Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president Johnny Hunt’s president’s address today was a sermon from 2 Chronicles 7 on the subject of “The State of our Southern Baptist Convention from Where I Sit.”
Hunt, who was later re-elected SBC president with no opposition, referenced the proposed Great Commission Resurgence task force, which he supports. “It is not about structure,” he said. “It’s not about policy. The last thing I want to do is violate policy.” He said he has spoken about the issue to a host of people around the convention in recent days, including executive directors of state conventions.
The greatest problem within the SBC, he said, is a lack of vision. Regarding the shortfall in Lottie Moon giving, Hunt said, “We do not have a money problem. We have a vision problem.” He said his church has increased its Cooperative Program (CP) giving in recent years and that a national increase in CP must begin at the local church.
Hunt listed four questions for messengers to consider:
1. “What if everyone took a close look to see if we’re doing the best we can?”
2. “What if every pastor regardless of the size of his church, saw his church as a missionary-sending unit?”
3. “What if every pastor saw his church as a church-planting church?”
4. “What if all of us did our best to reach the lost, … realizing that the light that shines the furthest shines the brightest at home?”
He also read theoretical headlines reporting on what a Great Commission Resurgence would appear like:
“Southern Baptist Convention enjoys greatest unity in history”
“Southern Baptist churches see fourth straight year of growth.”
“SBC, IMB, NAMB best run organizations by Forbes”
“IMB sends record numbers of missionaries”
Said Hunt, “That is the … president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s heart. May God do it.”