Voting: A Responsibility

by Doug Munton                                                                                                  Vol. VI, No. 3, April 1993

[This article is slightly adapted from the Texas Baptist Conservative Newsletter, primarily to refer to Virginia rather than Texas.]

I have had concerns about various things that have happened in the Convention for several years. I finally came to a realization. My concerns and opinion amounted to very little unless I voted at the Convention. How can I help return our seminaries and colleges to the trustworthiness of the Bible? I can express my opinions, call denominational leaders, complain and gripe. But our Convention has another vehicle for me to express my convictions, and that is to vote at the Southern Baptist Convention each June and the Baptist General Association of Virginia convention each November.

I can vote for a president and vice presidents who will nominate trustees who in turn will be more attuned to the concerns I have. This gives me an opportunity to have input into the direction our convention takes. The trustees set the policy of our institutions. If I want trustees who will be more accountable to Southern Baptists, I can have my say by voting for convention officers.

I have heard many conservative pastors, staff members, and lay leaders say that they aren't going to the national or state convention for various reasons. I have come to believe that we have a stewardship responsibility that compels us to go.

If you believe that institutions should be accountable to the national or state convention, you must go to the convention and vote for the officers who will nominate committees, who will nominate trustees, who will insist on accountability.

If you believe that professors and leadership in our institutions should teach that the Bible is trustworthy and absolutely reliable, you must go to the convention and vote for officers who will nominate committees, who will nominate trustees, who will insist that the Bible be taught as trustworthy and absolutely reliable.

Wishful thinking isn't enough. Hoping the convention adopts a conservative stance isn't enough. Complaining about problems isn't enough. You must make the sacrifice to go to the state and national conventions to vote for officers who believe as you do.

This opportunity to vote gives us all a chance to make the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Association of Virginia responsive to our convictions. Certainly changes are slow through this process, but it does give us all the chance to make changes.

Why have changes which conservatives view as positive taken place on the national level? Because conservative people voted for conservative presidents, who nominated conservative committees, who nominated conservative trustees. That is the same process we have in Virginia.

Some of you will have some difficulties making it to the SBC and Virginia conventions. There are other things you could do with your time and resources. But don't forget the responsibility to be a good steward of the tremendous gifts we have been given as Virginia Baptists and Southern Baptists. You may not be a trustee. You may not be on the Executive Committee. But you can vote, and your vote can make a difference.