SBCOutpost

There is no question about it, Baptist Press loves to cover abortiongaymarriagepresidentialpolitics. For many of us who are pleased that Baptist Press has grown in its nationwide readership, owing in no small part to the skill and savvy of BP Editor, Will Hall, we are often disappointed at the new prioritization that directs Baptist Press headlines. If you doubt me, take some time and do a story comparison and discover how many times the name of Lottie Moon is covered versus the name Richard Land. Or check how many more times the word abortion is used than adoption.

Yesterday’s edition of Baptist Press is a case in point.

Headlining yesterday’s edition of Baptist Press was a heart-warming, well-written story by a freelance writer on Rick Warren’s Global Summit on HIV/AIDS. The commendation stops there.

Next in line is yet another article on 2008 Presidential politics, though this one does have some tangential relationship to Southern Baptists’ immediate theological concerns. It deals with GOP candidates — of course — and their views on the Bible. Then it gives us a run-down on the GOP candidate debate. I’m curious just how many people these days are rushing to Baptist Press for their political scorecard? Why do Southern Baptists need somebody to ruminate the Washington scene for us “with a Christian perspective?”

Just under the GOP story, is another GOP story about the death of former U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde (IL). Of course, his obit gets top billing because — well, he was a “pro-life champion.” Oh, and he chaired the House Judiciary Committee when Bill Clinton needed impeaching.

Then comes a few articles on the very important, very Baptist-related conference at Ridgecrest where Calvinists and non-Calvinists had opportunity — courtesy of Thom Rainer and the Lifeway crew — to fellowship, dialogue, and seek common ground for the sake of unity in the convention. One of the hottest issues facing Southern Baptists is the growing tensions between Calvinists and non-Calvinists. By all accounts, this peaceful discussion over three days is quite important for the conversation in Southern Baptist life. By BP accounts, however, GOP presidential politics is more important.

Tucked way down under the death of Henry Hyde is an article about the death of Jesus Christ. I suppose his pro-life credentials didn’t quite measure up. Neither will his Judiciary Committee convene in Washington D.C.

Cough! Cough! [He brushes away the cobwebs around here.]

In February, 2005 Time Magazine named Richard Land one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.  What we here at SBC Outpost would like to know is: who exactly does Richard Land influence?  Does he influence you?  In what way?  If you’re a balding pastor are you wanting to know who did his hair plugs for him?  If you are fashion-challenged are you wanting to know where you can get your own pair of two-tone wing tips?  If you have an eating disorder are you curious about his secrets to a robust figure?

Ok….those last few comments were just silly and can be ignored.  We don’t want a bunch of humorless whiners complaining in the comment section about how mean we are.  But seriously, what was the last thing you heard or read from Richard Land that influenced you and how did it influence you?  Of all the people we would expect to be influenced by Dr. Land we would think it would be involved and informed Southern Baptists.

This holiday week is chock full of the good stuff: turducken, granny’s pumpkin pie and quality time with the in-laws. Oh, and college football. Last week injuries devastated two more top five teams. This week those that are alive and remain seek to avoid a similar fate.

Action begins on Thursday as #11 USC faces #6 Arizona State in another big Pac-10 showdown. Game time is set for 7PM CST.

Of course, this is a popular week for rivalry games and we see a few of those hitting the radar on Friday as Ol’ Miss and Mississippi State hit the turf at 11:30 AM CST. Then at 2:30 CST Bevo gets his weekly sedative as he travels to College Station for the Farewell Fran tour. And though it’s probably not much of a rivalry, Arkansas will have their hand at #1 LSU. Kick-off is at 1:30 CST.

In-state rivalry’s continue Saturday as Virginia and Virginia Tech meet up at 11:00AM CST. At 1:00PM CST the Utah fights BYU for Mormon bragging rights. At 2:30PM CST Georgia swats the Yellowjackets of Georgia Tech and Oklahoma tries to bounce back and win the Big XII South division against Oklahoma State.

In other action, Miami tries to topple Boston College from the top of the ACC, the hillbillies of Tennessee play king of the hill with the hillbillies of Kentucky, Connecticut faces #3 West Virginia, Oregon tries to bounce back from the season-ending loss of their QB against the powder blue boys of UCLA, the Florida State Seminoles try to stick a spear in the Gators of Florida, Clemson tries to finish strong against South Carolina, Washington State faces Washington and the once-mighty Sabanites of Alabama try to avoid a four-game skid and finish above .500 against hated rival Auburn. Someone please phone that score in to CB Scott. I hear he’s got a tennis match that evening.

