By Staff, Conservative Baptist Network BOSSIER CITY, La. (CBNSB) — The Conservative Baptist Network of Southern Baptists issued a statement, Sept. 21, offering support for the use of "Great Commission Baptists" as the theme for the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. But, the group opposed the theme as a name swap for the SBC as has been suggested in news headlines that claimed "Southern" was a racist term and that the name change was needed in light of current social justice issues. Brad Jurkovich, the network's spokesman and pastor of First Baptist Bossier, Bossier City, said "CBN members  hold a variety of opinions on whether Southern Baptists should or should not change their name from the historic but more regional name 'Southern Baptists' to a more expansive name such as 'Great Commission Baptists' or 'North American Baptists.'" But, he added, "we reject the idea that the name 'Southern' is racist, which would itself be a slur against millions of innocent Americans of all races. Moreover, he continued, "we oppose any effort to change the name of the SBC that is simply a desire to pander to advocates of Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, and similar ideas deceptively labeled as 'Social Justice.'" … [Read more...]