In contrast to Dr. Patterson, who has endorsed the putative candidate for SBC president, Morris Chapman, a former president, takes the opposite approach. On his blog, Chapman speaks of returning to the policy that called for picking the president as a matter of prayer rather than politics.

Here is the money quote in my opinion:

Today political strategies, agendas, and power politics threaten to distract us from empowered possibilities of a people who rely solely upon God's guidance. We are drawn to do things as the world does them. To lose power from above all too often drives us to generate artificial power of our own making. We can intellectualize the Word of God 'til the cows come home and Christ reigns supreme upon the earth, but the more we attempt to do in our own power, the less we shall know the power of God. Our strength pales in comparison to the Christ who arose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the Father.

The use of power politics has jaded the laity of the SBC. Most do not feel they have any input into the policies of the convention and that their leaders do not really care about them. They see the politics. If the Band of Brothers that controls the presidency does not give them credit for being smart enough to see the politics, they are delusional. When you throw in the recent events of trying to silence a member of a board for dissent and the abuse of funds, Baptists find their leadership the equivalent of much of the national political leadership: corrupt, selfish, myopic.

There is still time to avoid a cataclysm in the convention, but not much time. Younger pastors are revolting and the laity has lost respect for most of the current leadership. It is time to repent of wordliness and devote time to spiritual, scriptural leadership.

You won't do this, of course. But at least I can say I told you so.