The Exhibit Area

Last week I attended a meeting of approximately two thousand Baptists.  In the meeting area, participants were mostly of one mind, with a few exceptions.  In the Exhibit Area, not so much of one mind.  That’s one reason I spend so much time in the Exhibit Area.  Partly because we allow each church to be autonomous, we are nearly always a divided bunch. In the Exhibit Area we have booths representing every group of Baptists. Kind of like heaven?  Well, that might be a bit of a stretch. More like a family reunion, complete with those we love, and those we love but don’t particularly like, and as always, the crazy Uncle. In the Exhibit Area I found friends, colleagues, and former students; persons with whom I agree and those with whom I disagree.  But for a couple of days, we were family, and I loved it. Because I have friendship connections across all group lines, I am either a friend in all camps or an enemy in all camps, and I don’t really care anymore.  Some people hate to attend conventions.  I love them – because I spend a lot of time in the Exhibit Area.  “So, we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5).