More SWBTS Chapel

Here's the latest from Baptist Press on the SWBTS chapel service on Tuesday.

http://www.bpnews.org/bpnews.asp?ID=23889

I mentioned to a friend the other day that probably Dwight McKissic spoke as he did because he is used to doing so in his pulpit within the African-American church climate. That is exactly what Bro. McKissic says in the above article:

McKissic had stated in his letter to Patterson, "If addressing the [IMB] policy violated SWBTS chapel protocol, and apparently it did, I deeply apologize for having done so. Please forgive me; I was unaware of this protocol. I was speaking from my faith tradition (National Baptist Convention) and cultural background that encourages addressing unbiblical and discriminatory issues prophetically and publicly. However, I do believe in submission to authority and I will submit to SWBTS protocol in the future to the extent that I am aware of it." He offered to submit an advance manuscript of his message if he is invited again as a chapel speaker [BP].

I don't know if the above statement gives Bro. McKissic a pass. It seems to me he should have been more sensitive to the issue of speaking so strongly against an IMB policy in the chapel at Southwestern and at least given Dr. Patterson the courtesy of a "heads-up" on what he was going to say. That could have prevented this fiasco. Whether one agrees with the IMB policy or not or agrees with Dr. Patterson's stance against tongues or not, a preacher being invited by the president of Southwestern has the obligation to at least give a private warning before releasing a bomb. Bro. McKissic says that he desires to submit to authority. When you preach in another's pulpit, you are under authority. Submission requires giving warning when something super controversial is coming in the sermon.