The First Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina began an annual event a couple of years ago called Say Something Nice Sunday which is scheduled for this Sunday, June 7th, 2009. Many Southern Baptist Associations and Conventions have adopted the day themselves, including the historic Charleston Baptist Association and the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Mitch Carnell, a member of First Baptist and a leader in the observance, said that the special day “came out of the church’s history of respecting all Christians of whatever persuasion, proclaimed in the church covenant of 1791.”
“Think of the joy on one day,” he told The Baptist Courier, “when no Christian will say anything bad about another Christian or Christian group or anyone else. It is to be a day of affirmation, a day which celebrates our unity in diversity.”
Jim Austin, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, in a statement released to the Courier, “You never know how a word fitly spoken may be powerfully used by God to brighten someone’s day, to encourage someone ready to give up, to inspire one to true greatness. Speak those words to someone.”
“Let only positive words flow from your lips on this one day,” Carnell suggested, and then wondered, “Who knows? Perhaps if we can manage for one day, we can push it to two days or even more.”
I am cooperating with Mitch Carnell and other authors on a book that will be published soon entitled “Christian Civility.” I have read the authors’ proofs and a variety of men and women who have contributed to the book have done an excellent job of showing the importance of civility in our lives and culture.
Ironically, James A. Smith, Sr, the Executive Editor of the Florida Baptist Witness who opposes “Say Something Nice Sunday” opined in an editorial the following:
“Niceness is breaking out in South Carolina Baptist churches. I pray the rest of the Southern Baptist Convention is not next.”
In the spirit of this weekend let me say something nice about the editor of the Florida Baptist Witness: God seems to be in the business of answering Jim’s prayers.
In His Grace,
Wade Burleson
Posted by Wade Burleson at 10:00:00 AM 93 comments
