Huntsville pastor serves messengers at convention

For the past 20 years, Jimmy Jackson has been helping messengers have their say at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
   
As a parliamentarian, the pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, works with messengers on their motions and resolutions, helping them to craft their statements and sentiments into documents ready to be presented to the SBC.
   
“I enjoy it,” Jackson said. “I get to work behind the scenes on what is happening.”
   
At the June 21–22 annual meeting in Nashville, Jackson was stationed at times at a table in front of the stage during the Tuesday sessions. Here messengers with questions or business items approached him, seeking his help and advice.
   
But much of Jackson’s work also happened behind the stage, “enduring all the meetings behind the scenes,” he said.
   
From noon on Sunday before the annual meeting through the end of Tuesday’s evening session, Jackson spent every free minute pouring over resolutions, motions and business items, preparing to deal with them and “making sure everyone has their say,” Jackson said. The two other parliamentarians, the convention president and the committee on order of business also perform similar roles. Jackson remained on hand through the close of the annual meeting Wednesday night to assist as necessary. 
   
Many times, the meetings also include averting or mediating conflict before it reaches the convention floor.
   
But when it does, Jackson and his fellow parliamentarians are there, facilitating “the meeting so the business of the convention can be conducted in a timely manner,” he said.
   
The reward of such work has come in getting to know the convention presidents and the heads of the SBC entities, Jackson said. “Getting to know some of these champions of faith … it’s enriched my ministry,” he said. “It’s been a blessing.”
   
It has also given Jackson an opportunity to serve God outside his church. “We as pastors owe something to our state (and) national conventions,” he said. “I feel like it’s doing something to serve the Lord without encroaching on my time with the church.
   
“It’s serving the Lord in that we’re doing things decently and in order,” Jackson said. “It’s serving the Lord and serving people.”