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Mickey Comes Full Circle
Posted by Roger Ferrell in Uncategorized
In November of 1997, 10 years ago, I became a pastor. By that time, I had served for several years in South Carolina as a youth minister, worship leader and musician and record producer. When I grew up in Florida a long time ago I never dreamed I would become a pastor. I was just content to go to the beach and Disney World back then. But I’m glad God had more in store for me, and it sure has been a great 10 years pastoring and planting churches.
When He called me to pastor, He also called me to move from South Carolina to Maine. So we packed up, sold our house, and hit the road. And when we got to Maine to start a new church with a little remnant of sweet Yankee folks, we found out that New Englanders knew only two things about Southern Baptists: they were pushy about their faith, and they hated Mickey Mouse.
Yep, I arrived in Maine at the peak of the SBC boycott of the Disney Corporation. Everywhere we went, people asked what kind of church I pastored, and when I told them Southern Baptist, they asked what I had against Mickey Mouse.
“Nothin’. I love Disney World,” I would explain. “Yeah, Donald Duck has an anger management issue, but I really identify with Goofy. I even liked Fantasia. Some folks just think that Disney should stick to making movies for kids and stop pushing products that aren’t good for families. After all, they’re supposed to be all about families, right?” My dialog partner would agree, and we’d move on. But it was always there. You Southern Baptist Disney-Haters, you.
So a few years after that, the Disney boycott ended. I guess Disney cleaned up their act somewhat and started making wholesome movies again like Cars and High School Musical and Pirates of the Caribbean. Of course, the lead actor in Cars tried to kill himself recently, the girl in HSM posed for nude pictures, and the Pirates of the Caribbean are … well … pirates. But apparently Disney is okay again in the eyes of the SBC.
I know this because this past week at the Georgia Baptist Convention, messengers gave the GBC Executive Director Dr. Robert White a trip to Walt Disney World with his kids and grandkids to help celebrate 15 years of service to the GBC. Dr. White is apparently a great guy and I’m sure he deserves a vacation. It just struck me funny is all.
Especially since I leave tomorrow afternoon for Disney World myself. My wife and kids and I are looking forward to our vacation, and I am hoping to get a chance to talk with Mickey about that whole pirate thing. And I promise to stop by Guest Services and make sure they know all is forgiven. I am sure Walt would be relieved.
But this whole thing got me thinking about Disney and the SBC. Did Disney really get better? Are they more morally “good” than they used to be? Or did we just decide boycotts don’t work? Did we actually change anything? I can’t remember. But I do know I will remember riding Space Mountain with my son, meeting Chip and Dale (Chip has the red nose) with my daughter and watching fireworks at Epcot with my family around me.
And now I can make all these memories and still be a good Southern Baptist.
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I was at Disney the day the boycott began, if I remember correctly. I don’t regret a moment of it and I plan to go again – with MY kids – sometime in the future.
I’m basically not a fan of boycotts at all. If they are justified, then why do we expect lost people to “not boycott” the church?
To all-
Roger is at … you guessed it … Disney World. He’s spending some precious time with his family down in that wonderful world of Disney. Roger drafted me to take his place today in hosting this post. He left me with strict instructions: I am to be the consummate diplomat, warmly welcome everyone, and make sure I offend no one. Like roger would.
I’ll do my best.
Bernard,
But, I don’t talk about it, either. Sort of like fasting. It’s fine to do it, but we should just keep our mouths shut about it.
I’m not a big fan of boycotts, either. There are some things that I do “boycott,” if that’s what one would call it. There are simply things that I choose not to participate in, and places that I have decided never to go … like a few blogs out there.
Personally, I think we should be about the Gospel ministry more so than political activism.
Hello Geoff,
I’m not a big fan of boycotts either, but I do like to know what’s going on. Like you, there are things I choose not to do, places I choose not to go once I’m aware of things that are going on in that area. I also agree we should be more about the Gospel ministry whether we’re Southern Baptists or not, just as Christians in general.
I’m not sure I understand Roger’s point in his post though? It seems like a slam against the Southern Baptists even though he says he was called by the Lord to serve Him by being in SB ministry. It sounds like Roger did a good job of dealing with the people he was ministering to up in Maine. I think that was a good point, even though he apparently didn’t agree with what the SBC was doing. God used it as an opportunity for him to talk to people and hopefully minister to them. Even if I may not agree with boycotts, I do understand why some do.
The Lord recently led my family back into the SBC family. Yes, we left years ago because of some problems, but the Lord has led us back and I find it discouraging to see so much negative talk about what’s going on in the SBC. Is there anything good going on? Why are you all a part of the SBC? What is the purpose of SBC Impact? Is it to edify the body of Christ, or tear down the SBC? I don’t mean that in an attacking way at all. I really do want to understand what Impact is all about. I read SelahV’s devotions everyday, and come over here to read too. I think everything is probably over my head here. I’m a pretty simple person and so my questions are just simple.
