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tagged: Florida Baptist Witness, Geoff Baggett, IMB, International Mission Board, Paul Chitwood, Quotable, Rodney Hammer, SBC Issues, SBC NewsQuotable – Paul Chitwood
Posted by Quotable in IMPACT Features
(The trustees do not want missionaries to) “…feel muzzled or unable to express their opinions, disagreement or constructive suggestions. There are, however, appropriate times and ways to express dissent. Given Dr. Hammer’s conduct, his resignation of his leadership position is appropriate.”
Dr. Paul Chitwood, chairman of the trustees of the International Mission Board, commenting on Rodney Hammer’s “open letter to the SBC” in a statement to James A. Smith, Sr., executive editor of the Florida Baptist Witness.
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“Sit Down and Shut Up”; same tune, second verse.
“Given Dr. Hammer’s conduct, his resignation of his leadership position is appropriate.”
Pressed if it was appropriate for a missionary to engage in such activity, Chitwood declined to comment further.”
Why not comment further? What activity? What conduct? Be specific about Hammer’s ‘conduct’ and what he did that was so wrong. Let’s be open and transparent. Put all the cards on the table instead of these vague statements that imply things that are not. Conduct? He makes it sound as if Hammer struck someone or cussed out a trustee. But all he did was write a detailed letter and resign. He dared to dissent.
The whole article was a bit strange. Can you imagine if Paul took the writer’s view and did not rebuke Peter because he was a ‘senior’ Apostle? My goodness. Are we brothers and sisters in Christ equal in the site of the Lord and part of the Holy Priesthood? Or, are we just employers and employees, rulers and peasants?
“There are appropriate times and ways to express dissent.” Right. If you believe that the IMB BoT truly subscribes to that notion, I’ve got a cure-all potion for what ails you to sell to you. Wade Burleson tried to express dissent repeatedly, going through proper channels, and look where that got him. This BoT doesn’t tolerate any form of dissent and muzzles those who dare to express their disagreement. A very sad situation indeed.
I wrote a post on prioritizing PR versus prioritizing effectiveness awhile back. Dare I suggest that there’s a possibility that the principles I relate there might be relevant(not only here, but in a lot of church politics, Baptist and otherwise)?
Praise God that missionaries are willing to forsake all and go to the ends of the earth to take the Gospel of Christ to all nations! Here’s the bottom line: people are being saved and baptized, churches are being planted, unreached people are hearing the Gospel, and God is being glorified. Let’s be willing to disagree if we must, but do it in unity and in deep joy that Christ is exalted and the Kingdom is being built.