Since June 4, 1978, Dr. Jimmy Jackson has served faithfully as pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, Alabama. Next week, he will be nominated to succeed Johnny Hunt as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and we heartily support his election to that office.
Dr. Jackson’s experience, wisdom, and demeanor uniquely qualify him to serve Southern Baptists in this crucial hour. At a time when our convention seems to be fracturing and dividing, his wisdom can help us to unite around our shared convictions.
The length of his service to one congregation reveals a man who knows how to look at the big picture and lead others to see it as well, and the growth of that congregation over the years is surely a sign of God’s blessing.
His service to his state convention, as a vice-president and then as president, his election as a vice-president of the SBC, and his service as a trustee of Southwestern Seminary reveal a man who understands denominational politics, and can be productive and well respected in that environment.
We believe that this combination of qualities, along with his steadfast conservative Baptist convictions, makes Dr. Jimmy Jackson an excellent choice to lead our convention. We encourage our readers who will be serving as messengers from their churches to the convention in Orlando next week to prayerfully consider supporting Dr. Jackson as the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
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I am sure he is a great guy, but I just don’t think we need another guy from the Deep South. We need a guy that has served, successfully, in a New Work area. We also need more candidates from New Work areas.
I just hope, after a Deep South guy wins the election(hopefully not) that people stop pretending that we arent, still, a regional Convention. Everyone says we want to do more outside the South and not be a regional Convention and yet every decision that is made usually screams WE”RE REGIONAL. We need to broaden ourselves.
I agree with Matt that we need a guy who is not Deep South. Not that there is anything wrong with that, and I know many people who would serve us well who have spent most if not all of their time in the South. Yet if we ever want to project ourselves as something other than Southern, then we will eventually have to branch out. I have been in SBC life long enough though to realize though that this is something far in the future. Politics and power are still concentrated in the South.
Frankly, I’m still wondering if there is going to be a bombshell some time this week – a big-name candidate who will scramble all the eggs.
For those who want a national candidate who is not a Deep South megachurch guy, Leo Endel is a great candidate. He is a long-time Iowa pastor who is now the executive for Minnesota-Wisconsin.
He has experience with NAMB. He has a proven Cooperative Program track record (13% in his last pastorate).
He represents the majority of SBC churches!
Seems to me that arbitrarily limiting ourselves to candidates from a given region takes us away from getting the best person for the job. I’ve not decided who to vote for but region wouldn’t make my list of evaluation criteria.
The list of qualifications for spiritual leadership in 1 Timothy 3 doesn’t include anything about what region a man is from. Granted, the presidency of the SBC is not the same thing as a deacon or pastor in the local church, but those qualifications for spiritual leadership given to us by God ought to be the focal point as opposed to so many of the benchmarks we have come up with that seem to take priority today. I think a regionaly defined system of affirmative action would be a mistake. Let the best man win, wherever he may be from.
I would find it hard to believe anyone would be nominated who did not meet Biblical requirements for leadership. While I guess it could happen, I just have never heard of it. Assuming this year is no different, all nominees will be qualified. Now ot becomes subjective rather than objective as far as who gets elected. From the pattern I’ve seen in the past, the groups who do the best job of pushing the candidate they like stand the best chance getting that person elected. I believe that all voters truly seek the man God wants to lead us, and I believe that God is soverign and the man He wants will be elected. My point is this: if all men are qualified, I personally think it would be for the best if the SBC elected someone who is either working or has worked in an area other than the South. I think it would energize the SBC people and witness to those who live and minister in areas other than the South.
Matt Brady,
You miss the point. There is not one person that has been nominated that is not qualified for the presidency. Therefore, while I like some more than others this is not at all an issue of “who meets the spiritual qualifications. These are all great men that have served faithfully and I am thankful we have so many great men that have been nominated.
Since they are all qualified we now have to look at who is best to lead us into the future. We would be foolish to not think that where people(where they are experienced) are from makes at least some difference. With the GCR, emphasis on church planting, and emphasis on New Work areas it just makes more sense to have a guy that has proven, successful, experience in a New Work area. No offense to the Deep South, but most Mississippi/Alabama/Georgia, etc pastors do not understand church culture outside of the South and therefore are certainly not the best option in leading the SBC into the future. Unless, our future is going to consist of us still being a merely regional convention. I sure hope that isn’t the case. We need someone who is familiar and has had success with SBC work outside of the Deep South… It’s that simple.
I also agree with Dave Miller- Im interested to see if someone like Ronnie Floyd, Danny Akin, etc. gets nominated within this last week and stirs the pot big time.
Brother Matt S.,
So let me get this right in my mind. Georgia and Florida are not in the deep south? North Carolina is not in the deep south? Louisville Ky. is not in the deep south?
