"ABC is not collapsing," said Medley. "Our mission focus and call are clear. We intend to focus on them like a laser beam"

Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf (aka "Baghdad Bob") was one of the most colorful spokespersons during the fall of the Saddam regime in Iraq. Throughout the conflict, he kept insisting that Iraq was winning. As tanks were barreling down the street, he told reporters that the Americans were nowhere to be seen. When Saddam was captured, Baghdad Bob said: "That isn't Saddam. You captured Santa Claus. I demand his release."

The similarities to our ABC situation might occasion a smile if it were not so painful. In the Associated Baptist Press piece, Dr. Medley was cited: "Although the ABC national office is experiencing funding losses due to divisions over homosexuality, the venerable denominational group, based in Valley Forge, Pa. is not collapsing, said Roy Medley, ABC general secretary."

Ms. Susan Gillies, Executive Minister of Nebraska and co-author of the "ABC Views from the Middle" blog (http://abcviewsfrommiddle.blogspot.com/) opines along similar lines.

"The good news in ABC life is there is a softening in positions among some key leaders. There are those (on both/all sides) who are truly trying to find a way to lead this denomination through these troubled waters. Thank you to those who are staying open and are willing to re-think and try again.I encourage those of you who have emotionally 'thrown in the towel' to pick it up again. This tenacious ABC may be flawed but it has deep roots and a will to live that is overcoming the obstacles being thrown in its way."

Ms. Gillies also laments the current amount of "mis-information" which she finds distressing. She lauds the letter from General Secretary Medley as helping to define "the direction he intends to lead us." So far nothing that Dr. Medley has said has seemed even remotely supplemental to his crystal clear address at the Denver Biennial. Indeed, he charted "the direction he intends to lead us" at that time. Augmented by the powerful words of Dr. William Herzog II, this direction gave rise to the Lombard Summit last month.

As the Associated Baptist Press reported: "ABC is not collapsing," said Medley. "Our mission focus and call are clear. We intend to focus on them like a laser beam." Baghdad Bob could not have said it better.

[Comments in this blog belong to the blogger alone and do not represent the position of any official, official board, or entity within the ABCPSW]