As I write this many things are going through my head. I have had friends let go from a denominational institution for speaking up about what they thought was right, and I support them fully. However, that is not the main point of this post. I have been a Southern Baptist all my life, currently serving at an SBC church, and have two degrees from Southern Baptist institutions, and I am currently working on my third, but my hope is that things will happen this year that have not happened in the past.

Each year the SBC passes resolution after resolution; it’s what Southern Baptists do. Most of these resolutions are about what Southern Baptists are against instead of what they are for which has caused many in the outside world only to know what Southern Baptists are against. Even when Southern Baptists have tried to make a great stance against something like the Alt-Right in the past few years, it has gotten convoluted and almost did not pass.

With that said, this year I am hoping for the messengers and the Resolution Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to give resolutions on what they are for such as racial equality, standing with those who are marginalized, women are not second class citizens, and more importantly reaffirm that the church is there for the poor and suffering. Let’s let the world know that America’s largest Protestant denomination is there for all those who are suffering, alienated, and marginalized.

My hope is that the messengers of this years Southern Baptist convention will realize what needs to be said and addressed at this years meeting.

In His Service,

Matt Phenix