Since some of the more conservative among us withdrew from the Baptist General Association of Virginia in 1996, the BGAV has given to the Southern Baptist Convention through designated and undesignated gifts more than $85 million. Yet, in that length of time the BGAV has yet to have even one person appointed to the SBC Executive Committee, despite bylaws which specify that two persons from each state or territory shall serve on the committee. Ordinarily a state will have more than two. Virginia currently has three—all from the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. I haven't even mentioned the committee on committees or the trustees of key boards, agencies and seminaries.
Despite my several conversations with former SBC president Frank Page, about this inequity, the BGAV continues to be snubbed for substantive SBC committees and trustee positions.
Jim White
The only BGAV person named to any position this year at the convention was Don Davidson, who was elected to the GuideStone board of trustees. Now, the closer I get to retirement the dearer to my heart GuideStone (formerly the Annuity Board) becomes. I would not discount the importance of this trustee post. Still, as far as the SBC goes, it hardly qualifies as direction-setting.
That so few BGAV Southern Baptists have been selected speaks either to Page's lack of willingness or his lack of influence.
During an interview with the new SBC president, Johnny Hunt, I revisited the issue of BGAV appointments. During a sit-down chat with Hunt I informed him that the BGAV has contributed millions of dollars during which time it has not had a single representative member appointed to the SBC Executive Committee and very, very few appointed to anything else. What did he think about that?
In fairness, I caught him flat-footed. He was unaware of the situation and I expected that he would need to look into the situation before he would have an answer. But I was not prepared for where he intended to look.
He said he was familiar with the conservatives in Virginia because he had met former SBCV Executive Director Doyle Chauncy and his successor Jeff Ginn. “But I would at least like to hear his heart and say here's what some of these guys are doing and especially if they embrace the Baptist Faith and Message, you know where does the division lie in being able to do that.”
I'm not sure, but I think he said, “I'd like to talk to the executive director of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia to check out the guys in the BGAV and if they embrace the Baptist Faith and Message [2000] and see what Ginn thinks about what the harm would be in giving some of the BGAV guys places on committees.”
He continued to address my question and concern with these words: “But I would sure encourage Ginn to take a look at each individual I don't think we ought to—that's the same thing with the younger generation, their dress is different, their style is different, the way they preach is different. I'd want to take a look at each one of them.”
I countered with, “I guess I'm having trouble understanding why you would look to Ginn to make that decision rather than talking to John Upton, the executive director of the BGAV.”
How did he respond? He said, “Well, I don't know why they split. It's like someone said if there a fence post out there, and as a Baptist preacher I've learned you don't just go in and move it. You better find out who put it there and why. And so I don't know much about what caused the division and what's happening so to speak. But that's one of the things I want to do. I want to become aware. I really want to become aware so I can speak more intelligently to it instead of making the decision ‘I will' and then have to put the brakes on. ‘Oh, I didn't realize, this is what they are divided on.'”
I can appreciate that. I've moved enough fence posts in my younger years to know that it's better to get it right the first time. In fact, I can even admire his unwillingness to give Virginia Baptists false hope.
I am, however, disappointed in his judgment. What experienced pastor would ever think that you will get accurate information about side A by talking to conflicting side B? I challenged him at that point. “Everyone will see things from his perspective. I've heard good things about Ginn, and I have no doubt that he will speak exactly the truth, but it will be the truth as he sees it.” I asked him to talk with the BGAV if he wants to know about the BGAV.
He kind of agreed, I think. He said, “And, if they were to come to me or if I was to go there and they wanted to meet, I would never say ‘Nope. You all are divided and I'm with this group.' That's what's got us to where we are today. That's why we've got 5,700 people voting [for the SBC president] instead of 45,000 …. We're still voiced a lot in the media because maybe we have a name that we're great, but we are not the denomination we were in numbers and strength and even unity that we have been in the past. So I would like to say that for the greater cause of God's glory and the extension of God's kingdom that we're going to find all we can come together on and embrace and do it together and let the many times non-essentials lie dormant.”
He agreed to meet with me in the future as we have occasion.
Will Hunt come through? I don't know if he will even investigate. I learned long ago, however, that people often don't do what you expect. They do what you inspect. I will continue to ask Hunt about his progress in discovering who Virginia Baptists are.
Some who read this will say, “Why are you even bothering about this? Let it go. Move on. The SBC has said for years now, ‘We don't want you, and if it weren't for the money you send us we would tell you to get lost.' Get it through your thick head!”
But I can't do that for two reasons. First, about 1/3 of BGAV churches support the SBC through their participation in the WM1 giving track. This means that beyond Virginia, they give exclusively to the SBC and its causes. Many of them would have no trouble affirming the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. For these churches to be snubbed by the very national denomination they support is fundamentally unfair. I feel compelled to champion the cause of these loyal BGAV churches.
Secondly, I can't let go because I want to give SBC leaders the opportunity to do the right thing. Perhaps they never will. Maybe I am being naïve, but I am unwilling to quit hoping.
At the same time, I am unwilling to be consumed by what the SBC does or does not do. Virginia Baptists have been on mission since 1823—two decades before there even was a Southern Baptist Convention. And we'll continue to advance the Redeemer's kingdom whether or not we sit at the table in the SBC.