Southern Baptists are left with a kind of informal, sociological creed. Southern Baptist church tradition is usually whatever is popular at the moment in the nation's biggest SBC churches. In a denomination based on a casual form of majority rule, the saints do not have the right to vote. Thus, Southern Baptist life has become dominated by the latest charts on statistical growth. And that is true.
Individual congregations can do many wonderful things.
They can also be cut off from the flow of Baptist life. Many moderate Baptists have encouraged me to stand and fight for change. The few liberal Baptists I know have told me not to care so much about what the denomination does. Baptist congregations are absolutely free, they stress. I know that in the future, some SBC congregations and individuals will choose to remain free and will be happy doing so.