Leaving IFB to become SBC

[glfredrick]

Well, what I'd really like to hear is that there is some denomination of "Baptist" out there that is perfect. You know, the pastor and his family are treated like kings, er, I mean, like real people, church members WANT to come to church, actually come ON TIME, sit on the (gasp) front row, volunteer to teach, give the pastor raises, pay him on time and in full every month, tell him he has great ideas and they are willing to jump on board with those ideas, are ready for CHANGE, listen quietly during church, realize he needs family time, etc.:laugh:

Somehow I think I might be chasing a rainbow. . .Maybe it's just a case of covetousness and I need to go repent.:tonofbricks:

Closest I've seen to your dream scenario is at our current church, Sojourn (link is in my sig below). That is partially why I am there serving and attending as a member instead of filling a pulpit at present. I need to learn from an inside perspective what is happening, how this all came to be, and how to duplicate the effort in another location.

We have a packed house in 3 campus locations, for 7 services, with 20+ pastoral staff, over 1200 members and over 2400 average attendance, soon to be 4 campus locations (with a move of one campus to a recently purchased Catholic cathedral to increase capacity by 3 times over our current location), and additional services planned for 2 of the other locations.

We are currently OVER budget in giving, have ministry and missions projects going on all over the city, nation, and internationally, have started a new network of church plants, and are seeing growth in the neighborhood of 25% or more per year.

One of our membership requirements (per covenant agreement -- the membership process can take as long as a year to complete -- it is rigorous!) is SERVICE. Each member is fully expected to do at least one ministry in or for the church, whether watching kiddos, doing mercy ministry, music, arts, community group leadership, cleaning the campus, or some other ministry.

We don't treat our pastors like kings... They would not allow it! But they are esteemed and respected -- and compensated in keeping with their needs. They well understand that Christ is the true King, and that they are only mercifully saved under-shepherds who have a task and a role to fulfill.

One other thing that has worked well for us is that we have eliminated the issue of a cult of personality in the pastoral role by having multiple leaders who can each fill multiple roles. On any given Sunday at any one of the services or campuses, any one of the pastors may be preaching, another leading the service, and yet another leading worship. Worship pastors also preach, preaching pastors also lead worship, and all serve in multiple functions as campus pastors, counselors, elders, etc.

Glad that most of you realized that I had tongue fully planted in cheek when I wrote the daily routine of an SBC pastor... Unfortunately, I've met some who live EXACTLY that routine! I had a couple of men in mind when I wrote that little blurb above. :BangHead:

 

[Baptist Believer]

In the most technical of senses, you are correct. I was giving an overview.

I suspected as much because I know you are a knowledgeable guy. I just wanted to clarify the relationship because it is:

1.) often misrepresented in the media because they don't understand it
2.) often a point of concern for Independent Baptists because some have been told the Convention is where the rules are made for the churches and the see the messenger as a delegate who votes on the rules that every one of the churches has to live by.

 

[TomVols]

So it is misleading to make it sound like a scandal because everyone who has ever bothered to check into things knows that there is a strategy for cooperative giving. It is NOT simply earmarked for international missions and then only 1/5 of the money actually makes it like your quote implies......You may like it or dislike it, but you need to be fair, honest, complete and accurate about it.

You're right, but some people have a hard time doing that.