I appreciate your post. I am one who posted regarding the disappointment I heard out of the convention. It wasn’t so much because I want to post against the SBC. It was really more about the disappointment I have had in “The Church” taking a passive-aggressive approach to living out their faith and proclaiming what they are not instead of what they are. I want to let you know that I am going to post this link on my blog to give people the opportunity to hear what else has happened. You wrote a good post that offers a perspective that many of us can relate to. Blessings to you.

Ryan

@ Philip – The fact that all you heard was negative breaks my heart and that’s why I wrote this post and will write more this week. Glad that I could shed some light as one who was there and left encouraged, and definitely not discouraged.

@ Marshall – Thankful for your leadership in our state and in my life, Marshall! Our best days are ahead and I am honored to lock arms with you to see those days come sooner rather than later!

@ Elrod – And now, Chris, you are the official crazy uncle of this blog! Thanks for providing the comic relief…I would expect nothing less!

@ Bill – Thanks for your kind words. Like you and your denomination, we have to keep doing all we can to live out the mission of Jesus and let people see that we are not what you think we are. All the best to you!

Great post, that’s exactly the kind of thing people need to hear from the inside when stuff like that gets out. Brave to step up and call it like it is.

Great insight into the polity of the SBC. There will always be a “crazy uncle” trying to get attention. The larger the family , the crazier the uncle. I have been attending the SBC for over 20 years and have seen and listened to my share. Their rants seldom amount to more than “sounding brass and clanging cymbals.”

Thank goodness there are those who see the SBC for what it is, the greatest missionary sending agency in the world and the largest protestant denomination in North America. There must be a reason.

Good job!

Marshall

Thanks for your perspective and words.

I really appreciate the way you explained your position not only regarding the convention activities, but especially in response to Missy’s comment.

I just want to chime in that I hope everyone who recognizes that there was a season of ‘bad, off-mission leadership’ recognizes the damage that was done. In many cases, the belligerent, discriminatory, exclusive attitude of the SBC at large trickled down with great force and power to influence smaller congregations, with disastrous results. After coming to Christ, with some innocence and naivete, I got connected with an SBC congregation and ‘lifestyle’ that left a powerful imprint upon my understanding of being a ‘good Christian’. It included very little grace. After a failed marriage and a decade of trying to win the approval of a God described by some as only pleased with a tally sheet of those impacted by EE and how many people were in our club (as opposed to the Methodists and Lutherans and Catholics, all of whom were undoubtedly hell-bound), I praise God today that a church showed me GRACE, and that I am now fueled by a passion for Christ and the local church that is beyond anything I ever imagined. I am even serving in an SBC-affiliated church!

But that decade of boycotts and craziness impacted me GREATLY, and not necessarily for good. I’m grateful for God’s steadfast love, but worry that we don’t always appreciate the damage done when we’re unaware of how far flies the influence of the crazy uncles.

Thanks for your post!