Guidepost begins drafting final SBC sexual abuse study report

I sometimes wonder if these parachurch organizations are worth it all. Big buildings, large staff, tons of trustees, commissions, departments and committee’s. More times than not, there is always some level of turmoil and enormous energy spent in maintaining it, fighting in it, defending it, meetings…… all being sucked away from the local church. I have been a member of a few Southern Baptist churches. Some small, some large. For the general membership, I see practically no value in it. They created the Baptist Faith and Message, which at the end of the day deviates little from the New Hampshire Confession of Faith. The churches are weak on missions. Yes, they raise money, but I have yet to be involved in or with a SBC church that has a strong local commitment to missions. And every year the pastoral staff goes to the convention to see which direction the convention is leaning toward this year (are the liberals going to gain ground, or are the conservatives going to secure control), who is going to chair which commission, and talk (gossip) about the various issues that are below the surface, all while the congregation is isolated from all of it. In the end, it is probably something more of an organization for pastors to be a part of, and where retired pastors go to finish out in some committee. I see practically little upside, and more downside like all of the energy being spent on scandals, studies and controversies.