Lots of Baptists Headed for Birmingham

[Sandy]

Interesting that the SBC and CBF chose to meet in the same city. The meetings are usually a week apart, but I think this is the first time they've been in the same place. I don't see the blog chatter about the SBC this year that was there last time around, probably because they don't have a contested presidential race coming up, or at least it isn't anticipated. I'll watch the Baptist press to see how they handle the hot topic. I'm pretty sure that clergy abuse is going to come up. We'll see if their response, if there is one, is as ham-fisted as it's been in the past. Denominational polity makes it sticky. I haven't seen any preliminary figures but I would guess there will still be some discomfort and discussion about declining membership and attendance, and according to William on another blog, declining CP revenues.

CBF has been extremely quiet. Maybe that's the leadership change. Suzii Paynter was pretty good about getting CBF into the press, at least the interdenominational religious press. I would guess that money might be a big topic of discussion there as well.

[Neil Heath]

They both met in the same town last year, too. I can't recall where, since we didn't go.

[Rvaughn]

Both groups met in Dallas, Texas last year.

[Sandy]

[JE Pettibone]

[Rvaughn]

According to this , the 2018 Southern Baptist Pastor's Conference and Annual Convention met June 10-12 and the 2018 Cooperative Baptist Fellowship met June 11-15.

[Haruo]

Interesting that CBF lasts twice as long as SBC.

[Rvaughn]

I noticed that, too. The actual convention is only two days apparently, with the Pastor's Conference (and a few other things, I suspect) tacked on to the front of it.

[Neil Heath]

Most of the CBF mtg. is held on Wed. thru Fri. There are other related events in the first part of the week.

[William Thornton]

The official SBC annual meeting has shrunk to two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. This year, no evening sessions to avoid the embarrassment of important reports where most of the messengers don't attend. Things have changed over the years and folks are less willing to be bored to death for hours on end.

There are a bunching of ancillary meetings - ethnic fellowships, interest groups, etc. The largest is the Pastor's Conference which is a shell of it's former self during the CR.

After a long stretch of absences this will be my third convention in a row.

The predictions were that the annual meeting was of little interest to younger pastors but, now that they're in many of the power positions,the AM seems to be held in higher regard.

[Rvaughn]

For those interested in the immediate on-goings of the SBC at Birmingham, currently all posts being put up at are relevant to that.