Bobby Welch is on the campaign trail. The president of the Southern Baptist Convention has visited all 50 states in his "Everyone Can" evangelism tour. (Are they using tithes and offerings to fund this sillines?) His last stop was in Hawaii. I'm assuming the ridiculous red, white, and blue bus, emblazoned with the American flag, didn't make that part of the trip. Baptist Press has the full story. (For new readers, I don't link to BP because...well...because they're BP.)
The story of Welch's visit to a Hawaiian Baptist church and his taking part in a neighborhood canvassing campaign reads like bad ad copy.
Welch and Duffer knocked on the door of a nice home at the end of a cul-de-sac. A young mother answered the door.Welch established a nearly instant rapport with the young mother who was holding her infant son. A 2-year-old daughter peeked out at the visitors from behind the young mother’s legs...
“I was raised in Guam as a Catholic,” the young lady said. “When I was a teenager, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and began attending a nondenominational church in Guam. But, I am embarrassed to say that we have kind of slipped out of going to any church since we moved here.”
Welch encouraged her and explained how the Baptist church just down the road had a dynamic new pastor, children’s programs and young couples like her.
“Women’s Bible studies might interest me,” the young lady told Welch.
“Let us have your telephone number and I will give it to Pastor Wiles’ wife,” Welch said. “She will give you a call and let you know more about Waikoloa Baptist Church.”
Appreciatively, the young woman jotted her telephone number down on a piece of paper.
Can I make a few observations? He established a nearly instant rapport? What the hell? Since the substance of the conversation follows that statement, it's easy to see that all he did was proselytize. Maybe that's what passes for rapport in SBC circles, and if that's the case, it's not a wonder that they suck at making friends with non-Baptists. Oh, and the church has a dynamic new pastor, as opposed to static, children's programs, and couples like her. Like her? What if she's a cannibal lesbian? Hard to know those sorts of things in five-minutes of verbal tract work. And the fact that she's interested in women's Bible studies gives more weight to my suspicions...She jotted her number down appreciatively? How do you jot appreciatively? This is journalism? C'mon, folks, this is propaganda. I saved the best quote for last though:
Later that evening back at the church building, the visitation teams gathered to share their experiences. Through the open windows of the well-lit sanctuary a warm, gentle trade wind breezed up from the ocean nearby.
Is this a romance novel or a news piece? Bobby comes to Hawaii and even the winds cooperate in the overall feeling of well-being and shalom. These are the same Baptists always crowing about truth. Shame it doesn't infect their journalism as well.
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