In the headliner of the day #2 Kansas hosts their next-door rivals #4 Missouri at 7PM CST. Yes, rub your eyes and read that again. We’re still talking about football.

The men are getting separated from the boys in this topsy-turvy year of college football. Will this week make the picture clearer, or will it cloud it still further? Make your predictions now.

After the Turkey is gone…

Editor’s Note: Today we reveal part two of our three part Thanksgiving, Southwestern-style. With appreciation for the new homemaking laboratory at SWBTS, we offer you an easy-t0-follow instructional guide for stuffing and roasting your very own Turkey.

Editor’s Note: As a service to our readers, SBCOutpost.com has compiled a three part Thanksgiving extravaganza video series. With a little help from our big-game-hunting friends at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, we will guide our readers through the turkey hunt. And we’ll finish the series with some footage from the SWBTS Homemaking Kitchen that is sure to help all SBCOutpost.com readers stuff and roast the best bird your Cooperative Program dollars can buy.

So without further ado, we bring you Part One: Bagging Your Bird with Big Daddy.

A team of eminent physicians at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Hospital have reached consensus in their diagnosis of ERLC President Richard Land.

Quite simply, he suffers from the advanced stages of Potomac Fever.

In the past months, Dick Land has told us that he found Fred Thompson “tantalizing,” even characterizing him as “Reaganesque.” He’s single-handedly legitimized Mitt Romney’s Mormonism by coining the equally marketable and ridiculous appellation, “Fourth Abrahamic Faith.” He’s dismissed outright fellow Southern Baptist Mike Huckabee’s campaign, and he scorns America’s Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, for having ended two marriages. McCain, our pompadoured ethicist tells us, is too “unpredictable” for Evangelical voters.

And now Land gives us this little gem, courtesy of Baptist Press, to guide us in our values voting. All of this leads us at SBCOutpost.com to conduct our next reader poll.

UPDATE: We concluded our reader poll at 3:00 PM CST. We give you, dear readers, the results below. Comments are now open.

I sit here watching Arizona hang on to a 24-31 lead against the Dennis Dixon-less Oregon Ducks in the fourth quarter. As a fan of the greatest football team in America - the Oklahoma Sooners - I watch with some mixed emotions. If OU were to make the national title game I would prefer two OUs to make it, Oklahoma and Oregon. It’s the revenge factor. That, and LSU has a home-field advantage in New Orleans which tilts the playing field unfairly in their favor. On the other hand, I’d really like to see Mike Stoops get this win.

Now, as for the upcoming games this weekend:

At 11 AM CST Ohio State, coming off their loss to Illinois, tries to bounce back against Michigan. How does a three-loss Michigan team, with two of those losses coming against unranked teams, manage to stay in the top 25? Better yet, how does that same three-loss Michigan team beat Ohio State? I look for it to happen. What think ye?

At 11:30 AM CST #5 Missouri takes on a bi-polar Kansas State team that beat Texas and Colorado yet lost to Iowa State and got hammered by Nebraska. Sorry, Mildcats. You’ve got no chance. Speaking of Mildcats Kentucky travels to the Peach State and will take a big bite in the ham hocks by that little Georgia Bulldog. , but you’ll have to watch it all unravel on Pay-Per-View.

Speaking of schizophrenia, at 1:00 PM CST Vanderbilt visits the emotionally unstable Tennessee Volunteers. Yes, the Tennessee that got the stuffing beat out of them by unranked Alabama one week and then turned around and beat ranked South Carolina the next. Pull up a chair and pass the Prozac. This could be anyone’s game.

At 2:30 PM CST #1 LSU is at 3-7 Mississippi to hand out a little discipline to the Rebellious. #3 Kansas will face a suddenly surging Iowa State at the same time and Virginia Tech will put the beat down on Miami.

At 6:45 PM CST West Virginia will play Cincinnati in a battle for supremacy in the Big Least and a suddenly reeling band of Jesuits play the headache-inducing orange clad Tigers of Clemson.

Then at 7:00 PM CST the Oklahoma Sooners buy tickets to the Texas aerial show set to take place in Lubbock. Mike Leach’s Red Raiders ran the ball a whopping total of seven times in last week’s loss to Texas. Leach must believe that seven truly is a number of perfection. Can the Sooners pull off the win?

