Holy. Cow.

The Nashville Tennessean posted a potentially explosive article about the future state of the Southern Baptist Convention from outgoing President Frank Page, who was surprisingly elected in 2006. The actual article is here, but let me give you a few snippets:

"If we don't start paying attention to the realities … by the year 2030, we will be proud to have 20,000 rather than 44,000 Southern Baptist churches,'' Page said. Page believes the 16.2 million-member convention faces the same challenges that bedeviled other Protestant denominations — lower birthrates, aging demographics and a culture increasingly hostile to Christianity. In response, churches tend to circle the wagons and hang on for dear life.

Me again: So the SBC shrinks in half, not because it has no choice, but because the churches refuse to innovate and adapt? Wow.

Page: "You've got massive numbers," he said, "maybe not a majority but massive numbers of evangelical churches out there, yes, Southern Baptists also, who are small groups of older white people holding on till they die."

Me yet again: The article has a bit more on SBC politics. Being raised an "independent" Baptist, I've never been too connected to SBC life, but I was shocked to read that Page's election was the first time they've ever had to actually vote for a President- the convention has always been a rubber-stamp ceremony. This year, they have 6 up for the spot. The fact that the SBC is just now getting around to having real elections with real choices makes Page's predictions that much more startling. How far behind is the SBC?

The wife and I are strongly considering an SBC church for membership, and while I think the political intrigue of the SBC is not quite so important at the local level, I still like to learn about the cart I'm considering hitching up to. In some ways I hope Page is wrong-- but if the losses he predicts are just dead weight, than I'm inclined to say that I hope he is RIGHT.