Another key leader of the SBC 'Conservative Resurgence' has died

[Jerome]

James Robison was the most vocal of the Southern Baptist televangelists and megachurch pastors used by Paul Pressler and Paige Patterson for their Convention power grab in the late 1970s and 1980s. But unlike Pressler (died 2024) and Patterson, who were sidelined decades later when their misdeeds were exposed, Robison left the cabal early on, after coming to see that vilification and factionalism were demonic rather than of God:

James Robison — died May 17 at age 82

"In his memoir, A Hill on Which to Die, Paul Pressler recounts that Robison was present at the 1979 SBC annual meeting in Houston that launched the 'conservative resurgence'. Not only did Robison preach that year at the SBC Pastors’ Conference, he 'led the discussion' at a private meeting Pressler organized at a cafeteria in downtown Houston the night before. That group drafted Adrian Rogers of Memphis, Tenn., to run for SBC president that year — the first of the string of conservatives who would reshape the convention."

"Had Robison remained a Southern Baptist, he likely would have been among the series of biblical inerrantists elected SBC president in that political movement that launched in 1979. But in 1982, Robison left"

 

[Jerome]

Robison was interviewed in 1983:

"Robison built his reputation as a hard-hitting Baptist. His best friends are men like Jerry Falwell, Bailey Smith; Jimmy Draper...and W.A. Criswell."

"Robison...confesses that much of the anger in his preaching—what he considered 'righteous indignation', was really just 'meanness of the devil'. 'I would go into a rage and lash out at everybody. I thought it was the power of the Holy Spirit, but I found that this kind of rage is not the Holy Spirit'."

"He says his frustration was compounded because he was not experiencing the joy, peace and freedom that the New Testament says belongs to believers —and neither were many of his minister friends. 'I kept listening to preachers talk about truth—and the truth setting you free—but I knew they weren’t free. I heard coarse jestings, filthy talk and jokes that would embarrass a sailor come out of preachers’ mouths'."

"In a three-page letter he sent to all Southern Baptist leaders, he expressed fear that divisiveness has reached dangerous proportions among Southern Baptists. He apologized for his part in aiding the current power struggle"

 

[J.D.]

When I was young and he was young, James Robison thundered the voice of God to millions. The first time I ever saw him was on a televised Billy Graham style "crusade" in a stadium somewhere. At the time I was a nominal Christian but I sat there in a rocking chair spellbound for the full hour he preached. It completely changed me. His preaching was so powerful that even an atheist working for National Geographic who had attended a James Robison rally in order to find fault with him instead received Christ that night. When Robison sat down to sell vitamins and pat hands it was one of the greatest disappointments in my life. He listened to the wrong voices. Satan hates strong preaching. It's not "mean" to preach the truth. On the contrary, it's of the Devil to not preach the truth.