Dictionary.com says Dysfunction or Dysfunctional is

Abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or social group

I believe every family has some dysfunction. But some familes are more functional than others. Now, I'm no family counselor, Bowden McElroy can have that job. But I have observed what I see as the difference between Functional Families and Dysfunctional Families by watching my family growing up and watching my friends and how my extended family interacted. My family had it's fair share of dysfunction. But we were able to fight like anybody and not hold grudges. My friends loved to hang out at our house because there was something different about it compared to theirs. We would fight like cats and dogs, yet we would love each other at the end of the day. When we saw each other again, you would never know there was a fight earlier. In contrast I would go to friends homes or now in my extended family and there would be knock down, drag out fights that would do irreversible harm. Family members would go days, weeks and even months not talking to each other. They would try to get family members to turn on other family members. When they were together you could cut the tension with a knife. I believe the Southern Baptist Convetion is Dysfuntional! This hurts me deeply. I accepted Christ as a member of the SBC, I was baptised in an SBC church, I went to a SBC University and Seminary and I serve in an SBC church. But what I have noticed over the last 25 years is we are Dysfunctional! As I read briefs, news reports and blogs I am amazed at all of the venom between followers of Christ. It appears to other denominations that we are arrogant as SBC'ers. But we can't even disagree peacefully! Joe Kennedy has written several insightful posts about this recently. I encourage you to read them. We have resorted to name calling, character assination. Go read this post on Dorcas Hawker's site. Then go to Tom Ascol's site and read this post. Calvanists and non-Calvanists were blasting each other. Why can't we have a "big tent" as Wade Burleson says? Why can't we disagree on the non-essentials? What about love? We need Bowden to give the entire denomination group therapy! God help us!