Most of you know that I have spent the last few days in Greensboro, NC meeting with fellow messengers of the Baptist State Convention for the annual meeting. I have never really been that involved with convention matters here in N.C., probably because I am just now beginning my first pastorate in N.C. And because I spent the last 2 years in Northern Ohio I was certainly out of touch. So, for the last few days I have spent a lot of time reading and listening. It was a very interesting convention, and I believe a pretty important one because some major decisions were made. Allow me to list briefly the 4 Major Actions taken by the convention and my personal reaction to them.
1) The convention voted to exclude Myers Park Baptist Church of Charlotte, NC from it's fellowship.Last year, the convention made the decision that if any church of the Baptist State Convention affirms or blesses homosexual behavior is to be considered "not in friendly cooperation" with the BSC. By their own admission, Myers Park Baptist Church were and are in violoation of the conventions membership policies regarding the issue of homosexuality. The most interesting thing is that this large church of Charlotte with it's approximately 1,900 members contributed less than $250 to the cooperative program of the BSC last year and hasn't sent a messenger to the convention in 8 years. So, why this year? Do they want a little publicity? Are they trying to gather sympathy from the world? Only God knows their motivations. I'm sure this will come out as if we baptists hate homosexuals, which isn't true at all. We welcome, invite, and beg all men and women to come to Christ, and God loves all and saves all that call upon His name. But the Bible also tells us that God loved us too much to leave us the way we were in our sin. The Bible says, "If anyone be in Christ, he is a
new creature; old things have passed away, behold all things become new." It is not we who are hating homosexuals... it is really those who choose to deceive them by telling them that God does not care enough for them to deal with their sin.
2) The convention also approved a proposal from our baptist colleges that will give the schools the right to choose their own trustees in exchange for relinquishing the funding they receive from the Baptist State Convention over the next 4 years.The Baptist colleges of N.C. (Campbell, Wingate, Gardner-Webb, Chowan, and Mars Hill) no longer want any say-so or control from the BSCNC. In the past, we have appointed the trustees to these schools. But apparently our convention leadership has reached the point that they believe we would be better off just to let them go their own way, let them appoint their self-perpetuating boards of trustees, and for us to no longer have any say so. The presidents of these colleges asked the messengers "to please trust us..." that they would continue to appoint trustees from cooperating Baptist churches to their college boards. However, I must admit that I'm a little pessimistic. Maybe because I know very well human nature, and maybe because I've seen the direction that so many other previously Christian colleges and universities have gone. This truly saddens me. I would love to see our Baptist colleges remain under the guidance and direction of the convention, and be places of quality Christian education where solid conservative theology is upheld and taught. But it doesn't appear this will be possible.
3) Another important matter dealt with the severing of the relationship between the Baptist Retirement Homes of N.C. and BSCNC.The truth of the matter is, through the unethical and illegal procedures of the trustees of the BRH of NC, the relationship between the BRH and the BSCNC has already been severed. There were talks of litigation which I believe we would win hands down since the board of trustees violated their very own constitution and bylaws. However, Scripture is clear that brothers in Christ should be mature enough to handle disputes and differences without sueing one another and bringing reproach to the name of Christ. Personally, I don't know about the spiritual condition of the BRH trustees, but I do know that the leadership of the BSC are Christians, and are deeply convinced that saving face and not doing harm to the name of Christ is far more important than anything else. Therefore, the convention voted to respectfully request the BRH to follow the procedures outlined in the BSCNC by-laws to officially sever the relationship with the convention and to seek to establish a new relationship. It was also approved to make this decision financially beneficial to them for doing this. But personally, I am not going to hold my breath waiting for them to comply with the request. The Baptist Retirement Homes Study Committee did a wonderful job in investigating and reporting to the convention the situation. The findings were very disturbing and sad, and I think a lot of good baptist people would be shocked if they read it, which I do recommend.
4) And finally, the convention also approved the board of director's proposed budgets for 2008 & 2009 and the N.C. Mission Offering allocations for 2008.The big deal about the NCMO for 2008 is the fact that it doesn't include the WMU-NC. It is a very long and drawn out ordeal, which I won't get into all of it here. But the main issue had to do with the final say-so in the hiring and firing process of WMU-NC staff. Ruby Fulbright, the current president of the WMU-NC said she had it. But according to the BSCNC by-laws, which states that WMU-NC staff are employees of the BSCNC, the truth is, that the Executive-Director Treasurer has the final say-so. Further more, to give up that responsibility would cause the BSCNC to be open and vulnerable to all kinds of serious law suits and ultimately financial disaster. Therefore, the BSCNC position could not be compromised. But yet even so, understanding all the implications of their decision, the WMU-NC executive board still decided they would rather separate themselves and take on all the financial burden, and have therefore asked all the WMU-NC staff to resign from the BSCNC effective Dec.31st 2007. When one cuts through all the politically correct terminology and double talk, one finds that the gist of the matter is this: The WMU-NC executive board decided that they would rather be completely independent of and not be accountable to the BSCNC, and would rather instead be completely free and able to work with other entities like the CBF and the BWA. This is what it all boils down to. They want baptist money, but they do not want any accountability. This is not only wrong, it's unbiblical.
Personally, I think this is a terrible move by the board, and I do not believe that it represents the feelings or thoughts of the thousands and thousands of faithful ladies of the WMU across this convention. I love the WMU; they are extremely hard working and supremely faithful and devoted to the cause of Christ. And nothing would please me more than to see the executive board's decision reversed and the WMU-NC once again realigned with the BSCNC (
which by the way has been offered to them) And if I were one of the ladies apart of the WMU, I would be calling for Ruby Fulbright's resignation and a return to the BSCNC. However, if they choose to continue down this road, then I believe we have no choice but to let them go and begin making efforts to establish a new mission education organization within the BSCNC. These are indeed troubling times, but I know the God whom we serve... that He is faithful and true... and I know that we will weather this storm, and I know that in the end the name of Christ will be lifted up and magnified. And I will pray to this end.