I could also ask why Roger didn’t give his vacation money to church planting if he believes in that so much. Not that I see anything wrong with him taking a vacation either, that just struck me funny too, just like the Dr. White thing struck him funny.
God bless,
Rose
Rose,
I’m not Roger or Geoff, but I’ll take a shot at answering your question…
I don’t think Roger was taking “a slam against the Southern Baptists.” I think that, in the context of his family’s trip to Disney World, he was reflecting on this episode in Southern Baptist life, and asking if the boycott, in the end, did more harm than it did good. He is asking us, as fellow Southern Baptists, to reflect on the end result, and see if there are any lessons we can learn from the experience.
My personal opinion is that there is often a fine line between taking a prophetic stance toward sin in society and not being winsome and merciful in the way we present our message. Probably, in hindsight, the boycott approach was not the best route to take. But, I’m open to listening to the reasons of someone else who may wish to argue otherwise.
Rose,
I think something must have been “lost in translation” if you somehow understood Roger’s post as “a slam against Southern Baptists.”
Roger merely pointed out the historical irony of the situation. Ten years ago the SBC had Disney in its political “sights.” Now, one of the largest state conventions in the SBC is awarding its executive director a Disney World vacation. He was not criticizing the fact that Dr. White received the vacation. Not by a long shot. He just pointed out the irony of how things changed so dramatically in ten years.
He also questioned, and I think appropriately so, the effectiveness of boycotts in general, and whether such strategy should be a significant part of our gospel “arsenal.”
But with regard to this being a “slam,” I have to think that you simply misunderstood. Roger is a lifelong Southern Baptist as pastor / church planter. He has given his life to serving the local Southern Baptist church (not, necessarily, the denomination). But a critical “slammer” he is not. Roger is our wise, grace-filled, diplomat … something of a smooth talker.
I would, most definitely, say that you have seriously missed the point and the tone of his post.
And you asked, “is there anything good going on?” I invite you to read our thoughtful posts every day … not just from our regular contributors … but also from our guests from throughout SBC life. There is a lot of good going on, and we enjoy “reporting” it.
If you have somehow come to think as sbc IMPACT! as something akin to an instrument of griping or criticism, then I must simply and humbly say that you have misunderstood us. Indeed, I wonder if you may have confused IMPACT! with another blog?
With regard to your comment on Roger’s vacation and giving money to church planting instead … I’m really not sure where that came from. Frankly, I don’t know how to respond to it. Roger has, in fact, surrendered his entire life to church planting and renewal. Somehow, I think that’s enough. I don’t think we should begrudge him, his beautiful wife, nor his three children the opportunity to take a simple vacation. And we certainly shouldn’t think it less than spiritual for him to have a desire to take a family vacation.
As a reader from the beginning and as a somewhat controversial commenter from time to time, I must say that I have never felt that the tone of Impact was “anti-SBC”, even when the issues were “negative”. I think the writers should be commended for that, and I hope that I have not “stirred any fires” which made the overall scheme appear negative.
Gracias, Bernard.
Hmmmn, dear dear Rose, seems like you’ve stirred up a hornets nest–AND that is not to imply that you fellas are hornets.
Bernard, you dear sweet brother. I so enjoy your interaction on this blog. And I’ve always thought your questions as just questions, kinda like you and I were sitting across from one another sipping a mug of hot apple cider in Cracker Barrel and discussing the topic of the day. I don’t think Rose was accusing us of tearing down the SBC. I think she was asking us what we were about. And partly that is based on her thinking that what we talk about is making changes to the SBC.
And while we may see those changes as positive, she may (being rather new to the SBC) wonder if this is not tearing down what is the SBC as she knows it (and by her own admission, she doesn’t know much, which is why she is reading about it). Perhaps I’m reading her wrong, but that is what I’m getting from her statements which she clarifies by saying that “I don’t mean that in an attacking way at all.”
And as far as accusing our dear brother, Roger (who I know would be most diplomatic in explaining himself if he were here), I read where she validated all he is and again admits she’s not sure she understands his point and wonders if it is a “slam” (probably a poor choice of words, here, Rose) towards the SBC because she felt he didn’t see the purpose or the promise in boycotts in general and the SBC’s in specific. At least that is how I read her, but then I am a woman reading a woman and since I kinda know how she processes information, I think I may be close in intepreting what she is asking. Maybe not.
She saw something in Roger’s words that others do not. And simply questioned it.
In the future, Rose, you might want to separate your questions in your comment so we can tell which you are directing towards all blogs or specifically IMPACT.
Am I correct in assuming that you were asking a rhetorical question when you ask, “Is there anything good going on?” because you are frustrated with what you’ve already read since coming back to our SBC family? Surely you are not saying that the wonderful posts we produce regarding our local ministries and the missionaries we’ve reported on are bad news, are you? I don’t think you need answer me that. But are you talking about what we discuss in somewhat “over-your-head posts” and ones in which it seems someone is implying this when someone is not?
