Musings on the Southern Baptist Convention

Don't know if you keep up with the latest news and controversies rumbling through the largest non-Catholic denomination. With all of the local, national, and world events that dominate our news input, it's likely that you haven't been keeping up with the stuff that Southern Baptists are rasslin' with lately.

Women in ministry has made news recently. A woman professor at Southwestern Seminary was denied tenure at the school because of her gender. Did somebody go back on their word? Did someone say one thing and do another? Is President Paige Patterson accurately applying 1 Timothy 2:12 in this instance?

Private prayer languages are another issue. The International Mission Board trustees adopted a policy last year that forbids IMB missionaries to openly practice private prayer language. Did the trustees overstep their bounds? Where do Baptists really stand on private prayer languages? Is Dwight McKissic right when he says the historical position was that Baptists ultimately came to embrace it, or he all wet?

I have opinions on both issues. You may have opinions on both issues. But I think there's a more urgent matter to bring up and begin to discuss.

Does the Southern Baptist Convention need to make a bigger deal out of praying together than it has in the past?

History would tend to agree. Each major spiritual awakening began with a simple prayer meeting. Not one where everyone spent 20 minutes sharing with each other what they need to pray over (like Aunt Bessie's ingrown toenail) and then 5 minutes actually praying such deep prayers as, "Please be with Aunt Bessie, Lord." Is it any wonder that the best word to describe Southern Baptist life is "plateaued" after years of giving this kind of lip service to prayer?

Southern Baptists believe the Bible; that's why Southern Baptists . Southern Baptists believe in evangelism and discipleship; that's why Southern Baptists devise all kinds of ways to lead people to Christ and then to get them growing spiritually.

Do Southern Baptists really believe in prayer?

I think a growing number of them really do. That's why I think we're seeing a greater emphasis on actually praying together throughout the convention. That's why President Frank Page explains that at this year's convention in San Antonio, a greater part of the program will be devoted to actually praying.

That's all for now. I need to get ready to go pray.