Southern Great Commission Baptists???

The Southern Baptist Convention decided this week to sort of, kind of, not really change its name this week.  The legal name will remain the same, but a modifier has been added.  In addition to, or in substitution of, SBC churches may call themselves, Great Commission Baptists.

I know that my regular followers have been wondering where the Deuceology blog post about this has been.  They know that I have been a lifelong Southern Baptist and are wondering what I think about it.  So, here goes.

I don’t care.

I hope that wasn’t too anti-climatic.  I simply don’t care what the name of the denomination of my local church.

I understand  all the sides of the issue.

Are you really a Southern Baptist if your church is in Massachusetts or Kenya?

The name is offensive to some due to the origination being tied to the South and slavery.

Some are proud, like the leadership of the Tennessee Baptist Convention,  of the Southern Baptist name.  They do not see the need of any sort of change.

Again, I don’t really care.  I’m not terribly proud or ashamed of my Southern Baptist heritage.  I’ve never felt the need to apologize to anyone for what my ancestors did.  All of that is history.  I don’t ignore it , but neither do I fly a banner or allow it to trip me up.

My concern is whether people know Christ.

If I call myself a Great Commission Baptist in New England, and people know  Christ, then that’s what I want.

If I call myself a Southern Baptist in the Bible Belt , and people know Christ, then it’s a win.

I won’t boast in either one.

All I want to do is boast in Christ.

Are you a Southern Baptist?  Do you care about the name?  Are you okay with this non-change change?  Did you even know about it?