Brother Dave Miller,
When was the last time you went to Huntsville, Alabama? Do you realize that there is more PhD. (can you say Rocket Scientist) per capita living there than anywhere in the US? Do you realize the diversity of that area? Contrary to popular belief, Alabama is not made up completely of dumb rednecks who marry their first cousins and nieces. :) I know that is not what you believe, but the statement come across that way. I mean, are we seriously going to disqualify someone because of where they are from and not examine their ministry and experience of church plants?
Brother John,
Do you not see the limiting of God to say that someone from outside the South can energize the SBC better than someone from the South?
Blessings,
Tim
Tim, I’m a little baffled at how to respond to your comment, since it did not engage in any meaningful way with what I said.
We’ve had an unbroken string of southern megachurch pastors for more than 3 decades. Maybe its time to realize that the SBC is bigger than Southern megachurch pastors.
I said nothing about people in Huntsville marrying their cousins – that is totally your own creation, and I have no idea why on earth you brought that up.
My point is that if we want the SBC to be more than a southern regional megachurch convention, perhaps we should look beyond southern megachurch pastors.
We should not necessarily disqualify Southern megachurch pastors, but neither should we limit ourselves to them alone.
“We need to broaden ourselves.”
The question I must ask is; How broad is “broadened” Matt?
“Southern” Baptists have preached the gospel of Christ to a broader scope of this planet’s population than any group of Christians during the history of “earth.”
Frankly, if some folks would stop playing games we could possibly, by the grace of God, saturate the planet with the Good Story of Jesus Christ.
Jimmy Jackson is the real deal. I really do not think he should apologize to anyone for being a mega-church pastor or for being in the Southland. I believe Southern Baptists should vote for this guy. We really need his type of level-headed leadership right now. I believe Jimmy Jackson to be the right man at the right time.
CB Scott, where have you been? I thought you’d joined the Methodist church and moved to Zimbabwe or something.
CB,
I’d heard that you were dead.
David
Tim Rogers,
Are you being serious? So, because I only list 3 states as examples in the Deep South you assume I think those are the ONLY states in the Deep South? Really? I think you should try harder at reading my comments without a view of- “I must disagree with Matt Svoboda because I don’t like him.”
Of course the states you mentioned are part of the Deep South… I didnt realize you were expecting me to list every single state that is included when I say “Deep South.”
CB Scott,
I agree with you… When I say “broaden ourselves” I am simply talking about the topic we are discussing- SBC presidency. We need to “broaden ourselves” by not ONLY electing Deep South Megachurch pastors. That is all I meant my “broaden ourselves.” I do think Jimmy Jackson is a great, qualified leader and of course he shouldn’t apologize for being a megachurch pastor in “Southland.” All I am doing is expressing my view that we need someone who isnt a megachurch pastor in “Southland.”
All in all, I think Dave Miller has by far made the most compelling case as to who we should vote for and why!
http://sbcvoices.com/why-i-will-vote-for-leo-endel-for-sbc-president/
Hi C.B.
You wrote, “Jimmy Jackson is the real deal.”
What does ‘the real deal’ mean to you now. C.B. ??????
Does it mean that Pastor Jackson has integrity and is an honest person?
You have confused me so much lately that I can no longer understand the criteria on which you base your endorsements of people, C.B.
Mr. Miller,
You haved stated the following:
“For those who want a national candidate who is not a Deep South megachurch guy”
In an almost unanimous fashion, individuals outside of this region who choose to use the term “deep south” do so in order to evoke certain deragatory caricatures associated with the area.
“Tim, I’m a little baffled at how to respond to your comment, since it did not engage in any meaningful way with what I said.”
I find it almost unimaginable that you are ignorant of the universal truth I just mentioned. Though this comment is a valient attempt at savvy jesting, It appears to be backpeddling from an obvious case of burlesquing. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
“We’ve had an unbroken string of southern megachurch pastors for more than 3 decades.”
After acting oblivious to Mr. Rogers most warranted post, you further backpeddle and act like you meant this in a strictly geographic manner by utilizing “southern” instead of “deep south”.
Now, are you saying you meant nothing other than location? Certainly you are familiar with the heckling nature of the diction having visited a buffett in my town on several occassions. If not, I’m happy to have enlightened you that the “deep south” label is associated with inbreeding, poor education, unevolved relations, and many other items. You many have been ignorant of this, and if so, I’m happy to have enlightened you. However, I have all ideas you meant this in the way I have described. The “deep south” is not “the south”.
Brother Dave Miller,
I believe that Brother David Campbell has articulated clearly where your misunderstanding of me lies.
