The annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention will be held in Orlando, Florida on June 15th and 16th. This is my 26th consecutive convention to be in attendance. SBC personnel are expecting a larger than average crowd this year. Early estimates indicate there may be in excess of 17,000 registered messengers, almost twice the attendance of last year.
I am sure that the sunny resort location of Florida has enhanced our numbers, but the content of this year’s convention has sparked controversy. There is nothing that brings out Baptists like a hotly contested business meeting.
This year, we will be electing a new president from four announced candidates (the most in recent memory). However, the real issue is not “who” will lead us, rather “where” will he lead? The draw to this year’s meeting is the report from an ad hoc committee appointed by President Johnny Hunt called “The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.”
This committee is setting the course of our mission endeavors for a generation to come. The study group is made up of a solid cross-section of Baptist leadership that includes many high profile SBC names. Our own State Executive of Georgia, Dr. Robert White, has served on this team.
The controversy of this committee’s finding is not in principle but in practice. There is unanimity of the need to call Baptists back to faithfully pursuing the commandment of the “Great Commission.” However, as with any process, the
particulars become quite “sticky points.”
I am truly looking forward to hearing the report and I am praying for God to be glorified by the results. FBCD is sending seven messengers this year to the meeting. Our group will include myself and Glenda, Jeremy and Karen Greer, Toby and Kelly Howell, and Jennifer Harrison.
