In response to messenger actions at the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting Nov. 15, convention leaders will ask the BGCT Executive Board to consider withdrawing fellowship from two churches that permit practicing homosexuals to be members.
Messengers to the BGCT annual meeting approved two motions Nov. 15 related to churches not in “harmonious cooperation” with the convention.
Photo by Robbie Rogers
The congregations at issue are First Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, and Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Neither church cooperates with the Southern Baptist Convention or the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
"The BGCT believes First Baptist Church, Austin and Wilshire Baptist Church are outside of harmonious cooperation as defined by the convention's historical position and past actions, and reaffirmed by a motion passed by messengers to this year's annual meeting," the BGCT told Baptist Press in written comments.
"Since messengers also passed a motion to formalize the process for addressing churches who place themselves in this position, the BGCT will refer to its Executive Board for consideration any churches who place themselves outside of harmonious cooperation," the BGCT stated.
Earlier this month, BGCT leaders sent letters to First Baptist and Wilshire informing them that to affirm any form of sexual expression outside marriage between one man and one woman was tantamount to "choos[ing] to withdraw ... from harmonious cooperation with the churches of the convention," the BGCT said.
First Baptist responded with an open letter on the church's website to BGCT leaders stating, "We are proudly and openly welcoming and affirming of all God's beloved children."
The letter accused the BGCT of "complete disregard for the fragile freedom of the local church as outlined in our historic Baptist tradition" and pledged to withhold funds from the convention starting immediately.
Wilshire leaders announced to the congregation Nov. 14 via email that the church body had voted 577-367 over the previous two Sundays to approve a recommendation permitting "all members to participate in congregational life on the same basis as any other church member regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." The vote followed a study process that yielded a 35-page report from a deacon-appointed "Inclusion and Diversity Study Group."
During the BGCT annual meeting this week in Waco, Texas, messengers approved two motions related to withdrawal of fellowship from individual congregations, though neither named a specific church.
One motion stated "that the convention reserves to itself exclusively, through a two-thirds vote of its Executive Board, the authority to remove a congregation from harmonious cooperation."
The other motion stipulated "that any church which affirms any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a marriage between one man and one woman be considered out of harmonious cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas."
http://www.bpnews.net/47907/gayaffirming-churches-trigger-bgct-response
Messengers to the BGCT annual meeting approved two motions Nov. 15 related to churches not in “harmonious cooperation” with the convention.
Photo by Robbie Rogers
The congregations at issue are First Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, and Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas. Neither church cooperates with the Southern Baptist Convention or the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention.
"The BGCT believes First Baptist Church, Austin and Wilshire Baptist Church are outside of harmonious cooperation as defined by the convention's historical position and past actions, and reaffirmed by a motion passed by messengers to this year's annual meeting," the BGCT told Baptist Press in written comments.
"Since messengers also passed a motion to formalize the process for addressing churches who place themselves in this position, the BGCT will refer to its Executive Board for consideration any churches who place themselves outside of harmonious cooperation," the BGCT stated.
Earlier this month, BGCT leaders sent letters to First Baptist and Wilshire informing them that to affirm any form of sexual expression outside marriage between one man and one woman was tantamount to "choos[ing] to withdraw ... from harmonious cooperation with the churches of the convention," the BGCT said.
First Baptist responded with an open letter on the church's website to BGCT leaders stating, "We are proudly and openly welcoming and affirming of all God's beloved children."
The letter accused the BGCT of "complete disregard for the fragile freedom of the local church as outlined in our historic Baptist tradition" and pledged to withhold funds from the convention starting immediately.
Wilshire leaders announced to the congregation Nov. 14 via email that the church body had voted 577-367 over the previous two Sundays to approve a recommendation permitting "all members to participate in congregational life on the same basis as any other church member regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." The vote followed a study process that yielded a 35-page report from a deacon-appointed "Inclusion and Diversity Study Group."
During the BGCT annual meeting this week in Waco, Texas, messengers approved two motions related to withdrawal of fellowship from individual congregations, though neither named a specific church.
One motion stated "that the convention reserves to itself exclusively, through a two-thirds vote of its Executive Board, the authority to remove a congregation from harmonious cooperation."
The other motion stipulated "that any church which affirms any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a marriage between one man and one woman be considered out of harmonious cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas."
http://www.bpnews.net/47907/gayaffirming-churches-trigger-bgct-response
