Fred Stone, president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, says he “likes what [he] heard” from Great Commission Resurgence Task Force chairman Ronnie Floyd.
Fred StoneStone was among 400 in attendance in Nashville Feb. 22 when Floyd presented a progress report on the work of the GCR Task Force of the Southern Baptist Convention.
“I am optimistic that the Great Commission Task Force’s final report and recommendations [to be released May 3] will help us get back?on track of?being more intentional about?fulfilling the Great Commission,” Stone said.
“I think most people throughout the Southern Baptist Convention will respond favorably?to what was presented,” he said. “It?points out that what we are currently doing isn’t working and that?change must take place.”
Floyd’s call for?Southern Baptists to return to the?”primacy and centrality” of the local church and for each church to “own the responsibility of fulfilling the Great Commission” was an “important reminder as we address denominational issues,” Stone said.
“There?will be many?within the SBC who?will be?disappointed that there were not more specific recommendations about reducing the bureaucracy of our convention on both the state and national levels,” Stone said, adding that he believes such issues will be addressed in the final report and recommendations of the task force when it is released on May 3.
“I think [SBC president] Johnny Hunt put this preliminary report in perspective,” said Stone. “He said that what was?recommended is?what the average Southern Baptist thought we were already doing. It may come as?a surprise that we are not doing it.”