First, the SBC Repentance Resurgence required to elect a black president

Before the Southern Baptist Convention can experience a Great Commission Resurgence (GCR), it must repent "systemic, institutionalized, and historic negative attitudes toward women, races, and dissenters," argued prominent African-American pastor Southern Baptist pastor Dwight McKissic. And elect pastor Fred Luter of Franklin Ave. Baptist Church in New Orleans the first African American President of the SBC.

In a March 30 blog entry, McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, Tex., also recommended Troy Gramlin, Pastor of the Flamingo Road Baptist Church in South Florida, is to be nominated for president of the SBC Pastor’s Conference.

McKissic said some have erred in treating Gramlin's view of women in the ministry as unbiblical. He challenged "Peter Lumpkins, Gramlin’s most vocal critic," to debate Gramlin.

Founded in 1845 amid national debate over slavery and the role of slaveholders in the church, only after first undergoing a "Great Repentance Resurgence" can the SBC hope to undergo a Great Commission Resurgence, McKissic argued. It is a repentance McKissic clearly intends to sweep past the 1995 renunciation of racism and apology for past defense of slavery to deal more constructively with the role of women and others.

McKissic pointedly addressed the SBC leadership. He said:

The primary reason I’m addressing this subject is because I want to appeal to the patriarchs of our convention (Johnny Hunt, Paige Patterson, Al Mohler, Danny Akin, Ronnie Floyd, Frank Page, and others) to call a solemn assembly and invite Southern Baptists to pray, seek God’s face, repent and turn from our wicked ways.

And quoted Joel 1:13-15 to illuminate his point.

McKissic's call for repentance comes amid turmoil over the fate of the GCR Task Force recommendations and a stinging if more parabolic criticism by outspoken Enid, OK, pastor Wade Burleson.

These are interesting times for current and would-be SBC leadership. And are destined to become progressively more so.