RESERVATIONS ABOUT FORMING A SEPARATE STATE CONVENTION

by Rev. Tommy Taylor                                                                                 Vol. VIII, No. 7, August 1995

I have serious reservations about the formation of another state convention just now. My reasons are as follows:

1. Good timing is everything; I don't think the time is right.

2. The obvious concern over possibly losing conservative representation on the SBC boards and agencies.

3. A most important consideration is that conservatives would lose their influence in the state. Though currently disenfranchised by the BGAV action we still wield considerable influence in Virginia; more, I feel, than many conservatives realize. What were we accomplishing with our votes before we were disenfranchised; what really did we lose?

4. There are still many good churches and good pastors in Virginia who are sort of "trapped" in the middle; by pulling out we would largely lose the opportunity to share the truth of God's Word with them and to clarify the real issues for these many congregations.

5. Are state conventions on their way out? Modern technology brings us all much closer to the SBC; thus lessening the need for the state convention to serve as a conduit.

6. To secede now would be seen by some to justify the oft-made claim that we're the bad guys; radical, reactionary, red-neck extremists.

7. I don't think we're even close to having the financial base needed to start a new convention. It still troubles me that numerous folks who seem to be on our side, even some of our leaders, have given little or no monetary support to our cause.

8. Speaking of dollars, we could with a concerted effort likely wield a greater influence in the state by withholding our dollars from the BGAV than by pulling out.

9. What exactly would we gain by seceding? A sense of vindication? An end to unequal yoking? How much unequal yoking do we often "live with" in our local churches?

10. Nothing compels us to attend the BGAV meetings any more. And nothing hinders us, as a fellowship, from having all the meetings we want to have; for the purposes of evangelism, motivation, leadership training, church growth, etc..

11. The momentum is in our favor over the long haul in Virginia, with the direction of the SBC and especially the ongoing effect of Southeastern and Southern seminaries now being conservative.

12. Our SBC president, Jim Henry, strongly counsels against forming a new state convention; basically for the reasons I've listed above. I talked to Jim at some length recently in Nashville at a meeting of the Baptist Sunday School Board.

[Rev. Tommy Taylor is pastor of London Bridge Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, and immediate past president of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia.]