Alrighty. It’s your turn now. If I left off your favorite team and you haven’t completely given up on them give us your predictions. We’ll try to act interested.

Editor’s Note:  Mississippi native and all-around Baptist curmudgeon, Jerry Grace, has weighed in on the Burleson censure with his characteristic sledgehammer, sending IMB trustees by the bushel to the nearest trauma unit for evaluation.  We at SBCOutpost.com glady reproduce an exerpt from Grace’s blog here, and we are especially pleased to do so without his permission.

In a matter of a few years, thousands of our churches withdrew into a new Baptist denomination that we described as our evil and liberal twin. Leaders of the conservative resurgence manned all the positions of leadership and most sadly of all the cause seemed to require the same obeisance in words as did the thousand year Reich of Adolph Hitler or the 40 year revolution in Cuba.

How dare I describe any aspects of Southern Baptists to communist regimes? Let me see here, philosophical purges, political purges, power grabs by leaders, domination by personalities, a recognized group of 41 people who make all the decisions for the rest of us, and now our largest agency managing more than 300 million dollars of money our people gave one cent at a time engaged in the act of controlling dissent of a single member at the IMB. Worst of all was the shoving down our throats of the BSF&M in 2000 without the opportunity for consideration by our reputed membership of 16 million people. Our leaders of the conservative resurgence just know better than the rest of us.

I am sick to death.

Frequently I receive anonymous comments from missionaries in agreement with my frequently uncivil views of power abuse in our convention. Most of them contain apologies for remaining anonymous because they fear for their jobs if they speak their minds.

Who are they afraid of? Why are they afraid? For God’s sake how could we have stooped so low?

Most of you who read blogs are far more educated and perhaps passionate about convention matters than the rest of Southern Baptists so what I am about to say doesn’t apply to you. But what most of our members and from the looks of the numbers who attend our convention, most of our pastors have just turned away either in frustration or disgust, leaving the few to continue the slaughter of our denomination. For those of you who fit into that category and still call yourselves Baptist, turning that blind eye to what is happening in the Southern Baptist Convention at the IMB has the same effect as the Germans who turned a blind eye to the disappearance of millions of Jews.

We have become no different. After all this resurging, the news is full of conflicts, lawsuits and unfortunately financial impropriety or its perception among Southern Baptists. Just what started this war? Nobody remembers, and those who do positively were the winners in the battle for spoils and power.

I am sick to death.

For a missionary who has moved thousands of miles from everything and everyone he knows to a life that will include little comfort and not much in the way of financial reward to fear for his job in an act of political retribution is downright despicable. Shameful. For a mission organization to have statements made by lawyers and resolutions prepared by them totally for the suppression of dissent are acts that disenfranchise the authority of all of those leaders involved, shame all of us, and bring discredit to the message of Christ to which we have claimed authority to advance. Don’t be confused that this is a vote against Wade Burleson, or Jerry Rankin, or to protect the convention from the evils of a private prayer language and a diminution of Southern Baptist work on the mission field. And don’t be confused that this is an effort the IMB must undertake to prevent acts on the mission field that ought to be prevented. (The recasting of Christianity within the religious confines and experiences of a native religion for example). This is just an act of control to demonstrate the power of a few.

You have no idea how odd I feel being a champion for Wade Burleson in this matter. But like so many other matters personalities and principal must be separated. The principal at stake here, not allowing the free expression of disagreement by someone elected by the convention, is devastating to the idea of Southern Baptists. Maybe this works fine in an elder led congregation, but I strongly doubt it. I know beyond any shadow of a doubt that such suppression is deadly in a church with a congregational polity.

I have never been to a convention before because of my fear of voting for any presidential candidate who may be a Baptist, a likely outcome at the SBC. But on this one, the principal is so important that I hope droves of pastors and ordinary members show up to express their displeasure and throw the bums out. That’s right. Throw the bums out.

And if you as an IMB board member support the effort to suppress dissension under any rationalized guise your lawyers may have helped you reach, shame on you. In language not proper for a Baptist business meeting, “It is high time that we put some butts in the street.”

If you are on the IMB and the shoe fits, wear it. For those missionaries out there who feel isolated from the leadership and the organization that is supposed to support you, I am so ashamed.

Not many folks remember the single event that started World War One given the tragic result and eventual death of 110 million people. And not many people other than leadership have much positive association left with the Conservative Resurgence, however noble may have been its incubus. What we need in the Southern Baptist Convention is not resurgence, but a revolution to put our denomination back in the hands of the people who do not view it as a pathway for power, wealth and vainglory.

