July 1, 2009
It seems the fallout from the American Baptist Churches Biennial in Pasadena, continues to make press. The Associate Baptist Press reported on the biennial and gave some interesting insights on the biennial and on the failed bylaw changes vote . I want to highlight the major points in the article.
Delegates, meeting in Pasadena, Calif., torpedoed a major restructuring that had been backed by denominational officials but criticized by many progressive leaders and churches. They voted 377-217 in favor of the bylaws changes — failing, by a handful of votes, to muster the two-thirds majority required to pass them.
Torpedoed is a strong word, but I guess to some it was a major defeat. It is still not the end of the world.
The changes would have spun off the denomination’s two mission boards into quasi-autonomous entities, altered the form of representation on ABCUSA’s main governing board and changed the method by which American Baptists approve policy statements and resolutions. In particular, progressive congregations and organizations feared that the changes would further marginalize their voice within the denomination and make it more difficult to rescind past ABC statements condemning homosexuality.
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
June 30, 2009
There have been some surprising developments here at the American Baptist Churches Biennial meeting. The most pressing and major issue that had to be approved by the delegates (those sent by local churches, which includes myself) was NOT passed. The motion to amend the bylaws and change the structure of the ABC was narrowly shout down. The current bylaws require a 2/3rds majority by the delegates. 
The motion only received 63% support, which barely fell short of 66% needed. It seemed that the changes were going to be easily passed, but that was not the case. Please check out the amended bylaws that did not pass here. There have been very few bloggers talking about this, but one blog addressed this issue well: Mindi Framingham. Also, my new friend Tripp Hudgins provided a great video blog of his review.
The general reaction I am hearing here is that during the business/discernment session the denominational leaders did not properly address the questions asked. There were several clarifying questions raised during the session. The delegates felt that most of the panel who answered the questions did not provide the needed insight into the “why” or “how” behind the changes. Having read the changes proposed, I felt that the new bylaws were slightly confusing. One delegate suggested that these changes should have been shared and given out in a printed document form two years ago at the Washington D.C. biennial. This year, the changes were available in PDF form on the ABC website. It would have been more effective to pass the document out two years ago and let the local churches, regions, and committees discuss the changes. Now, delegates say they are left with feeling that the denominational leaders did not provide the necessary explanation to the delegates.
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
June 26, 2009
Day two of the Biennial was very productive. The second day begun again with Leonard Sweet, but this time he spoke about how Jews prayed (and still do) the psalms. He sought to bring to light the nature of Jesus’ words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” Of course, as most Bible students know, these are words from Psalm 22. Psalm 22 begins will sad words, but ends with a glorified understand standing of God’s power. In the ancient world, when you began a song most people would know the entire song. Today, if you sing “Amazing grace how…” most people could finish that first line because they know the song. Most Baptists will not understand the nature of a psalter, which many Christians sing on a regular basis in worship, because Baptists threw out any ritual that resembled Anglo-Catholic faith. I have learned the value and beauty of singing the Psalms as they were intended at the United Methodist congregation I served at for 2.5 years.
At lunch time, I attend the Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board lunch. MMBB always does a great job of making an event nice. The MMBB money is well spent… err, I mean managed. Seriously, MMBB is one of the best retirement organizations for a denomination out there. MMBB’s performance usually beats the major indexes. I sat next to some International Mission people from the ABC and got the low down on the missionary situation.
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
June 26, 2009
![sfs_sweetlen_intro[1]](http://onthebemainballston.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/sfs_sweetlen_intro1.jpg?w=155&h=232 "sfs_sweetlen_intro[1]")
The first day of the American Baptist Churches Biennial in Pasadena, CA began Thursday. The major events of the day were special General Board events and other smaller group meetings. The biennial was still coming together yesterday as vendors and workers set up rooms and displays. I continue to discuss the “Missionary Situation” with many of my friends, colleagues, and other ABC attendees. In addition, I learned that one of bloggers on my blogroll, Tripp, who is a pastor of an ABC church in Chicago area, is here. I was able to be in contact with Tripp. The wonders of the globally connected world.
Day one of the Biennial, which was mainly pre-biennial events, primarily consisted of Leonard Sweet’s speaking session (over 3 hours) in which he contrasted the old world vs. the new. His phase for this contrast is the Gutenberg world (pre-1973) and the Google world (post 1973). He picks 1973 as a point of division because that is the year the internet was invented. Sweet contends that we as churches and pastors must understand that we are the google world. The google world is a world of Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and the internet. The google world is a world of information in the form of images. The Gutenberg world is a world of texts and books.
Sweet related this concept to how churches must understand the world is changing and we must adapt. The most striking connection he made with this concept was to worship. He did not advocate for contemporary worship or innovative worship, but rather whatever worship a churches does it must be epic. He spoke of his congregation and how it was full of 20 and 30 year olds worshipping in high-high liturgical worship. He encouraged the attendees to see worship as God centered, but to think about how culture is highly image based.
Great stuff here. More to come,
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
June 24, 2009
![header01[1]](http://onthebemainballston.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/header011.gif?w=450&h=43)
I just arrived in Pasadena, CA for the American Baptist Churches Biennial. Every year, the ABC gathers as a national body to address important concerns, vote on pressing issues, worship, learn, and celebrate. This will be my fourth ABC biennial that I have had the honor of attending. This year’s location is fantastic.
Before I left, I heard numerous comments about a very concerning situation involving American Baptist missionaries. It seems that that American Baptist missionaries will now be responsible for seeking to secure the majority of their funding sooner rather than later. As I understand it, in the past, missionaries were not required to raise the majority of their financial support. Now, due to a variety of reasons, ABC missionaries will now have the burden of asking churches for more money. These reasons include lower support for missionary giving and lower returns in investments that support missions.
ABC of Ohio has made an appeal to their churches about it. The letter can be read here.
Missionaries should not have to spend their time lobbying individuals, churches, and non-profits to support themselves. One of the reasons for being a part of a denomination is to have the national body do some of this administrative/financial work. I can understand the need to have missionaries to be responsible for part of their funding (say 10%-20%), but the majority? Many of these missionaries have families and cannot raise enough money to support a family of four for a year or two.
If all this is true, this presents a crisis for our ABC missionaries. More to be updated later. I am sure that I will learn more from the denominational reps at the biennial.
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
June 23, 2009
Thank you to everyone who has read my blog. This blog has gotten over 1,000 hits in the first 30 days of existence! That is awesome. Thank you for the support and your comments. This blog started as just me posting some thoughts as I go through my week as a pastor. Please keep up the reading and the clicking. Be on the look out for future posts. You never know what might come up!
This week, I will be at the American Baptist Churches Biennial meeting in Pasadena, CA. I hope to blog about each day’s events and give my thoughts on the gathering. Since I will not be preaching on Sunday, I most likely will not give a lectionary reflection, but you never know.
As of this post there are over 1,100 hits! Thank you.
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Posted by Alan Rudnick
