Wade Burleson for SBC President?
I say yes! According to Marty Duren @ SBC Outpost this may be the case. Read about it here. Wade Burleson has withdrawn as a speaker @ the Younger Leader Summit scheduled at the SBC Convention in Greensboro this June. The reason is he is prayerfully considering allowing his name to be nominated for an office in the SBC. Wade is the Senior Pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Enid, OK. He has been the pastor at Emmanuel since 1992. Not that my endorsement will make a huge difference, but I think this is a great idea! So here it is:
WADE! PLEASE ALLOW YOUR NAME TO BE NOMINATED FOR PRESISDENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION!Why? 1. Wade has demonstrated that he can work with everyone. Look at the whole IMB Gate mess. He was asked to be removed from the IMB Board of Trustees then restored. No apology was given, yet Wade continued to support IMB and work within the system. He can work with "Calvanists" or Arminians. He can work with the "old guard" or the "younger" generation. Wade has argued for a "big-tent." 2. Wade has demonstrated Grace. His name has been dragged through the mud by people who should know better. He has been called a "gossip" and "slanderer" yet he has kept a postive attitude. We need a example like Wade leading our convention. 3. Wade has a heart for missions. Wade has said all along, that IMB Gate is not about him. It is about our missionaries. We need a man as our president who understands that what unites Southern Baptists is missions! (Wade, your slogan should be: "It's Missions Stupid!") 4. Wade loves the Southern Baptist Convention. Wade bleeds SBC. We need a man whose agenda is to lead the SBC into the next century. I believe he is that man. 5. Wade loves God above the SBC. Wade has demonstrated that his passion is for Christ to be known in our world whether it is from the SBC or not. We need a man who will cooperate with other like-minded believers so we can partner with other denominations and organizations to win our world for Christ. None of my reasons are a "slam" against anyone else who may be nominated. We have had fine men in the office for many years. They served their purpose and God's well. I just believe it is time to move in a new direction. Wade, we need you!
posted by Kevin Bussey at 4/21/2006 09:05:00 AM
6 Comments:
My version of this same post:
The Presidential Candidacy.
Thanks Kevin. Good job.
If Wade is nominated, I will certainly support him. (He would be much better than the joker that Art was pushing for!) He is definitely the type of president the SBC needs, but I still have a few reservations about whether 2006 is the right time. On the other hand, this seems to be the year for taking a principled stand, so maybe we should just go for it, regardless of the political situation. After all, part of what YSBC is about is being motivated by what we think is right and not by politics. And since Greensboro will be the first convention for many people, it just might happen.
Tim,
You never know until you try.
Kevin -
Over on Art's blog Jason Sampler said you would do anything for Starbucks Coffee. So if we come up with enough incentive (a years supply of Starbucks Coffee for instance), would you allow your name to go into the hat?
Or perhaps more importantly ... can you be trusted? If you can be bought ... oh no! ;)
Kevin,
What do you mean "lead the SBC into the next century"? I thought he could only serve 2 one-year terms? Even if we could change the Bylaws, I don't know if he'll live that long. j/k :)
These are five EXCELLENT points you've spelled out. If every So Bap could look beyond "their guy" (cf 1Cor1:12-13), I think they could see Wade is the kind of leader we need. Maybe there are others who have the same heart, and would do just as well...I don't know.
But, as you say so well Kevin, there is no mistaking what Wade's rally cry for the SBC would be -- a rally cry we desperately need.
Maybe he should grow his hair long, and ride into the Greensboro convention center on a horse yelling, "FREEDOM!" or "Every man dies, but not every man really lives!" or "UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD KNOWS!" if he doesn't have a favorite Braveheart quote. (But I don't know if we're ready for any presidential candidate to wear a kilt. To paraphrase Randy Jackson, "Yo dawg, that just might not do it for us.")
Dorcas,
Everyone has their price!
Steve,
I would love to see Wade with locks... You've given me an idea... That is scary
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