If there were a single moment that defined the just-completed 147th annual session of the Southern Baptist Convention, it was when wounded international missionary Carrie McDonnall stepped to the microphone during the closing session Wednesday evening.
McDonnall was severely wounded in a drive-by shooting in Iraq on March 15. Her husband, David, together with three other IMB representatives, died in the attack.
McDonnall braced both of her elbows on a walker as she moved to the podium with the help of an attendant. Then, in a clear voice, she shared how some had asked about her sacrifice and suffering for the cause of the gospel.
Recounting how Jesus suffered and died for her and for all who will believe on His name, she asked, “How could I do any less?”
Messengers gathered in the Indianapolis Convention Center greeted McDonnall with a sustained standing ovation as she was introduced. As she turned to go back to her seat, the messengers stood and applauded once more.
Before them was one who embodied the reason the Southern Baptist Convention existed — to share the news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
Messengers rejoiced at other news from the International Mission Board, as well. Missionary strategist David Garrison told of more than 100,000 Muslims in India being baptized during the last year.
Retired missionary Tom Thurman of Bangladesh introduced a co-worker who has seen more than 200,000 baptisms in recent years and more than 400,000 come to faith in Christ. Altogether, IMB officials reported baptisms overseas topped the half million mark last year for the first time in history — 510,357.
But baptisms in the United States are going the other way. Newly elected SBC President Bobby Welch, a native of Fort Payne, pointed out in his first news conference that baptisms among Southern Baptists in the United States have dropped for four consecutive years. This year baptisms totaled 377,357, down from a high of 419,342 in 1999 and from 394,863 last year.
Welch said his goal as president will be to define a place where all Southern Baptists can unite. That place, he said, is evangelism. Welch said if Southern Baptists can unite around sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, the baptismal figure will not only stop going down. It will turn toward 1 million baptisms annually, the goal he set for Southern Baptists.
The heartbeat of Southern Baptists, whether in this nation or in the distant parts of the world, is evangelism.
That is our prime value, and this year’s convention repeatedly stressed that commitment. After all, “there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.”
Messengers gathered in Indianapolis shared other values as well — moral and social values. President Bush addressed the messengers via a live video hookup for the second time in three years. Messengers greeted the president with a standing ovation and cheered repeatedly as he outlined accomplishments and goals of his administration.
Messengers called for a renewed emphasis on Christian citizenship to fight secularization of society, including a voter registration campaign prior to the national election.
Opposition to homosexuality and same-sex “marriage” was restated through resolution and sermons. The importance of supporting candidates who backed traditional values was emphasized repeatedly.
There could be little doubt that almost all of the nearly 8,600 messengers registered for this year’s annual meeting — including 497 from Alabama — shared common social values as well as a common faith.
The only place where unanimity was not expressed related to the internal operations of the convention. For the first time since the reorganization of the SBC in 1995, there was serious disagreement between a convention entity and the SBC Executive Committee.
Also, convention leaders suffered their first loss in years when messengers refused to approve a committee to study a name change for the SBC. SBC President Jack Graham championed the name change and on Monday of convention week told Executive Committee members that his suggestion had been enthusiastically received.
However, on the most publicized issue leading up to the convention — withdrawing membership from the Baptist World Alliance — messengers were practically unanimous.
Only one messenger spoke in defense of the BWA, and at least 80 percent of the messengers voted with SBC leadership to withdraw from the BWA.
One lingering question surfaced during the recent meeting, and that related to attendance. When Southern Baptists last gathered in Indianapolis (1992), attendance was 17,992. This year it was less than half that, about 8,600. That ties with the 1998 convention in Salt Lake City making this the second-lowest attended convention in 50 years. Last year’s meeting in Phoenix was the lowest with 7,077.
Some observers see the lack of participation in the annual meeting as a warning sign. Others point to the continued growth in Cooperative Program giving and conclude the low attendance indicates the confidence Southern Baptists have in the current leadership and direction of the convention. Only time will tell which view is most accurate.
But there can be little doubt about this year’s convention. The messengers gathered in Indianapolis were united by a common faith in Jesus Christ. They shared a common moral and social agenda, and they continued to support convention leadership on major issues.
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