Posted on 05/18/2006 9:12:48 AM PDT by NYer
COVINA, May 17 (UPI) — Leaders of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest have left the denomination, primarily over its handling of homosexuality.
The region's board of directors unanimously affirmed late last week an earlier recommendation to withdraw from its "Covenant of Relationships and Agreements" with the American Baptist Churches USA, Associated Baptist Press reported Wednesday.
The national denomination, which has its origins in a Civil War-era split from what is now the Southern Baptist Convention, is based in Valley Forge, Pa.
"God's heart is broken when sisters and brothers in Christ divide over matters of scriptural interpretation. We pray God's blessing on PSW as they go their way from the ABC family," said Roy Medley, the denomination's general secretary, according to American Baptist News Service. He also said "this parting of the ways will not diminish our passion, commitment and undaunted spirit to move forward in mission and ministry."
The latest decision ratifies an April 29 "straw poll" vote of delegates from the region's churches. In that vote, held at First Baptist Church in Pomona, Calif., and other locations around the region, members representing congregations voted 1,125-209 to terminate the covenant. In American Baptist polity, such covenants are important written agreements that bind the region with the national body.
The region's executive minister, Dale Salico, said in a May 12 press release that such an "overwhelming response" indicated a "mandate" from the vast majority of the region's American Baptists. The release also noted that 152 of the region's 250 eligible churches participated in the vote.
The region's board of directors, in initially recommending the severance, released a statement saying they made the recommendation because "deep differences of theological convictions and values between the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest (ABCPSW) and the American Baptist Churches in the USA (ABCUSA) are understood by the board of directors of the ABCPSW as irreconcilable."
Most of the "irreconcilable" differences seemed to focus on the way the denomination, with approximately 1.5 million members in more than 5,800 churches, relates to "gay-friendly" ministers and congregations. Even though American Baptist leaders approved a 1992 resolution opposing homosexual conduct, some ABC conservatives have asserted the wording and the enforcement of the motion on denominational agencies and personnel are not strong enough.
An August 2005 vote by the ABC-USA Ministers' Council particularly riled conservatives in the denomination. In it, the ministers defeated a proposed amendment that would have required members of the organization to be ministers who believe "sexual intimacy is only appropriate in the context of heterosexual marriage."
Progressive and centrist American Baptists, meanwhile, have tried to defend what they see as traditional Baptist stances on congregational autonomy and individual conscience in opposing the ouster of pro-gay churches and leaders.
The region's churches still have to decide individually whether to sever their relationships with the national denomination. A new group, called the Association of American Baptists in the Pacific Southwest, has established itself to coordinate the work of churches that choose to stay in the denomination. The group's Web site says it will work with the Los Angeles Baptist City Society, a local association of American Baptist churches.
In the meantime, according to the departed region's website, American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest will change its name to Transformation Ministries, which the site describes as "a movement of Baptist churches committed to change their worlds for Christ."
My wife's church (not mine) left the SBC a few years ago, not because it disagreed with them about abortion or homosexuality, but over the role of women in the church. Her church has had female deacons for decades and as I understand it the SBC frowns on that (although I have no idea whether they "outlaw" it). My wife is a deacon right now.
"Unnngh!"
Thank you SO much for such a clear and concise history lesson! I just find is so disheartening that "Christians" make such a mockery of God's word by yielding to political or monetary pressures, and especially to their own personal "desires" regardless of the issues. The fact that God sees all sin as sin and doesn't judge "big" or "little" sins the way we do should tell us something. The only "unforgivable sin" according to the Bible is rejection of the Holy Spirit. And rejection of the Holy Spirit means rejection of God's offer of salvation. The only "catch" there is repentance. You have to turn away from your "pet" sin (i.e. the one you simply "can't" let go of because it feels so good!) in order to be saved. No, I'm not speaking of a "works" but rather of "heart". It seems that so many so-called Christians simply flip God's Word to suit themselves, and then go off to find enough people who agree with whatever interpretation suits their own purposes, and bingo! A new denomination.... or (huge) variation of an old one. When God made man and woman, he didn't make a mistake in anatomy and in "which parts fit where." It should be obvious enough to anyone who believes in God at ALL that he never intended for homosexuality to be an acceptable "marriage" or "partnership." Thank you again for the explanation of the various groups. I come from an independent, fundamental Baptist background and was really hoping the SBC hadn't flipped to accept any of this. You cleared it up for me!
Nothin' wrong with that. "deacon" means "servant."
Some churches try to play a shell game by calling women who serve or work on staff "directors" or some such nonsense.
They are deacons.
Let's be honest and just call 'em by the biblical name.
It comes from "women shall keep silent in the church" which is basically interpreted as women should not preach or teach Christian men (men being adults... not children's Sunday School). I believe this goes for "leadership roles" such as pastors. Obviously this verse leads to a great deal of controversy, but then lots of things that we don't "agree" with do. If you take the verse literally, then women should never speak in a church. So since no one believes that is the case, it is taken as "leadership". In an independent-fundamental Baptist church, a woman cannot even direct the choir (however, I did exactly that in the church's Christian school.) When there is a woman at the pulpit for 40 minutes, she is a "guest speaker" not a preacher. It's all in the way you word it, I guess.
True Baptists believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Bible. The Bible is clear about homosexuality, in both Old and New Testaments. Ergo... the "Baptist" faction which is pro-gay is not truly Baptist.
Well, there is nothing on the SBC website that says anything about women being Deacons, though they do say the pastor role should be for men only. It is a dicey issues for sure, but one that is really blown out of proportion. Our church has had a few women Deacons and has one serving right now. I was told once that because of this our church was essentially "blacklisted" from any leadership role in our association. Well, the new Brotherhood Director for our association is the man I trained under for Disaster Relief and whose church had a woman serving as Deacon at the time he was appointed, so I think it is just people who expect there to be trouble saying something before they know the facts.
Frankly, I don't know what to think on the women serving in leadership roles issue. I don't have a problem with women serving as Deacons because there seems to be more than enough evidence that women in the early church served in that capacity. As for pastors, I haven't seen evidence where there was a woman serving as pastor and Paul even talked about them not serving.
I don't know what God wants there. Frankly, the bigger issue is to me is why so many men refuse to serve in leadership roles when asked. If they were more willing to serve, I don't this would even be an issue. For some reason, men in the church have largely seen their role relegated to bench warmer and curmudgeon at business meetings. It is no wonder churches have become more female-centric. Men don't want to do anything. We have a very hard time finding men to serve each year as Deacons. It is really sad. I view my roles as one of God's choosing, not mine. If He places it on our membership's hearts to elect me to serve as a Deacon, I have no right to refuse. Unfortunately, many in my own church don't see it that way.
Hey, ABCPS! Maybe you should consider coming "home" to the SBC... We agreee with you.
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Jeremiah 9:24 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
From one life-long Southern Baptist to another, nicely stated. God Bless all the conservatives who "took over" the Convention.
Article a little foggy, much explanation down the thread.
Is she teaching from God's Word? This is in your church?
I think God will have far more mercy on those who take 20-30 years to break a sinful habit (gambling, drugs, porn, homosexuality, etc) than he will those who re-define what He has defined as sin.
I didn't know that he had bought it. Thanks for the info and the article that you posted.
Unnngh indeed!
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