After his sermon, Pastor Paul George, the church’s associate pastor, asked if anyone would like to volunteer on the Monday after the annual meeting to help victims of a recent tornado about an hour’s drive away in Winchester, Indiana, where a home is in need of a cleanout of its drywall, ceilings and floors “to help these people get back on their feet.”
George then stood with Barber and Kinion and prayed for Barber.
“We pray for our brother and pastor, Dr. Barber, as he leads our convention through this convention and that you’ll bring peace and harmony and joy; that anything that wouldn’t be pleasing to you would be put aside and laid to rest,” George said, “but that we experience unity and harmony as we seek together to serve you in this kingdom.”
Priscilla Blackfox, an Oklahoman who is a member of Native Praise and a member of the SBC Committee on Nominations, said after the service that she agreed with the hopes for unity despite the expectations of controversy during the meeting.
“We want to see the Southern Baptist Convention just to continue with unified volunteers — because we’re all volunteers,” Blackfox said. “And we just pray for God’s will to be done in the Southern Baptist Convention.”
This article originally appeared here.
