Some of my most fondest memories of formation is going to work with my father, Dr. William E. Flippin, Sr., who served for 15 years as the Associate Director for Black Church Relations for the Georgia Baptist Convention (Southern Baptist Convention). I witnessed first hand, the commitment of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation's largest Protestant denomination through its investment of money, training of leaders and strategy to make this body although formed because of divisions in slavery in 1845 a viable place of growth and vitality.
As reported in 2011, baptisms in the Southern Baptist Convention have dipped to their lowest point in 60 years. In response to this reality, the body has focused on four areas in order to grow: converting more people, planting more churches, developing young leaders and promoting diversity. I wonder how this can be obtained if two of the six reasons that young people leave church is because of feelings of being excluded and not having the freedom to doubt. Churches like the Southern Baptist Convention that subscribe to specific doctrines of faith primarily from a literal interpretation of the word of God is not a safe place to express doubts about the faith. Of course, it is no secret that the the nation's largest Protestant denomination has excluded women from becoming ordained Pastors and those who have alternate lifestyles. (Adapted from a list by David Kinnaman in "You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church ... and Rethinking Faith)
I am hopeful that based on the efforts of church planting in the major cities of New York even in predominately alternative life-style communities as Chelsea is a sign that the Southern Baptist Convention is reassessing its policies of exclusion. I believe that developing more church plants especially in urban areas is a meaningful strategy to stimulate other churches or even the whole denomination to embrace more missional perspectives and encourage faith that growth is possible. The present emphasis by the denomination of church planting may seem counterintuitive in a declining denomination, but investing personal and resources in such initiatives may do more to halt decline and stimulate growth than efforts to turn around existing churches or rationalization and reorganization processes. I believe that the Southern Baptist Convention will be a place of growth, making it easier to build relationships and form partnerships; within its individual and collective partnerships where gifts can be released and skills sharpened, inspiring all people to serve the church even in ordained ministry with passion and commitment.
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Pastor, the problem with the SBC is not its outreach - it is with its leadership. The 1970s hostile takeover of Southern Seminary followed by the 1980's purge of moderates in convention leadership has fundamentally changed the nature of the SBC. It is no longer the Convention that you enjoyed and I enjoyed as a child.
As long as fundamentalists control the SBC and dictate a "creed" (just the thought of the existence of a creed is an abomination according to traditional Baptist doctrine) the SBC will continue to decline.
Even the church in which the delegates met in 1845 no longer gives 100% full-throated support to the SBC. I believe that is quite a symbolic fact.
The problem can not be solved by outreach programs. As long as the fundamentalists control the convention and especially the seminaries the church will continue to decline.
And isn't it even lovelier when they believe branding you with the "alternate lifestyle/life-style" mark somehow means less exclusion?
The decline in the pews is a direct response to the misguided hierarchy. They are wishy washy and too invoved in politics.
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that's an unfortunate misunderstanding of the reality of being gay, or same sex oriented. And a sign of how difficult it's going to be to attract members of "an alternative lifestyle" ( especially when your church is so involved in limiting the vicil rights of such persons....)