Amid the many other important decisions made at the SBC annual meeting last week, we did something historic by amending the Baptist Faith and Message from the floor of the convention with little discussion and frankly, it seems, even less awareness that it was even happening. 

I made that motion, and I would make it again. I think the change is one that reflects our historical and confessional understanding of the office of pastor/elder/overseer, and it makes clear what our confession is talking about when we say that one of our offices is “limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

But I’ve observed an unusual phenomenon since the amendment was ratified Wednesday afternoon: near-unanimous agreement with the content of the amendment, and entirely unanimous agreement that we can never amend our confession like that again. You don’t have to be in Baptist life long to realize that unanimous anything is nearly impossible, and the fact that we’re all agreed on this says something important about the role of our confession. 

As I stated from the floor, the preamble to the BFM1925 states that “Baptists should hold themselves free to revise their statements of faith as may seem to them wise and expedient at any time [emphasis added].” I believe that’s a necessary principle. But hear me: it should never, ever be as easy as it was last week.

My expectation in making the motion was that it would be referred to the Executive Committee and, if they thought it prudent, we might see it come before the messengers on the floor in 2024. To be frank, I thought even that was a long shot. When the chair of the Committee on Order of Business announced Tuesday afternoon that we would be debating and voting on it Wednesday, I was flabbergasted.

Amending our confession from the floor on a Wednesday afternoon, when our messengers are experiencing “delegate fatigue syndrome” (credit to parliamentarian Al Gage), is like doing surgery on the dining room table with a pocketknife and a flashlight; you might get the bullet out (or in this case, the benign tumor), but you’re taking a heck of a lot of risks along the way. And why take those risks when you have a team of experienced surgeons and a sterile operating room next door?

The word “committee” has become somewhat pejorative to some in our convention, but I disagree. In addition to being thoroughly Southern Baptist, the fact remains that taking careful time to study, together, the difficult questions facing our convention is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. It proves that we are a serious people for serious times, willing to do the hard work—to put in the prayer and time and dedication—required when we are seeking consensus and unity. And what could be more serious than amending our confession?

Even in the final moments before we voted on it Wednesday, the friend who helped me craft the language of the amendment and I were trying to get another messenger to a mic who could make a motion committing the matter to a presidentially appointed committee. Before that could happen, the question was called and debate ended. But the principle remains, the best place for the conversation regarding changes to our confession is in the context of a committee that can take the requisite time to weigh the consequences.

If I didn’t believe in the sovereignty of God, I would say we got lucky last week—lucky that we passed a consensus amendment that clarified rather than changed the substance of our confession, and lucky that we learned we have a flaw in our system without causing serious damage. The beauty is, now we know it’s there, and we can fix it. And fix it we will.

It seems that some of the best minds in our convention are already working together on a proposal to raise the threshold for what it takes to amend our confession, whether that be the requirement for two successive votes, a higher percentage of affirmative votes, or such changes being referred to a committee. I’ll be in Indianapolis next year and, assuming someone makes a motion to that effect, I’ll gladly be the first to raise my ballot in support of such a measure.

In just a few days, the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will be underway. For two days, messengers will gather to worship, hear preaching, and do the convention’s business. The SBC Annual Meeting is an event I look forward to every year. Seeing old friends, making new friends, and hearing how God is using the work of Southern Baptists for his glory.

As we head to New Orleans, I want to appeal some things to all my fellow Southern Baptists. I know we don’t agree on every issue, but I believe how we go about our business in New Orleans matters. It matters before a watching world that would love nothing more than to see us eat each other alive. As important as that is, this matters even more before the living God. We can and should be convictional, but we must couple that with the godliness that is in us.

Let’s prioritize three things at this year’s annual meeting.

(1) Let’s Prioritize being at the IMB Mission Sending Celebration.

Every messenger should be in the room for this. The celebration will occur in the main hall at 9:50 AM on Tuesday. This year we have the privilege of commissioning 90 missionaries as they will go to the earth’s ends to take the good news of Jesus Christ. This is worthy of our time and celebration. Please be in the room for this special time.

You may ask with all that is going on in SBC life, why prioritize this? First, it’s a privilege to see and hear from our missionaries we are supporting. It will remind us to pray for them as they follow the Lord in taking the gospel to where they are called. Second, it reminds us why we cooperate to begin with. By giving through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, we send nearly 4,000 missionaries. Not only do we send these missionaries, but we also take care of them. I remember growing up in another denomination in my early years, missionaries routinely visited on furlough to ask for money. They would travel the country doing this so they could go back overseas. However, when our missionaries are on furlough they get to rest because Southern Baptists give in a way that takes care of them financially.

There is another reason though that we should go to this celebration. It is because this event should set the tone for the annual meeting. This sacred effort is why we cooperate with one another. We collectively desire to see the Great Commission accomplished, and we work together to that end. I love that we are doing this at the beginning of the Annual Meeting again. Everything we do that follows is because of this. So you should be in the room because we are celebrating the work these missionaries will do because thousands of churches give so that they may go.

Let’s keep the main thing the main thing. We may prefer different candidates and see business differently on some issues; we may not agree on every resolution presented. However, we do agree on the gospel and the sending of the gospel to the nations. Let’s remember that throughout the Annual meeting, and a great way to do that is to set the tone early with why we work together.

(2) Let’s Prioritize Christian Decorum

The past few annual meetings have had a lot of cheering and shouting throughout during tense portions of the meeting. To be clear, there are times when cheering and applause are warranted. Though I am thinking about some of the difficult business we must do this year when we hear from the Credentials Committee. Truthfully, I have been tempted to engage in such a manner myself. When you think about the business we have to do in some instances we ought to know that this would not be appropriate.

Two churches, Saddleback Church (CA) and Fern Creek Baptist Church (KY) will appeal their disfellowship for having female pastors. I will be voting to deny their appeal and uphold the decision by the Credentials Committee. The Scriptures and our statement of faith are very clear on the issue. Yet, I will not cheer and applaud if the convention votes with me in sustaining the decision.

Though not totally comparable, I see this in line with church discipline in a local church. None of us would cheer if our church had to exercise discipline or excommunication against a member. It is a solemn occasion because of what is being declared in that action. We would rejoice if they returned repentant, but not in the decision to remove them. It is the right decision, but it’s a sorrowful decision.

Let’s view this business along the same lines as that. Let’s keep a decorum about us that reflects what we have just done. We believe these churches are in doctrinal error. We would like them to change the course, but on the current path, we cannot cooperate with them. Still, even in making the right decision there is no reason to celebrate that by applause or cheering. I hope the messengers will do the right thing, but understand what they are communicating in doing so.

We should also do this throughout the whole convention. Inevitably someone will go to a mic and says something we disagree with. Let’s not shout them down or become unorderly from the floor. We may need to ask hard questions of our leaders, but let’s communicate those questions appropriately and as graciously as possible.

(3) Let’s Prioritize Unity

If you’re a Christian, you know there is nothing more the enemy would love to do in our churches than sow disunity. I believe that is also true for the 47,000 churches that work together to advance the gospel. The mission is too important to be divided. For the sake of the world, may we be unified in Christ.

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:10