of the required two-thirds majority... Expressing his support of increasing the powers of the TBC president, Ron Stewart said, “What’s best for the Tennessee Baptist Convention is for a balance of power."

I'm not quite sure what Ron Stewart considers a balance of power noting that his Concerned Tennessee Baptist candidates have clearly dominated the TBC's elections in recent history.

George Miller offers thoughtful reflection on some of the proceedings at this year's convention. You can read the full context here. I believe he is on target with the following,

"It is no wonder we are divided as a Convention. First of all, even at an annual convention, the worship of our Lord should have priority over our business sessions. If we spent more time in worship together, we'd probably need less time for the business sessions. Secondly, if we can't worship together, how can we possibly work together for the glory of God. We're divided in our work because we are divided in our worship. Worship must always come before work. God is always more concerned about who we are than what we do. When we again make worshiping together a priority in our Convention, we'll see our divisions being dissolved and God working through our Convention to reach the lost and unchurched people of our state. And what is true in our convention is true in our individual churches as well. A house divided against itself cannot stand."

There are other ways our convention can take care of business using technology throughout the year...perhaps getting some of the nitty-gritty business out of the way electronically might allow for better time together for fellowship and worship.

And not a peep from Will in Guatemala. I am trying not to be a worrywart.

Tennessee Baptist Convention Update - Belmont Settlement

Yesterday's news of the settlement between the Tennessee Baptist Convention and Belmont University made the news across the country through the day and into the night. Here is a sampling of those reports:

• Associate Baptist Press included comments from Clay Austin, the Study Committee Chair,

  "One of the things that we must learn from this is that relationships are extremely valuable and that they are sometimes fragile, and I hope that we have learned that, as we have worked together as brothers and sisters in Christ, we will not always agree."

• Baptist Press points to a decisive meeting last week where the final agreement was hammered out,

  "From the very onset of the meeting, there was no pride from anyone demonstrated nor felt in that room," said Jerry Massey, pastor of First Baptist Church of Paris, Tenn., and president of the TBC Executive Board. "The four of us came humbly before God, confessing to him that we needed his help, for we do not know what to do."

• The Baptist & Reflector will wait another week before releasing the full story, but found space to print one side of the story,

  "Porch stressed that the convention did not force Belmont University to leave. “Belmont chose to write themselves out of the Tennessee Baptist Convention story."

• Concerned Tennessee Baptists mentioned the decision in a Tuesday session update and mentioned the service of the Belmont Study Committee,

  "Let us move forward. Those who did not serve on the Belmont Study Committee should be eternally grateful and those who did will be eternally worn-out. The committee did what they believed was in the best interest of the Convention."

• Perhaps the best quote in a blog comes from a post titled, Let's Just Kiss and Say Goodbye,

  "This was a case where two sides go their separate ways, but it doesn’t have to mean they can’t still be friends. If the Baptists and Belmont are sincere in their goals of ministering to people and sharing the Gospel, they can’t do that effectively by harboring any grudge towards each other."

• Mainstream Baptist sees this as a Sad Day for Baptists and Another Black Eye,

  "The greed of our leadership has stained us all with a huge red "G" on our collective foreheads."

• The Tennessean offers a few more details as to how the agreement came to fruition,

  "I think it hit both sides about how much good energy was being wasted that could have been used to advance the Kingdom," said (Mike) Glenn, a trustee and member of the school's negotiating committee with the convention."

  
  
• Very little discussion seems to happening across the non-Baptist blogs. There is an announcement and comments on Music City Bloggers. The announcement does appear in a few blogs and news papers with little additional commentary: Religion Claus , TennViews, NewsChannel5.com (Nashville), The Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Nashville Business Journal.
  

The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 issue seems to be the most contentious issue at the the convention this year. Jeff Wright reported on the discussion and the 407-400 vote not to change last year's decision to focus on the BF&M2000. Jeff includes a fair assessment of how that vote might be interpreted. Time permitting, I will re-visit that discussion in another post.

...and no news from Will in Guatemala,
TBC Elder

Breaking News - Belmont University and Tennessee Baptist Convention settle

Belmont News just released a letter from Belmont University Board of Trustees Chairman, Marty Dickens, announcing the terms of a settlement between the Tennessee Baptist Convention and Belmont University. From that story,

"The settlement concludes a 56-year relationship between Belmont and the TBC and provides gifts by Belmont to Tennessee Baptists of $1,000,000 next year followed by annual payments of $250,000 for the next 40 years. These gifts are an expression of gratitude to Tennessee Baptists for the financial and spiritual support that they have provided to the University over the past five decades. The funds will be added to an endowment at the Tennessee Baptist Foundation to support Tennessee Baptist missions and ministries."

