Well, we made it to Orlando last night around midnight. It was a tough day of travel involving late flights, missed connections, a cancelled follow-up flight, rerouting to a “close” city, and driving into Orlando in a rental car. And yes…lost luggage. BUT we are here!
We are staying in the Rosen Centre hotel which is the official convention hotel of the SBC. Right now we are sort of trapped in our room waiting on our luggage to arrive so we can clean up and change. We are told it should be here within the hour.
Today is the Pastor’s Conference. Julie and I plan to spend the morning getting our bearings. This area is HUGE. Even though we are located “next door” to the Orange Country Convention Center, the buildings are sprawling and at first appearance maze like. We will check in and get our messenger credentials and then attend part of the Pastor’s Conference. I’m looking forward to hearing the preaching of Danny Akin, Francis Chan, Al Mohler, Andy Stanley, and David Platt. Should be awesome!
Tomorrow is the official beginning of the Convention. The real action for this Convention involves the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force report. This report is scheduled for action at 2:45 pm EST. You can watch any part of the convention on the internet at SBC.net. The report contains seven recommendations regarding changes to the way we do business as Southern Baptists. The recommendations are bold and courageous. Since this is my first Convention I don’t know exactly what to expect but here are some predictions as to what I think might happen tomorrow:
1. Someone will propose a motion that we table any action on the GCR task force report until next year in order to more fully study the report. This motion will either be ruled out of order or it will fail to pass.
2. Someone will propose a motion that the report be divided into each of the seven recommendations and each voted on separately. This one’s tricky. I think that this will not pass or it too may be ruled out of order. Last year, the messengers asked for “a” report. Not several reports. I personally believe this should be honored. I believe each of the recommendations is interwoven and designed to interact with the others. The report should get a thumbs up or a thumbs down as one whole report.
3. The tape recordings of the GCR task force sessions have been sealed for 15 years. After which they will be opened by Baptist historians and their contents made public. I expect at some point for someone to make a motion that this not happen. They will call for the recordings be made public immediately. Not sure what to expect if this happens. Baptists traditionally don’t like secrets. But I view this whole matter regarding the recordings as petty and NOT why I came to Orlando. I know many of the people on the Task Force personally and I trust their heart. I don’t need to or have the time to listen to all their recorded sessions.
That’s enough for now. My bags JUST arrived so I am going to change clothes!
Blessings to all.
PS – to read the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force report or to view a video of the report go to: www.pray4gcr.com.
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