Reflections on the SBC 2025

A speedboat vs an aircraft carrier

This was my second year to attend the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. You can read my reflections from last year (my first experience) here:

What was 2025’s annual meeting like?

Michael Clary wrote an excellent article about the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention here. He called this year’s meeting the “Status Quo Convention.” I don’t disagree.

The Status Quo Convention: Six Takeaways from Dallas

In his post, Clary identifies four different kinds of people in the SBC:¹

1. The Platform

2. The Reformers

3. The Loyalists

4. The Normies

I guess I’m a Reformer. I stay in the loop and read and consider the different perspectives and viewpoints on issues consistently. I want to see positive change in some things.

However, I have the heart of a Normie. I think most SBC pastors are similar. We understand the heart and the intent of the Southern Baptist Convention. We are more focused on living for and making much of Jesus than we are in magnifying the institution of the SBC. Yes, we know (our leaders consistently tell us) that we are the world’s largest Protestant denomination and that the Cooperative Program is the largest and most effective financial ministry partnership among evangelicalism. When we attend the Convention, we have a posture of gratitude and trust, for the most part. We don’t march lock step with the Platform, but we understand the complexities of leadership at a high level, and we’re willing to assume the best.

In spite of some frustrating decisions in the past ten years amid some cultural pressure, we are not discouraged by what we see. Yes, we understand there are some important changes and reforms that need to be made. But we also understand the difference between trying to turn a ski boat and an aircraft carrier. A ski boat is mobile and can turn quickly. An aircraft carrier requires more coordination and time for course changes.

Many of the angry and discouraged voices want change to happen… NOW. Where some of us see the process working and coordinated efforts to change processing, others see slowness, intransigence and resistance from the elite. All with a Reformer heart must remember that change happens at a slower pace in larger organizations. When an institution is itself composed of large organizations - seminaries, a publishing company, mission agencies, commissions and a financial investment corporation, the importance of patience and purpose is multiplied.

When it comes to communicating needed change and differences of opinion, respect, kindness, and clarity of thought are needed much more than caustic exclamations, accusatory posts and chihuahua yipping on social media.

And yet….

At the same time as urging patience and purposefulness, respect, kindness and clarity of thought, I have a new perspective and respect for quick action and a nuclear option. There is infinite importance in not tolerating bad theology and ego-driven personalities.

I was not old enough to understand or be involved in the Southern Baptist Conservative Resurgence.² It was another generation’s battle. Over the years, I’ve consistently heard the argument made that the end goal of the conservative resurgence was good, but the methods and demeanor of it were ugly.

However, after years of leading change and growing in understanding of how to effect consequential impact in institutions, I’m not so sure that the methods and manners of the conservative resurgence were all bad. Between the time that you take to 1) identify issues, 2) dialogue and discuss the importance of needed change, and 3) the implementation of actual reform, there are spiritual casualties in the middle. We all know that the Left, whether theological or political, will not give an inch. The Left is completely fine to talk and talk, realizing that delay is an effective strategy for entrenchment and control. In the end, righteous power has to be wielded, even if it’s hurtful in the short run.³

What about the ERLC, the Law Amendment, financial transparency and other issues?

The frustrated, mostly online crowd that urged reform and transparency in months leading up to the Convention aren’t wrong. But they are hyper focused. Executive Committee President Dr. Jeff Iorg’s report to the Convention this year⁴ was was clear and honest. We’re in a “mess mode.” It’s a mess made by poor decisions from Executive Committee and also forced by some bad actors both within and without the convention. There have been some egregious missteps by well-known leaders, as well as celeb pastors. The resulting past few years of no one taking responsibility nor apologizing are frustrating and sad.

With the resolution passing to affirm the need to abolish Obergefell, and the amount of people voting to abolish the ERLC, I have no qualms that the sense of needed change and the commitment to communicating fidelity to biblical principles in culture are ingrained in the SBC.

I’m grateful that the SBC at large has passion for sharing Jesus, healthy churches, deep thinkers and growing commitments to good, honest accountability. There is no need to cry foul or abandon ship. The SBC is a good, wonderful body of believers. Quirky and yammering, we are also joyfully passionate, intellectually engaged and doctrinally sound.

We need more guardrails. The root of the hubbub these days is a loss of trust. The Platform must recognize the need for better communication and avoiding the appearance of secrecy.

It was unfortunate that the Cooperative Program’s 100th year was overshadowed by back currents of controversies. It should/must be celebrated! However, with the general loss of trust, it felt somewhat tone deaf for many Convention messages to parrot “Support the CP (give more)! Trust us!” It would have been better to demonstrate listening and admit issues with personnel and policies at the ERLC and in the EC. I would love to hear a joint statement of repentance, admission, apology, and sorrow to be made. In addition, the angry, divisive voices online (social media) should be listened to and not sidelined, ignored or demeaned from the platform.

It’s true that vitriol isn’t helpful or constructive online. One of those online voices was recognized at a microphone, and sadly, all us Normies heard (instead of his valid concerns) was a different spirit than the rest of the room (it had been so positive up to that point). And so, sadly, he sounded just… shrill.

I appreciated Michael Clary’s closing thoughts in his article:

To be frank, I was really discouraged last year. But this year, I’m not. I’ve come to realize that reform efforts take years… For my fellow Reformers, I urge you, don’t blackpill. I’ve seen many voices on social media saying things like “Get out now!” and “The SBC is totally compromised!” and “There’s no hope for the SBC!” Well, that’s their opinion. Most of those people are former SBCers who need to justify their decision by recruiting more defectors into their ranks. Don’t join them.

This was a disappointing convention in many ways, but I refuse to abandon the greatest gospel preaching institution the world has ever seen.

The Graphics

On a completely unrelated note (I hope) note, I’m a graphics guy.⁵ When the first “welcome” slide went up on Tuesday morning, I immediately associated with the Obama campaign back in 2008. As many said then, “Hope is not a strategy.” I “hope” that my optimism about the SBC has more foundation to build on than Obama’s vacuous promises.

I couldn't stop thinking about the similarity in the graphics the entire convention.

1. The Status Quo Convention: Six Takeaways from Dallas - Reform Efforts are Gaining Ground, but the Platform Still Prevails. Here’s Why. (Michael Clary: June 14, 2025)

2. The Conservative Resurgence is the movement in 1980s and 1990s by leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention to “right” the convention, amid concerns of a theologically liberal drift.

Some good reads:

• 25 years ago, conservative resurgence got its start, by Michael Foust (Baptist Press: June 15, 2004)

• If you’d like to read more on the Conversative Resurgence, there’s a great series of articles on the Missouri Baptist Convention’s newsletter, The Pathway: Conservative Resurgence remembered after 40 years.

3. The lessons in 2 Kings 11 from Jehosheba and Jehoida as they led reform are instructive. The time for dialogue had passed after six years of rule by evil Queen Athaliah.

4. Watch Dr. Iorg’s report here (start at 1:18:08):

5. I’ve been a part of two different graphic design companies. The last one, Noble Design, was started to supplement income as a church planter in Arkansas and was shuttered when Journey Church grew to be able to support me.