It is high time that we put some butts in the street.

Editor’s Note: What promised to be a two-part series over the weekend has extended to a multi-part series for no other purpose than to generate readership at SBCOutpost.com. Enjoy.

The censure of Wade Burleson by his fellow trustees at the International Mission Board will most likely – in the end – do more to boost the Oklahoma preacher’s agenda for Southern Baptist reform than anything previously attempted by those who share his concerns and find affinity with his proposals. Of course, thus far, Burleson has done very little to advance a proposal for reform. His part has been a prophetic voice of dissent. His more enduring role must become the advocate for an agenda of reform.

He does well to remember, I think, that all reform movements begin with dissent, but they must move beyond the prophetic finger-pointing to the prospective vision casting if they are to have any lasting ecclesiastic effect. The Sermon on the Mount, for instance, is much more concerned with the ways that Christians will live and pray and speak than it is the hypocrisies and heresies of the Pharisees. The Pharisees get their black eyes, to be sure, but the Lord of Glory knew all to well that his apostles would never succeed in advancing the Kingdom if they went around indicting religious elites rather than healing the sick, lame, and oppressed.

Which is why I believe that the IMB’s censure of Burleson falls within that splendid category of events whose occurrence – while intended to suppress an idea and its author – demonstrate with certainty that the sovereign providences of God are often unveiled with incredible irony and humor. The sons of Jacob believed that an empty well and a traveling band of Midianites would rid them of their dreaming younger brother and his menacing effrontery, only to bow before him in Pharoah’s court several years afterward with hands outstretched for an eleemosynary dispensation of Egypt’s grain.

Indeed, what men intend for evil, God intends for good.

I want to follow my previous installment on this issue, and I hope to throw some red meat to the ravenous revolutionaries who salivate when I display full force my penchant for recriminating rhetorical flourish. So without further ado, I proceed.

First, the Burleson ordeal is becoming very old to Southern Baptists, who tire of pointless political posturing as often as they tire of puppet ministries and Christmas pageants. Just when we thought the issue was over, a handful of IMB trustees regurgitate their rancid and bitter spew for reasons almost imperceptible to the most astute denominational observer. Thus, the origins of this silly, sordid tale of Baptist bickering:

Two years ago this month, the IMB passed a pair of controversial policies to restrict from missionary appointment those candidates who had either (a) been baptized by ordinance administrators deemed unqualified to immerse or (b) prayed in an unknown tongue. Burleson, concerned that the new policies were aimed all too intentionally at IMB President Jerry Rankin and enacted by the loyalists of Rankin’s chief denominational antagonist, Paige Patterson, denounced the policies and launched his blog to take his case to Southern Baptists at large.

Within a few weeks, the trustees voted to eject Burleson from their number by requesting his removal by the convention’s messengers in annual session. Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, cried foul, and the trustees backed off. In the process, however, Burleson gained a greater profile in the Southern Baptist Convention, to the degree that his influence was almost universally credited with the election of SBC President Frank Page the following June. Burleson retained his trusteeship, but was denied any committee appointment and continued to publish his “offending” views and impressions on his increasingly popular blog.

All seemed quiet and settled for Lottie Moon season, until last month when California trustee Jerry Corbaley – the original author of the earlier Burleson ouster – sent his 153 page bill of particulars to all IMB trustees, calling on the board’s chairman, John Floyd, and the trustee executive committee to censure Burleson. I sat in Burleson’s office when he tried on three occasions to contact Corbaley and discuss the matter, and I sat across the table when he made the decision to publish his colleague’s letter. We both anticipated that the convention was headed toward another defining moment, and we waited patiently to see whether or not the trustee leadership would adopt Corbaley’s wild and imprudent scheme for personal retribution.

At 5:45 a.m. on Monday morning, November 5, I left my home in Enid, Oklahoma to pick up Wade Burleson in a rented Ford Mustang to drive the eight-hour trip to Springfield, IL. We arrived just in time for Wade to make a meeting with the trustee leadership at 3:30 p.m.

What happened next is a surreal series of events that have now – once again – thrown Southern Baptists into an entirely avoidable quagmire of tailspinning nonsense, and all because of the empty-headed and orchestrated chicanery of a few IMB trustees and at least one IMB administrator.

To be continued…