Brother Matt,
So, who will YOU raise YOUR ballot for? (caps for emphasis)
Blessings,
Tim
I find it funny that Jimmy’s residence in Alabama is an issue. No one serving in Alabama has served as SBC President since the 1800s.
David Campbell, at least your comments are as confusing as Tim’s.
I have no idea what “burlesquing” is, but I am quite sure I have never done it.
I used the term “Deep South” to describe the Deep South – a geographical region of the country. Your insistence that I meant some kind of “derogatory caricature” is the same kind of fictional argument Tim was engaging in.
I am making a simple point. EVERY SINGLE SBC President since the beginning of the SBC has been a southerner.
It takes a different kind of mindset and approach to build Southern Baptist work outside of the deep South. It just does. Anyone who has labored in the NE, MW, or Far West will tell you its just not the same (I’ve served in two southern states before coming to Iowa).
My point is that I think that we might help ourselves to elect someone with a less southern-oriented mindset. If you chose to take that as some kind of derogatory caricature, that is your addition to my argument.
I do not think either you or Tim has evidenced the willingness to engage in genuine discussion, so I’m signing off. Twist my words at your leisure and pleasure.
Dave Miller,
As one who has lived in the south my entire life and makes no apologies for southern culture, icons, or idiosyncrecies, I have ALWAYS understood “Deep South” to be a reference to those states which constituted the lower half of the confederacy–specifically South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Some would have said the distinction is in the difference between tobacco states and cotton states. Others would add Texas and Florida simply for geograpic regions. But never, until today, have I heard that the term “Deep South” infers anything about ignorance or inbreeding.
But then, as a native son of The Commonwealth of Virginia, the “Birthplace of Presidents”, the homeland of Jefferson, Washington, and Madison, I can’t say that I’ve ever lived in North Carolina, so I can’t profess to know how hillbillies typically use the expression. :-)
L’s,
The rest of these guys can give you a pass if they please.
The reason you are confused about anything of Faith is because you are lost and on your way to a devil’s hell.
You have yet to repent of your sin and believe the biblical gospel.
Your hatred for biblical Christianity is well known to anyone who reads the things you say at sites like Wade’s Goose Farm or Debbie’s Nuthouse. For whatever reason these conservative Christian guys let you off with the things you say will always be a mystery to me. Now, that really does “confuse me.”
BTW, I could not have confused you “so much lately” because I have posted very little in a long while.
Vol,
“Not hardly.” :-)
C.B., I say this upon honor and conscience:
“You have confused me so much lately that I can no longer understand the criteria on which you base your endorsements of people, C.B.”
Mr. Miller,
I do gather from your nomination post that you were not using “deep south” in the deragatory sense I illustrated above. Please allow me to retract the hostile accusations. I noticed that you include Oklahoma and Texas with your use of the term, so you obviously aren’t guilty of what I said. Sorry bro, but I can’t tell you how often my positions on state’s rights and Jesus Christ are attributed to being from an “uneducated” and “behind the times” state in the “deep south”, South Carolina. I engage these topics with the secularist teachers at my university and they brush them off as unimportant, archaic ideologies of the “deep south”. Regarding non-southerners, when one uses the term “southeast”, they are normally referring strictly to the geographic aspect and divorcing it from any culture. When one uses “the south”, they are including aspects of our culture, as you are, that are distinct from other parts of the nation. When one uses the the term “deep south”, they are usually referring to us, (Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina) as the stronghold of outdated thinking, resistant to change, and riding around in our jacked up trucks with confederate flags…pulling up drunk to the trailor park yelling “the south will rise again” followed by “Betty Sue, what the heck did you do with my KKK mask.”
Mr. Miller,
What are some of the difficulties you encountered in your pastorates outside the south that people like myself don’t know about? I have experienced a greater difficulty in reaching those in my area that from the northeast… because God has been forgotten for the most part up there and many of them are staunch aethiest/agnostic and haven’t even pondered Jesus Christ. However, all people get a little uncomfortable when I ask them…”excuse me, but do you know how I get to heaven”. I guess I’m asking…what is it, specifically, that Jimmy Jackson lacks because of residing in Alabama. I don’t know anything about him, but we have every kind of baptist you could imagine in my town of 100,000, so I don’t really think you could classify baptists in the south as a homogenous group.
L’s,
You can say anything you want to ” upon honor and conscience.”
That still does not change the fact that you are lost and on your way to a devil’s hell unless you repent and believe the biblical gospel.
Honor and conscience will not get you to heaven. You must be born again.
And a third time:
“You have confused me so much lately that I can no longer understand the criteria on which you base your endorsements of people, C.B.”