Recently Al Mohler wrote about the potential name change of the Southern Baptist Convention.  But this post isn’t about the discussion regarding changing the name of my beloved denomination.  Instead I want to focus on the last few things Dr. Mohler wrote that settled in my heart as very important… (Emphasis below is mine):

Family discussions are often difficult, but this is what healthy families do — they work through the challenges rather than run from them.

There are good arguments to be made on both sides of this question — so let’s make them. There are important questions to ask — so let’s ask them. There are emotional issues that pull at our hearts — so let’s talk about them. There are generations of the past to whom we owe so much and a generation of those now living we desperately want to reach — so let’s bridge them. There are legal and financial issues to consider — so let’s consider them. There are so many Southern Baptists from which we need to hear — so let’s listen to them.

Most importantly, there is a world desperately in need of the Gospel of Jesus Christ — so we must not allow this question to divert our energies from the Great Commission task.  It will not matter what we call ourselves if we lose sight of the one great cause that has brought us together.

What Dr. Mohler wrote is powerful… for more situations than considering changing the name of a convention.  It applies to literal family units that are struggling with hard decisions.  It applies to state conventions… local associations… and individual churches that have tough decisions to make.  Too many times people and groups become paralyzed when a decision needs to be made which results in no decision which is usually the worst decision.

Is there something in your family that needs to be addressed rather than ignored?  Is there a situation that you’ve been putting off that has the potential to greatly impact your loved ones that needs to be looked at seriously?  Can I suggest that a healthy family doesn’t run from those discussions… they embrace them to work through them for God’s glory.