The relationship with the Tennessee Baptist Convention is severed. I had hoped the the words of Philip Jett were true. In September of this year, Dr. Jett was quoted as saying, "money is not the object...the primary goal is to return Belmont to the Baptist fold." That didn't quite work out as some of us had hoped.

At least it is over. I am thankful that this page in history has turned and we have the opportunity to move forward as a convention without this dark cloud hanging over us.

Tennessee Baptist Convention - Pre-Annual Meeting 2007 Blogging

The Tennessean outlined the basics of this year's agenda for the TBC's annual meeting in Kingsport in an article last Friday. No one should be surprised by the hospital business, the elections, the Belmont report, or events surrounding the sale of the TBC headquarters building in Brentwood.

Jeff Wright is on the scene, blogging. He reports on some of the pre-convention activity and is doing his usual-great-job of reporting the events of the day. Will was a little concerned over the mention of Little Caesar's pizza as the meal at the CTB dinner. I suspect that Will may take issue with the pizza meal as giving a little too much unto Caesar (those are Will's words), but I'll leave the Baptist meal jokes and lecturing to him.

If you are interested in the schedule and agenda for this year's Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting in Kingsport, you can access the schedule from the TBC web site.

One bit of news. Will is leaving earlier than planned to go to Guatemala. Jorge's condition has worsened. The infection and swelling in his neck is causing breathing problems. I am praying for Jorge, the doctors, and Jorge's family. Will is pretty upset over this and I am concerned for him as well. He probably shouldn't be traveling at all, but feels deeply that this is a divine appointment.

Peace,
TBC Elder

Baptist Backed Basketball Bounces Big Brother Bunch

It was an amazing week for the Atlantic Sun conference. The best of the Gardner-Webb, Belmont University, and Mercer University wins over big brother basketball programs is spelled out in Paul Newberry's Associated Press story. The quiet celebration that has been happening in the background is that all three of these institutions have historical Baptist roots. I know that some of the teams have experience in missions and evangelism, maybe it is time for these guys help heal the divisions in the world of Baptists by giving us a court-side place to yell and scream, besides at our annual state convention meetings (and at one another). *smiles*

Making plans for Guatemala travel

Friday morning, I received a static-filled phone call from Jorge, an interpreter-friend from my Guatemala trip earlier this year. Jorge is awaiting surgery in a Guatemala City hospital following what sounds like a random shooting last Thursday morning. He was hit in the shoulder by a bullet while riding on one of the school-bus-like shuttles that one sees all over the country. Glass from the window is embedded in the right side of his face and he jokes that it makes him look like he has teenage acne. The troubling part of his injury is that the bullet ended up near his spine at the base of his neck and he is experiencing numbness in some of his extremities.

Doctors are delaying surgery until more of the swelling subsides and all signs of infection are under control. Jorge seems to think that they will attempt to remove the bullet later next week. He asked if there is anyway I could be there to help with his wife and son. I somehow knew the question was coming before he asked.

Wednesday morning, I'll be at the airport around 4:00AM for an early morning of security scans and to make the hop via Houston to Guatemala City so that I can arrive in the middle of the day. The ongoing airport construction in Guatemala City has made a mess of things and those messes are exacerbated by the craziness of morning traffic around the airport. The bag of post-op supplies that I am carrying is something that may raise a few eyebrows but my physician friends advise me that they shouldn't be a problem.

Please pray for Jorge. He is a marvelous translator with a heart of gold. He (and others like him) perform valuable services to volunteer teams in and around Guatemala City. It grieves me immensely to know that he is hurt and that he may be facing a long recovery.

Blogging for the next several days may be a challenge. There are a number of last-minute items I have to address before departure. TBC Elder has agreed to step up with some help from our able-bodied blog-tech person. He has also agreed to make an extra effort to constrain his crotchety comments and keep things civil while I am away. I'll find an internet cafe somewhere to check in every once in a while.

I covet your prayers for a successful surgery and a rapid recovery for Jorge.

Refugee Baptist Veteran

He isn't the kind of man who will not say much about himself. He is much more focused on what is in front of him than what is behind him. TBC Elder, an infrequent contributor to the Refugee Baptist blog, is a Viet Nam vet. People like him went to war in my place. From our conversations over time, I know that many of his experiences involved things that no one should have to witness or endure...but he did. I want to say thank you to him and the thousands like him who stepped up to serve in the armed forces on this Veteran's Day.

As for my crusty old friend...there is nothing purple about your heart. God has blessed you with a new heart that is white as snow. I love you, man!

P.S. You still owe me dinner over our Belmont-Cincinnati wager.