Gonna keep in short and sweet this go around since I feel we’ve seen and heard this sort of rhetoric before.
But first, some context.
Years ago I worked in a chemical plating plant that manufactured all sorts of electronic accessories that made their way into cell phones, computers, and automobiles. These parts came off reels and entered into a large mechanized production line pulled along on gears and drums through chemical baths of nickel and gold. Reels would come in all different sizes, some needed to be changed frequently while others could be over an hour long. On those nights, if everything functioned properly, little was required in keeping the industrial beast moving along. It was easy money and those on the production line spent most of the night sitting and simply watching. This of course required pulling up a chair as to alleviate the standing on hard cement floors and metal grates. One chair was allowed on a line, but many a second found their way there too.
This wasn’t much of an issue most of the time. However, on some occasions, during early morning walk-throughs by 1st shift supervisors, a comment might be made about that second chair. They would inquire about the nights work to be sure all ran as smoothly as it appeared and only then would they deliver an additional comment about that second chair being on the line. Didn’t matter if the run time met expectations. Didn’t matter if there was little to no downtime in production. Everything was fine, and yet...something had to be said. Something had to be supervised and somebody in their position had to do it. My father who worked there before me said, “You know son, when they say stuff like that, stuff about extra chairs, they really have nothing else to complain about but they gotta come up with something.”
People with authority. People who possess power and influence. People who are on edge. People who are actively searching for a place to exhibit their insecurity. People who are looking for that “second chair.” People intent on discovering a problem.
The “new” Conservative Baptist Network of Southern Baptists reminds me of my former supervisors.
A network proclaiming persecution in a denomination that expunged all the progressive and moderate voices 30+ years ago are now feeling the need to fabricate a new moral struggle within their own body using the same old tactics they have before. Just goes to show that if a movement or ideology is built on a foundation that desires division to sustain itself, we shouldn’t be surprised to see an enemy created in order to appease the need. Instead of their purpose statement being,
A partnership of Southern Baptists where all generations are encouraged, equipped, and empowered to bring positive, biblical solutions that strengthen the SBC in an effort to fulfill the Great Commission and influence culture.
Might I suggest going with,
If there is no enemy to fight then by God we’ll create one to fight” as their motto.
They have taken a look at the production line (the SBC) and sensing that all is running smoothly know that for a people whose identity rest in perceived victimization (a second chair) has to be located and called out. It’s the 1980’s Moral Movement all over again. Let the fracturing continue.
Woe to those institutions who claim to hold the Gospel as a possession to dish out to those they deem worthy.