Shall we dance (around the issue that is)

Last week we had a brown bag lunch with several of the National CBF (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship) staff at school. One of the persons there was part of CBF Administration. She was to lead a discussion with us about CBF and about the New Baptist Covenant. As you may remember, I attended the New Baptist Covenant Celebration meeting at the end of January. I have posted other blogs about this topic but it has been brought back into my attention since the meeting last week.

Periodically I receive emails from the New Baptist Covenant stating what the movement is doing. I received on on March 20. This was the handout that was given to us in the lunch meeting.

The woman leading the talks did nothing but dance around the issues. Several students posed questions and made statements about the meetings. The woman didn't answer them. She could hardly even talk about them. On the issue of homosexuality she looked at the student and said, "I've heard that before. I'll take that back with me." Clearly she either didn't want to answer our questions or she didn't know how to answer them.

After reading the email statement from March 20, I was quickly reminded again of the movements talk of diversity. While this meeting was historic because it was the first time that white and black Baptists had come together I felt that it was quite contrived. As I have stated in previous posts, I wonder what would have happened if the meeting had been held in a different place at a different time. The New Baptist Covenant was planned to take place at the end of the National Baptists meeting that was taking place in Atlanta. This would allow for many African American Baptists to attend. So my question is, would that many people have attended otherwise?

Speaking of diversity, remember the lunch meeting I mentioned? As I sat in that room with people who were supposed to be discussing the New Baptist Covenant, I looked around. Surprise, Surprise! There were no African American students present. Where was the diversity in that room? I'm not sure, but it certainly wasn't present.

The email from March 20 gave an overview of what the movement is focusing on now in the in between time. There were 11 points mentioned. These range from evangelism and poverty to global warming and separation of church and state. In the final point, the leaders made suggestions for enhancing the effectiveness of the New Baptist Covenant movement.

There are talks that this movement is going to become a triennial movement which will meet every 3 years. That means that in 2011 there will be another. Will it be purposely planned around the National Baptist meeting so that the term diverse can be used? Or will it be planned around the National CBF meeting and it be a bunch of white folks? Whatever the case may be, I can only look forward to the future. I don't t know what will happen. I don't understand all that has been planned. I can only pray for the leaders and try and determine how I, as one person, can be involved.