Controversies Make Conventions

I just returned from the 160th annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in Alexandria, LA. We elected a new president, a first and second vice president, passed a budget, several resolutions and charter changes, heard reports from the various entities, and enjoyed some great gumbo in the exhibit area, which was provided by the Disaster Relief Team. (After all, this IS Louisiana!)

What we didn't have is controversy, unless you mean by controversy a group of well fed preachers debating over where to go for lunch.

What we also didn't have was a huge crowd. I didn't hear the final count of registered messengers, but it looked to me like there were fewer than even last year. I also noted that they seemed to have left even earlier. In fact, most of the business matters were rather routine, which delighted convention president, Scott Thompson, who noted joyfully more than one that "we are ahead of schedule." No complaint here.

In my short time in this state and in my experience with Baptist conventions some sort of controversy or controversies gets people out in attendance. It also makes for some interesting drama on the convention floor, and delicious overheard conversations as convention goers "politic" in the halls.

It is a bit sad that people don't seem to attend conventions when things are peaceful as when a fight is brewing. Is this the Baptist way? In a rather sad/humorous way, a friend of mine once dryly noted, "I went to a fight and a Baptist convention broke out." Because we are democratic in polity, and very much so, controversy is part of the Baptist way of life. A lack of controversy is what we pray for and seek.

But it doesn't necessarily make for well attended conventions.