I haven’t posted anything for a few days on either of my blogs; life sometimes gets in the way of the best laid plans.
If you haven’t, yet, go and read Wade Burleson’s Grace and Truth to You and Marty Duren’s SBC Outpost. Micah Fries speaks for many as he shares his feelings about what has happened at the most recent IMB Board of Trustees meeting.
In essence, the “old-boy-network” won the battle and openness, transparency, and principled dissent lost.
Rather than rehash what Wade and Marty have written, I offer a few random thoughts about the SBC in general and the IMB specifically.
1. Somewhere in the many blogs I’ve read over the past three months, a pastor was telling of the responses he received from an email sent to various IMB trustees; one trustee told him that in serving the IMB for several years, this was only the second contact from non-board members he/she had ever received. The first was from Dr. Patterson.
That speaks volumes to me.
It is my intention to do what little I can to develop some kind of a relationship — even if it’s only a Christmas card — with the trustees of both the IMB and NAMB. Then, when the time comes for a critical communique, maybe mine will be more likely to be read.
2. Each of our SBC entities are independent. Our structure has been around since 1845; the legal tangle of all of our entities predates current thinking about the theory of corporate law.
I want to understand how each operates.
3. Long term change — significantly changing the direction, culture, or climate of the IMB — can occur; if one is patient and methodical. Trustees serve for four years and then must be re-elected.
In any organization that operates off of a parliamentary structure (rules, committee’s, etc.) the nominating committee is the most powerful small group within the organization. If you want to change the make up of the Board, you must first change the nature of the nominating committee.
And, that means consistently electing to the SBC Presidency, men who are committed to the values of openness and transparency, committed to the BF&M (not to exceeding or re-interpreting it), and who look first to Scripture, not historical precedent.
4. Dr. Patterson and Judge Pressler were able to effect those types of changes within eight to ten years. If it was done once, it can be done again. It may be easier this time: email, web logs, and phone/video conferencing are cheap and readily available.
5. I am neither shocked, outraged, depressed, or angry over the recent changes Wade and Marty have written about.
Instead, I am determined.
6. If we don’t model our organizations and entities after solid, biblical models (instead of comparing our Boards to corporate America) we will lose an entire generation of young believers. That can’t happen.
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