Gay-friendly church invites investigation
By Steve DeVane
BR Managing Editor
A Baptist church in Charlotte has notified the Baptist State Convention (BSC) that the congregation is in violation of the BSC's stance against homosexuality.
The deacons at Myers Park Baptist Church sent an open letter to BSC officers. The letter, dated Feb. 6, says the church welcomes gay and lesbian persons to participate fully in church life and serve as church leaders.
Messengers to the BSC meeting in November changed the BSC governing documents to reflect that churches that support homosexuality are no longer in "friendly cooperation" with the convention.
The letter notes that BSC procedures call for two complaints about a church before an investigation is started.
"The purpose of this letter is to inform you there is no need to wait upon the secret reports of others," the deacons wrote. "We, with our 1,850 members serving as witnesses, hereby turn ourselves in."
BSC officials declined to comment.
The letter invites BSC officials to visit the church and get to know the congregation this spring. It notes that the deacons "believe strongly in the gospel's power of transformation through experience."
"Please come join us in all facets of our church life, including our worship, Christian education, mission outreach and all of the other activities of our congregation," the letter says. "We welcome the opportunity for dialogue with you."
The letter acknowledges the BSC's authority as an autonomous group to determine its membership, but also notes that the BSC's Articles of Incorporation said the convention "is not set up to govern or exercise any authority over other Baptist bodies, but to assist churches in promoting missions, evangelism, education and social services."
The letter says that the Sanderson amendment's effect "is to govern interpretation of the Bible by majority vote."
"We hope that a Baptist Convention operating in the spirit of the Baptist principles of soul competence, soul freedom and local church autonomy would provide for a wider range of scriptural interpretation than your decision indicates," the letter says. "We are also concerned about what other differences of scriptural interpretation the Convention might use in the future to exclude North Carolina churches."
The letter says Myers Park has been a part of the BSC since the church's founding in 1943.
"We have happily contributed both our members and our financial resources to the purposes of the Convention," the letter says. "While we have not always been in agreement with you (nor you with us), our differences were guided by a mutual respect and a spirit of fellowship."
The deacons say in the letter that they recognize that both the church and the BSC are seeking to be faithful to God.
"We have a long and important relationship with North Carolina Baptists," it says. "While we are not eager to see ties broken, we reaffirm Christ's welcome to all persons and our commitment to being a healing witness in a world of divisions and a part of God's dream to make all things one."
