Southern Baptists may set a record next week when they gather in Columbus, Ohio, for the 2015 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Unfortunately the record may not be one most people boast about. The June 16–17 meeting may have the smallest number of registered messengers since the 1940s.
In three of the last four years the annual meeting has drawn the fewest number of messengers of any annual meeting since 1944. The 2011 meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., registered 4,821 messengers followed by 5,103 in 2013 in Houston and 5,294 in 2014 in Baltimore.
Some are quick to point out that the trend line for annual meeting participation is up since the 2011 low, but whether that direction can be maintained is an open question.
A core group of Baptists attend the annual meeting wherever it is held so meeting outside traditional SBC territory is not a concern for them. Others seem to need additional motivation. Sometimes that is the site itself. New Orleans in 2012, for example, attracted 7,868 messengers. But even that figure was less than half the attendance figures from two decades earlier.
Elections, controversy or some driving issue are traditional motivators that impact attendance. A week before the annual meeting, none of these seem likely for Columbus. SBC President Ronnie Floyd is almost certain to be re-elected to a traditional second term. No passionate issue has surfaced that would generate convention attendance.
Overseas missionaries
The only hint of controversy has been some reactions to the new guidelines for overseas missionary serviced adopted by the International Mission Board (IMB) on May 13. Localized opposition has surfaced to a few of the changes such as allowing persons who practice speaking in unknown tongues as a private prayer language, “glossolalia,” to serve as missionaries.
Others are questioning if IMB is headed toward financially supporting only church planters and strategists for unreached people groups with all other team members providing some or all of their financial support. This would be a significant change for IMB.
Whether any of these concerns will be expressed on the floor of the convention is doubtful. SBC bylaws specify that each entity must reserve one-third of its annual meeting reporting time for questions from messengers. Since the IMB has only 12 minutes (9:15 to 9:27 Wednesday morning) to report on its worldwide program, it is doubtful any meaningful time for questions will be available. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) also has 12 minutes (9 to 9:12 Wednesday morning).
A resolution objecting to IMB action would not likely get beyond the Resolutions Committee and a motion about the matter would automatically be referred to the IMB trustees as SBC bylaws require because it would deal with an internal matter of the entity.
The 2015 program does have three unique features which may attract participation. The Tuesday evening program will be devoted to “prayer for the Next Great Awakening.” Floyd has traveled extensively across the nation calling Southern Baptists to prayer for a Great Awakening.
Tuesday evening he will be joined by leading SBC pastors like Jack Graham, James Merritt and former Alabamians Ted Traylor and Steve Gaines to kick off the prayer emphasis.
Wednesday morning messengers will witness a joint commissioning service of IMB and NAMB missionaries in a two-hour service that will capsulize Southern Baptist commitment to reach the world — near and far — with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.
That afternoon Floyd will moderate a panel discussion designed to help prepare churches for the upcoming ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court on same-sex “marriage.” That discussion should be both interesting and helpful.
Additionally the Committee on Order of Business for the 2015 annual meeting has attempted to demonstrate the diversity of SBC. Sometimes forgotten is that SBC is the most ethnically diverse Protestant denomination in the United States.
That point will be illustrated with Asians, Hispanics, African-Americans and Anglos reading Scripture and leading prayers. The committee also reached out to a number of younger pastors and included this age group on the program.
Alabama Baptist participation in the annual meeting will not be prominent even though the state is the largest contributor to Southern Baptist work around the world through the Cooperative Program. Kathy Litton, of Mobile, is the only Alabamian appointed to serve at this year’s annual meeting. She will serve on the Resolutions Committee.
History indicates about 125 of Alabama’s more than 3,000 churches will send messengers totaling about 250. Overall across the SBC only about 2,200 churches are expected to send messengers to this annual meeting.
The late Hudson Baggett (former editor of The Alabama Baptist) used to look at this trend and ask “Which Southern Baptist Convention?” He pointed out that such a small fraction of the whole was not a reliable sample of the whole SBC. He often said the same thing about the annual meeting of the state convention.
Dr. Baggett was correct, but the only way Baptists have to make decisions is through their annual meetings. That means those who go make the decisions about the budgets, convention priorities, the make up of governing bodies and all the rest. That makes the meetings important every year no matter where they are, how many participate or what other issues buzz around them.
The Alabama Baptist will be there providing a complete report of the annual meeting in the June 25 issue along with daily updates through our Top Story of the Day and news feed.
Please pray for the annual meeting, for President Floyd and other convention leaders, for the messengers from the churches, for entity leaders and all that transpires during this important time. Pray that God will be honored and that Baptists will be encouraged as we work together in the cause of Christ.
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