ABC Biennial retrospective from Chico

[Haruo]

Looking at the websites of Evergreen churches, I just ran across this interesting reflection on the Biennial by Dr. Ted Sandberg of Chico First Baptist.

Haruo

[Ed Pettibone]

Looking at the websites of Evergreen churches, I just ran across this interesting reflection on the Biennial by Dr. Ted Sandberg of Chico First Baptist.

Haruo

Ed: Haruo, thanks for posting this link. All in all Dr. Sandberg's "Reflection are very close to my own. I was a bit surprised by his comments about the size ABC Resource area. Quite honestly I do not recall seeing the one in Richmond 4 years ago but what was presented in D.C. seemed to me to be pretty much the same size if not larger than what was in Denver two years ago. I wonder if he many have been unduly influenced by the fact that indeed it was obvious that the ABC-USA exhibits did not fill but half of the gigantic space that was available. But even so in the space that was used the Disaster Van from Upstate NYS (A large Semi trailer) did not over shadow the other exhibits. Our trailer was chosen to represent the disaster ABC relief program because of its historical presence near Ground Zero a couple days after 9/11.

I have had some friends in ABC-USA who toured both the ABC and CBF exhibit areas tell me that they think CBF displays where "more appealing and/or more professionally done"

As for his comments about the ABC-USA attendance being smaller this year I think he makes some good points but, he missed the fact that the smaller CBF had close to the same number. And that a large part of that part of that was probably because CBF does not charge a registration fee as ABC-USA does.

I was disappointed in his perception of CBF is that, "The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) is made up of churches that have withdrawn from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in the past 10 or 15 years because of the take over of the SBC by those who are extremely conservative/fundamentalist " CBF is very clear to say
that CBF is a Fellowship is made up of both Churches and Individuals. And in fact many individuals and some churches involved with CBF are still affiliated with the SBC . I realize this is difficult for those not involved with CBF to comprehend. In fact Dr Sandberg's description comes almost directly from a statement that came out of Vally Forge prior to the meetings.

He also errors when saying "While we are probably very close to the CBF theologically, their polity and practice remain essentially SBC. Their churches are much more pastor dominated. Their structure tends to be much more “top down” with their program boards having much more power than any of our boards." ...

However I share his feeling when says "... we’ll remain separate denominations, but it was sure good to be with them, and know that we can cooperate with them. " Of course for now, I am both them and US.

I am sorry that we where in the same room when Molly was honored and Dr. Shurden spoke, and we did not meet.