Churches pull out of the BSC

From staff reports

First Baptist Church in Henderson cut ties with the Baptist State Convention (BSC), becoming the first church to withdraw since the BSC dealt with several contentious issues at its annual meeting in November.

Another N.C. Baptist church, Greenwood Forest in Cary, has decided not to send money to the BSC next year, a move that it says effectively severs ties between the two groups.

The two churches bring to five the number of churches known to the Recorder that have publicly pulled out of the BSC. Shamrock Drive Baptist Church in Charlotte left in April; Watts Street Baptist Church in Durham in May 2004; and First Baptist Church of Newland in January 2003.

Other churches are known to be considering their relationship to the BSC.

First Baptist Church in Henderson made its announcement in an open letter to the BSC.

The letters says that church members have been "gravely concerned about a dramatic change in the spirit and tone" of BSC life for more than 10 years.

"There have been repeated efforts to align the Baptist State Convention as a satellite of the Southern Baptist Convention, a mounting desire to control institutions and agencies, a growing effort to stifle dissenting voices, and a constant determination to place limits on ways churches give financially and fulfill their mission," the letter says. "We have seen this thirst for control and power as a stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus, who said: 'Even the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, not so with you' (Matthew 20:25-28). We have longed for a Baptist life based on empowerment of ministry and mission, not control and domination."

The letter says the changes were carried forward at the BSC meeting last month.

"During this most recent session, the Baptist State Convention acted decisively to redefine the relationship between the Convention, its partner agencies and institutions and its member congregations," the letter said. "Funds previously promised to the Baptist Retirement Homes for benevolent care were placed in escrow to obtain 'negotiating leverage.' The bylaws were amended in ways that tighten the Convention's control over institutions and agencies, while leaving unchecked the power of the nominating committee. The Articles of Incorporation were amended so that churches which are found to 'affirm, approve, endorse, promote, bless or support homosexual behavior' will be forcibly removed from 'friendly cooperation' with the Convention."

The letter says that although the church does not have and does not intend to adopt a policy that violates the amendment regarding homosexuality, church members believe the new standards "violate our convictions about what it means to be Baptist Christians and our understanding of the mission of the church."

"We view the recent amendment to the Articles of Incorporation and its implementation guidelines as assaults on historic Baptist principles regarding the autonomy of congregations and the role of denominational bodies," the letter said. "Furthermore, we believe the convention's actions misrepresent the Scriptures and Christ Himself."

Church members said in their letter that faithfulness to the lordship of Jesus Christ is the sole basis of the life of the church and cooperation among Christians.

"We cannot participate in any effort to define Christian communities around other purposes, including perpetuating political agendas, promoting individual ethical issues, or reacting to the larger culture," they said. "When the church is called to prophetic engagement, we believe that we must respond faithfully, carefully, prayerfully, and in ways consistent with the lived witness of Christ. In all things, we believe that the church's language should be faithful to the entirety of the Scriptures and that the church's actions should embody the love and radical hospitality of our Lord.

While withdrawing from the BSC, the church affirmed its commitment to BSC insistitutions and agencies. The church also affirmed its desire to cooperate with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and "other Christians who share a guiding commitment to Christ, the Great Commandment, and the Great Commission."

Greenwood Forest voted earlier this year to stop sending money to the BSC in 2007, according to Randy Sherron, the church's pastor.

"In our minds, that stops our relationship to the Baptist State Convention," he said.

Last year, Sherron and another church member were denied positions on N.C. Baptist boards because of the church's affiliation with the Alliance of Baptists.

The 2005 nominating committee decided not to nominate anyone from an Alliance church because the BSC financial policy to not accept financial support from churches that publicly endorse or condone homosexuality as acceptable.

The Alliance has adopted a statement affirming same-sex marriage. Greenwood Forest has not taken a position in favor of homosexuality, but affiliated with the Alliance in order to partner with a Baptist church in Cuba, Sherron said.