A number of weeks earlier than the Southern Baptist Conference’s (SBC) annual assembly, President-elect Clint Pressley completed studying Malcolm Gladwell’s guide on precision bombing in World Struggle II, Erik Larson’s bestseller set within the lead-up to the Civil Struggle, and a historical past of it. nineteenth Century Mutiny on Royal Navy Ships.
A number of years in the past, these tales might need been convention metaphors. Then, a extra conservative wing emerged with literal pirate flags and a rallying cry of “take the ship” and in the previous couple of presidential contests pitting a conservative Baptist Community (CBN) candidate in opposition to a extra traditionalist nominee.
However the 2024 slate is not cut up between two factions. Southern Baptists determined amongst six presidential candidates and took a historic three-way vote to elect Pressley—an indication of broad positions and preferences among the many nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
Pressley, a sharply dressed 55-year-old North Carolina pastor, entered the position of president figuring out the problem of discovering consensus amongst right this moment’s Southern Baptist leaders of the autonomous church, who generally conflict with one another over ministry type, theology or work. conference—and whose clashes are more and more showing on-line.
He didn’t discuss with the presidency as a battle to win however relatively as a possibility to scale back division and convey unity.
“As a convention, we simply wish to be united round our understanding of the Bible and love of the Bible, love of the Gospel and love of missions. We’re unified across the Baptist religion and message that we affirm, Pressley mentioned. “There’s loads we could be actually comfortable about.”
The largest piece of enterprise for Southern Baptists this yr was a proposal so as to add a constitutional requirement that SBC church buildings title solely males as “pastors of any type.” A majority was in favor – 61 p.c – however the vote fell wanting the two-thirds threshold wanted so as to add it to the SBC’s governing doc.
Though Southern Baptists stay complementarians, they’ve taken a crucial stance on this specific transfer to reclaim their place of their structure. They disagreed on whether or not to assist the modification, the rationale for doing so, and the significance of the vote in any respect.
Professional-con arguments have circulated in latest months on-line and at assist occasions throughout the week of the annual assembly held by teams such because the Heart for Baptist Management, The Danbury Institute, Founders Ministries, Baptist 21, 9Marks and The Baptist Overview.
Jared Kornat, founding father of The Baptist Overview, says these networks could be useful for camaraderie and camaraderie inside conferences. However additionally they danger fostering an echo chamber or sense of tribalism.
“There are numerous teams,” says Kornat, pastor of a church in Birmingham. “We’re actually seeing how various and divided we’re.”
Pressley, lead pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church exterior Charlotte and council member of the Biblical Manhood and Womanhood Council, took a stand in favor of the modification, saying it “is smart” with what he sees because the Bible and Baptist religion, and affirms the position of message ministries.
However he additionally noticed it as a transfer for readability, not a response to a big egalitarian presence within the SBC. Earlier than the vote, Pressley mentioned that, both method, “now we have to be OK … and transfer ahead with the mission and what we do as a complementary conference.”
The Conference retained that place for affiliated church buildings with out an categorical reference within the Structure. Final yr, the SBC Saddleback Church deemed the conference “not in pleasant cooperation” over its feminine evangelical pastors; This yr, it did the identical for a Virginia church that espoused egalitarian beliefs.
The SBC’s Fee on Ethics and Spiritual Liberty was praised for engaged on behalf of life and spiritual liberty, though a failed proposal to disband the entity was voted down by a big minority.
From the conference flooring and at associated occasions, leaders acknowledged the variations amongst Southern Baptists however urged them to acknowledge their shared beliefs in scripture, complementarianism, and evangelism, particularly in opposition to a society shifting additional away from these beliefs.
“Your enemy is just not on this room,” accused Pastor Dean Inserra in a sermon on the conference, lamenting that sectarian strife may hamper their evangelistic work.
Pressley has a robust conservative background and a historical past of involvement in Southern Baptist life. He was elected the conference’s first vice chairman a decade in the past, working alongside former president Ronnie Floyd.
He at the moment holds a place on the board of trustees of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—Pressley mentioned its president, Albert Mohler, could be his first name in occasions of disaster. He’s pursuing a doctorate from Southern and a grasp’s from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.
Fellow North Carolina pastor Chris Lee, who nominated Pressley, mentioned he “works with a joyful orthodoxy, which shall be a blessing to the SBC.”
Pressley got here to religion as a youngster and attended Hickory Grove earlier than serving on workers. After pastoring church buildings in Mississippi and Alabama, he returned in 2010 as senior pastor of Hickory Grove.
His church lately reported a volunteer to the police for alleged abuse and disclosed the scenario to the congregation. This week, he thanked the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Activity Power for its assets to deal with abuse. “We did not know what we’d do with out it. So there are some very actual and tangible outcomes which have already occurred.”
Talking after the annual assembly ended Wednesday night, Pressley mentioned profitable the election was an “unbelievable honor,” however “with what is going on on in our convention,” he felt it was time for him to run.
“A part of the president’s job,” he mentioned, “as a convention of the church, is to do what you possibly can by affect to make sure what our mission is.”
