SBC to become "Great Commission Baptists"

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Andres

Andres

Puritan Board Doctor
Tonight the SBC's taskforce to study the possibility of a name change released their official report. From the Baptist Press:

The task force appointed to study a possible name change of the Southern Baptist Convention is recommending that the convention maintain its legal name but adopt an informal, non-legal name for those who want to use it: Great Commission Baptists.

The name "Southern," task force chairman Jimmy Draper said, is a barrier to the Gospel in some regions of the country. The task force was appointed by Southern Baptist Convention President Bryant Wright.

The task force made its recommendation during the Executive Committee meeting Monday night. The Executive Committee will consider the recommendation Tuesday.

The recommendation would mean that the legal name of the convention will remain “Southern Baptist Convention” and can be used by any church who wishes to use it. But other SBC churches could call themselves “Great Commission Baptists” if they wish.
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You can read the entire article here.


Growing up in Texas my whole life, I never considered "Southern" to be a bad word, but what do I know.
 
Actually, up in the Northwest, "Southern Baptist" has negative connotations among many. But, I seriously doubt changing the name would help anything among the unchurched scoffers around here.

"Evangelical Christian" has about the same negative connotation as well.

But Krispy Kreme donuts have a good reputation up here. I understand they originated in the South. Maybe the SBC should check out licensing that name from them instead.
 
A body claiming universal truth ought not to have only a regional name (same goes for Roman Catholics, a contradiction in terms, since one cannot both be catholic and roman only)....
 
Here's my question: why be called the "Great Commission Baptists?"

What's wrong with just plain ol' Baptist?
 
I don't get why people think this is lame or no big deal. I have thought for a long time that they ought to change their name. They are not all SOUTHERN so they ought not be called Southern Baptists. Not sure about the whole "Great Commission Baptists" label instead, but I'm glad they realized that "Southern" was not a true description anymore.
 
The difficulty is this will probably only serve to confuse people for a generation, and do nothing to further consciousness of biblical faith and practice.

With all its faults, the present moniker has stood for that, and against a tide of liberalism. The ignorant will always hold truth in contempt, which will be basis for their just condemnation at the end.
 
When SBC planted a hipster-friendly church in San Francisco a couple of years ago (Epic Church), it appeared to me that they did everything they could to conceal their association with the SBC convention.
 
Just for the record, I was saying that the name was lame and confusing, not Southern Baptists.

Perhaps this name isn't clear enough, though. Maybe we need more division. We could have the John 3:16 Great Commission Baptists and the Romans 9 Great Commission Baptists.

Just a thought. Thank goodness Presbyterians don't do this sort of thing. There's nothing confusing at all about the Presbyterian alphabet soup. :rolleyes:
 
I'm not sure why it's really a to-do for people, especially those outside the SBC. I can understand why they'd want to change it, and it makes no difference to me.
 
I'm for it. "Southern Baptist" has all kinds of wrong and crazy associated with it in many places. A group's label ought to reflect what it thinks is important. By calling themselves "Great Commission" Baptists, I don't think they are trying to say that other Baptists don't care about the Great Commission; they're merely saying that the Great Commission is central to the identity.

Just like the name OPC doesn't imply that all other Presbyterians aren't Orthodox ... wait, maybe I'm wrong.
 
Every once in a while, some Southern Baptists recommend a name change. My concern is in their premise. Do they honestly believe that keeping that name is going to thwart God's sovereign plan. How puny of man. Wasn't it King Alfred of England who stood at the beach trying to sweep back the tide with a broom?

Somehow I think that that these Southern Baptists (and other Evangelicals) put too much stock in public opinion, marketing techniques and such. The faithful preaching of God's Word produces results according to His plan. Frankly, if I was a Southern Baptist, I would not put much stock in the complaints of the Yankees. The record of the Southern Baptist Convention in matters orthodox is a lot better than their Northern brethren in the old Northern Baptist Convention, now called the American Baptist Churches.
 
R Harris said:
AThornquist said:
It will be so good to be distinguished from the non-Great Commission baptists.
Click to expand...

I was thinking exactly the same thing! LOL

Soooo, if you are not a member in their denomination, you don't care about the Great Commission?
Click to expand...

If you are not a member of the Southern Baptists now, does this mean you're not Southern?

---------- Post added at 10:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:28 PM ----------

Any "lame-ness" of a new name cannot be any more lame than "Southern" being in the name.
 
I'm a Southern Baptist and I honestly don't care much about whatever the name is. Changing the name now will just make things more complicated. But if they really want to, then so be it.
 
I say there are plenty of Presbyterian denominational names they can substitute "Baptist" for - think about it - BCUSA, BCUS, BCA, OBC, EBC, RBCNA (ok maybe not...) My wife pointed out the only problem is that they'll sound congested when they say their acronym...
 
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