I just finished the 2nd of 3 annual conventions as a member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Committee on Order of Business. The Committee is charged with setting a schedule for the Convention, and handling motions made by the Messengers. Unpacking the whole convention will take weeks or years, but here are few thoughts:
It’s a battleship, not a race car. The annual Convention is the largest parliamentary deliberative assembly in the world. After a hundred years of Baptist fights, for theological and practical reasons, it’s designed to prevent emotional, quick decisions that could be permanent. The messengers can do almost anything, but the bigger the change, the harder it is to do it at a single Convention. The power to act quickly has been given to trustees and agencies in their own spheres. It’s a feature, not a bug.
Technology Arrives. Last year, on a platform of 20-or-so staffers and officers, I was the only person really using the internet connection. This year, nearly every person had an iPhone or something like it; I was monitoring twitter during breaks, and I know others were too. Last year, the microphones were controlled by the “mob” box, a console packed with electronics when I was in elementary school. This year, the microphones were controlled by a laptop, with touchscreens at each microphone. There were no telephones on the platform; everyone used cell phones - I used SMS to communicate with microphone monitors on the floor (and in a moment of panic, with Danny Akin, when a late shuttle delayed the Resolutions Committee). Pervasive technology gave this Convention a new level of communication.
Have patience with the process. Remember, the Committee and Bylaw 26 tries to buffer against emotion, personal attack, and limited information. As soon as controversial motions were introduced, the twittersphere would pronounce the SBC dead and gone, only to grant it a reprieve when the motions were required to be referred or ruled out of order. This year’s dispute over theology and practice is “new,” but it’s not the first dispute in SBC history; the process is designed to deter theological smackdowns from the floor.
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Thank you, Jon. I saw you at the airport talking to Micah and should have introduced myself. I appreciate the way business was handled this year. This gives us a glimpse behind the scenes. Some assume wrongly what happens “back there”.
Comment by Jay Raines 06.26.09 @ 9:36 amThank you. This was very informative, but I do have a question. I was near a microphone and at one point, one person was allowed to speak on a topic and another was waiting at the same microphone. All of a sudden, Johnny Hunt said that the time for questions had expired. The young man was visibly upset that he was not allowed to speak. What is the time limit on questions and why aren’t all who have them allowed to speak?
Thank you for your service to the committee. You are a blessing to us.
Wendy –
Unfortunately, we’re controlled by the clock.
Bylaw 26c requires the last one third of an entity report to be reserved for questions; in practice, most reports have up to five minutes for questions. This year, I think we only ran out of time on one report.
I do want to point out that everyone who has wanted to make a motion has always been able to do so. We’ve never left anyone standing who was ready to make a motion because of time.
Comment by Jon 06.26.09 @ 10:44 amWow Jon, You’re big stuff! Bet Aryn’s glad to have you back with the her and the boys.
Comment by Greg Finke 06.26.09 @ 2:19 pmJon, thanks for your informative blog. It was a pleasure working with you on the platform again this year.
Barry
Comment by Barry McCarty 06.26.09 @ 2:33 pmWendy:
Also keep in mind that, at or before the allotted time expires, a messenger may make a motion to extend the time for a certain period. If 2/3 of the messengers agree, the time can be extended so that others may ask questions. If not, the chair must move forward with the order of business.
Mike
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