Finally, the remark at the end of your comment was meant as tongue-in-cheek as you were saying Roger seemed to be doing with his reference to the irony that Geoff has explained, am I right or wrong here? If I’m right, then it would be helpful if you posted a smiley face after you write a tongue-in-cheek statement. I’ve gotten in trouble a few times because I didn’t know the writer was speaking that way and then I got nailed to the carpet because I thought he/she was serious.
I do hope I’ve added a bit of balm if there have been any stings. I’m curious if this is why you haven’t come back to reply. I wouldn’t have entered the stream if you had, but what the guys don’t know about you is how dearly you want to understand the SBC and how deeply you want to belong to a family who loves Jesus. And I wouldn’t want your comment today to be the one that colors you as someone you are not. selahV
By the way, my favorite ride is those giant teacups at Disney World.
No hornets here, Hariette.
Perhaps I misunderstood Rose in much the same was as she misunderstood our “ambassador” Roger.
I think we all welcome Rose’s questions … they require us to state our intentions most clearly.
But I do think it is appropriate to remind all of the overall tone of this site. We strive greatly for the positive. We do talk about “making change” from time to time, but in a civil way.
And, most definitely, Rose is welcome to chime in whenever she wishes. If we’re “talking over anyone’s head,” we need to know it.
Thanks for your kind words and thoughts, SelahV.
Those teacups make me puke. I think that’s a symptom of something weird in the inner ear, but I was trash for the rest of the day when I rode those.
Bernard, you just cracked my teacup! that is so funny. that is probably what they would do to me if I were to ride one today. the first and last time I rode one my children were youngsters. I’ll have to post about my trip to Disney World someday. great memory-lane event. selahV
Geoff, I’m so glad there are no hornets. I’m also glad to see the honey-bees gathered round the “Blessing”. I’m going to go read the new post. selahV Hariette
my daughter went to disney world with a group of her friends from union u. not too long ago. they had a blast. i’ve never been, but i would love to go sometime. of course, i grew up with mickey and donald and pluto, and my personal favorite, goofy.
i too would rather see people’s lives change by the power of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, than to be a political activist. God called us to fish, not clean up the fish tank. He’ll do that one day. and, when people’s hearts are changed, then they will naturally change the society. this is not to say though that we should not have a prophetic voice in crying out against things that are sinful and harmful…amen?
david
David,
Thank you for your thoughtful response. I understand now. Ten years ago the SBC suggested a boycott on Disney, and now the question is, did the boycott change anything? It seems obvious it didn’t. Hindsight is always 20/20.
I would like to take time to say, David, how much your dad ministered to my family and myself. He still does through tapes and cd’s. Many times the Lord has answered a question I was praying about through your dad’s teachings. We still miss him. When he went home, it was like we lost a member of our own family.
God bless you.
Rose,
It is a blessing for me to hear how my Dad’s ministry has blessed you and your family. Thanks for sharing that.
Friends,
I just returned from Disney. We had a wonderful time. Thanks for the comments on this post. You pegged it right, my main concern was the boycott; it’s effectiveness, and how we should handle these types of things in the future.
Rose, it is good to e-meet you. Thanks for catching me when my irony slipped over the line into sarcasm. I did remove a comment in the original post that I thought was too caustic and I want you to know I meant no discouragement to the SBC, the GBC or Dr. White. I just was struck with the irony of the situation and was reminded of the boycott and realized I never really knew how that ended. But I want to assure you that sbc IMPACT is committed to encouraging, not discouraging, Southern Baptists. Though we deal with controversial issues from time to time, most of our writing is about good things happening in the SBC, particularly in our churches.
David and Geoff,
Thank you for defending my honor.
SelahV,
Thank you for reading between the lines and getting to the heart of the matter, and for making our guests so very welcome.
Bernard,
We skipped the teacups, too.
David,
I love the fish tank analogy.
As a recent flyer on the Buzz Lightyear ride at Tomorrowland, I hereby award each of you the rank of Galactic Explorer. Well done, space rangers!
Roger,
Thank you for the welcome. It’s good to e-meet you too.
Thank you, also, for being honest about the sarcasm in your post. I recently
heard Adrian Rogers (on a tape) say: “if you want to know what I’m really
like, don’t look at how I “act”, look at how I “react” when I’m cut off in
traffic, or someone disagrees with me..etc.”
I think that applies to how a person reacts when one is criticized too. You
have reacted in a very gracious way. That says a lot about you. I apologize
for coming on so strongly. I’m not a regular blogger or commenter, and as I
read some of the posts about the SBC, so many say they are only trying to
improve it, but they seem like they are trying to put the SBC down in subtle
ways, and some, not so subtle ways. I think I need to be more selective of
which blogs I read.
Thanks again, Roger, for treating me so kindly when some may say I don’t
deserve it.
God bless,
Rose