Several years ago, I found myself becoming an increasingly outspoken and cynical critic of many aspects of the Southern Baptist Convention. I was eager to jump into every debate, align myself with those who shared my frustration, and do my part to help “take back” the SBC and right the ship, so to speak.
At the time, I was serving as the pastor of a small rural church and in many ways, I felt invisible within convention life. I didn’t think pastors like me had much of a voice. But I quickly discovered that if I raised my voice online, there were plenty of people willing to listen. Even more than that, there was a tribe ready to welcome me in, applaud my critiques, and encourage me to keep going.
What I also discovered was that the louder and sharper my criticism became, the louder the applause grew.
That kind of affirmation is a strange and powerful drug. Before I realized it, I was hooked.
Looking back now, while I’m embarrassed by it, I can see that there were many factors contributing to the posture I had adopted. The broader cultural climate was tense and exhausting. COVID had disrupted everything. The George Floyd situation and the conversations surrounding race and CRT had created deep divisions. Politics were chaotic. The “Me Too” movement was reshaping institutions across the country. At the same time, I was trying to shepherd a church through all of it.
Within Southern Baptist life itself, there were also legitimate concerns. There were real missteps, serious errors, and decisions that deserved honest and charitable critique. Faithful Southern Baptists should never be afraid of good-faith accountability.
But somewhere along the way, my frustration began to outpace my a discernment and charity.
A Leader Who Listened
One particular moment stands out clearly in my mind. I came across some information online that deeply upset me. Convinced it was true, I took to social media and publicly expressed my distrust and disgust with the SBC. In that post, I even announced my intention to lead the church I was serving at the time to stop giving through the Cooperative Program altogether.
About an hour later, my phone rang.
It was Josh Powell.
At the time, Josh was serving as our State Convention President in South Carolina. I had met him before through convention involvement, but I didn’t really know him personally. To be honest, I had already created an entire narrative in my mind about guys like Josh who held in like his. I assumed that anyone elevated to leadership within the SBC must somehow be part of an inner circle working behind the scenes to steer the convention in the wrong direction.
As ridiculous as it sounds now, that was genuinely how I viewed things.
So when I saw his name pop up on my phone, I was stunned, and also intrigued.
The “platform guy” was calling the disgruntled rural pastor who had practically declared war on guys like him online.
I answered the phone expecting conflict and was ready for it.
Instead, I got kindness and an attentive ear.
Josh didn’t dismiss me. He didn’t belittle my concerns or treat me like a problem to manage. He listened carefully, asked thoughtful questions. And then he patiently walked me through several things I had, quite frankly, gotten all wrong. This was especially the case regarding the Cooperative Program and the incredible work it supports across our state, throughout North America, and around the world.
What struck me most was that he wasn’t trying to preserve some institution for institutionalism’s sake. To be frank, the church I pastored at the time wasn’t contributing some massive amount to the Cooperative Program. Our giving was a drop in the bucket financially.
No, what became clear to me during that conversation was that Josh sincerely believed in cooperation. He genuinely loved Southern Baptists. He believed that despite our flaws, there was still tremendous good happening through our shared mission efforts, and he believed the Cooperative Program remained the best tool we had for funding Great Commission work together.
That phone call became a turning point for me.
Over the next several months, there were multiple conversations that I had with individuals that I had previously written off. These conversations challenged me to reevaluate not only how I viewed the SBC, but also how I viewed the faithful, diverse and wonderful group of brothers and sisters that make up our convention family, and how I carried myself publicly.
But make no mistake, that first conversation with Josh was the catalyst. I gained clarity that day, but I also gained a trusted friend.
The Difference Cooperation Makes
Over time, my perspective on Southern Baptist life has changed dramatically. Not because every concern disappeared or because every criticism suddenly became invalid, but because I started seeing the convention less through the lens of suspicion and cynicism, but through the lens of cooperative partnership.
I began to realize how easy it is in the social media age to caricature people we don’t truly know. It’s easy to assign motives, create villains, and assume the worst about brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s far more difficult — and far more Christlike — to slow down, listen carefully, and pursue understanding.
In quite a “full circle” moment, this past year, I had the honor of serving as President of our Pastor’s Conference here in South Carolina and the very first person I called while putting together the lineup was Josh Powell and par for the course, on my way to the venue on the morning of the Pastor’s Conference, my phone rang. It was Josh again, who wanted to pray for me over me before the conference got started.
I’m deeply grateful for where our convention finds itself today. Southern Baptists are blessed to have two conservative, faithful pastors serving as announced candidates for Convention President. That is something worth celebrating.
While I don’t know Willy personally, I’ve long appreciated his ministry from afar and was deeply moved by his convention sermon a few years back. Many close friends of mine know him well, love him dearly, and speak highly of both his character and leadership. That carries significant weight with me, and I have no doubt he is a faithful brother.
But I do know Josh Powell. I know his heart, his family, his steady leadership, and his character. My wife thinks as highly of his wife Allison as I do of Josh. Their children love the Lord and esteem their dad and mom.
The vision Josh has articulated resonates deeply with me: highlighting the good work Southern Baptists are already doing, strengthening confidence in our confession, rebuilding trust in our cooperation, and renewing our focus on the Great Commission.
Those are things worth pursuing together and I believe that Josh Powell is the man to lead us to do just that.
For me personally, this journey has ultimately been about more than convention politics or denominational debates. It has been a reminder that cynicism rarely produces fruit, that relationships matter, and that sometimes God uses a simple phone call to change not only your perspective, but your heart as well.
Kyle Caudell
Pastor Kyle is the Lead Pastor of North Anderson Baptist. Originally from Northeastern Georgia and has been serving churches in Georgia and South Carolina for more than two decades. Kyle and his wife, Annette, have three married children, three granddaughters, a grandson, a house full of dogs, and a yard full of chickens.