Just an hour or two ago, Southern Baptist messengers voted without discussion to end the historic 125-year relationship between Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. According to Bob Allen of the Associated Baptist Press, today’s vote marks the first time that the Southern Baptist Convention has ousted a church simply because SBC leaders PERCEIVE that the congregation is in violation of Article III of the SBC Constitution which prohibits affiliation with welcoming and affirming congregations.
Yesterday, the Executive Committee of the SBC recommended in a unanimous vote that the convention cut ties with Broadway Baptist. Why? Here’s a little background from Baptist Press:
At issue is whether the church is in violation of Article III of the SBC Constitution, which states that churches “which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior” are not in friendly cooperation. Broadway Baptist has approximately five open homosexual members, including two male couples, according to church leaders. Some serve on church committees.
The controversy over the church began last year when the question arose as to whether the homosexual couples should be pictured in a church directory. In the end, the church voted 294-182 to publish a directory without family portraits but with candid shots of members involved in various ministries and activities. The Executive Committee got involved after a messenger at the ‘08 SBC annual meeting made a motion that the convention declare Broadway Baptist not to be “in friendly cooperation” with the denomination. The motion was referred to the Executive Committee.
However, Broadway leaders claimed in a letter to the Executive Committee that they do not “affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior.” Here’s a snippet from that statement:
Broadway has never taken any church action to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior. Broadway Baptist Church considers itself to be in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention and has every intention of remaining so.” It further stated, “While we extend Christian hospitality to everyone — including homosexuals — we do not endorse, approve, or affirm homosexual behavior.
After the Executive Committee’s recommendation to cut ties with Broadway, David Lowrie - President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas - had this to say on his blog:
On June 22, the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention made the decision to recommend that the Southern Baptist Convention cease its relationship with the historic Broadway Baptist Church of Fort Worth. Broadway cooperated with SBC for over 125 years to reach the world with the hope of the gospel and wanted to continue this relationship for the sake of the gospel.
I am deeply saddened that the SBC Executive Committee felt compelled to make this decision. I worked feverishly behind the scenes to help the SBC leadership and the leadership of Broadway Baptist Church to come to some kind of win/win solution. The crux of the situation boiled down to two distinctively different views on how to minister to those marginalized by society. The SBC leadership felt compelled to hold true to their biblical understanding of the brokenness of homosexuality, while Broadway Baptist Church felt compelled to offer the gospel to all regardless of lifestyle choices. Sadly common ground could not be found, and the SBC messengers will have to make a decision about its relationship with Broadway.
Throughout these discussions and negotiations the leaders of the SBC and Broadway sought to conduct themselves in a Christ-like manner. Even though the final outcome was not what I had hoped for, I was encouraged to see men and women talking openly and frankly with each other in a spirit of love and understanding. There are times in following Christ that relationships are complicated and messy. There are times we cannot agree, but I pray we will disagree in the spirit of love and understanding.
The key to the future for all followers of Jesus is finding creative and compassionate ways to offer hope to all people, especially those on the margins.
For more on Broadway and the SBC, see here (ABP).
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In Broadway Baptist’s letter to the SBC Executive Committee there were at least two lies: 1) Broadway leadership DID and STILL DOES encourage those living a homosexual lifestyle to continue because “homosexuality is NOT a sin” — Jorene Taylor Swift taught a 4 week study which said this — and 2) Broadway leadership DID and DOES know when individuals and couples who are living a homosexual lifestyle when they join the church.
Good to see a church doing God’s work, in spite of the SBC.
Homosexuality is not a sin any more than humanity is a sin. Preference is not a sin; only behavior, action, can be a sin, including, of course, thinking about how one can satisfy sexual urges outside of marriage or any urge that is abusive of others.
Further, everyone who joins a church is a sinner, and “practices” some sin every day — that is the condition of humanity, saved or otherwise. If we exclude “practicing” sinners from the church, we exclude everyone. We do not endorse their sin by accepting them into the church.
In particular, if we excluded the power hungry and the greedy, we would exclude the pastors of most large SBC churches.
The issue that the Exec Committee had before it was that some in the convention PERCEIVED that Broadway was affirming homosexual behavior. If that is that case, watch out, because any motivated gossip can make that be true of any church they choose. Want Mohler’s church out of the SBC? All it takes is a good gossip!
Sorry, it’s not that they PERCEIVED that the church affirmed homosexulaity. It’s because the church IN FACT affirmed homosexuality. If they did not, they would have brought church discipline against the members who were living in an unrepentant sinful lifestyle.
I was never prouder to be a Southern Baptist than I was after that vote yesterday. All Christians realize that homosexuality is always a sin without any exceptions whatsoever. Moderate christians, on the other hand, want to pay lip service to God’s word and ignore what it clearly teaches.
That’s ok. Broadway can always join the CBF. They’ll be better off there and we’ll certainly be better off without them.
Yea, Joe, that’s entirely your opinion. It’s not a fact.
If we go by your standard, there are hundreds or thousands of SBC churches that are affirming of homosexual behavior. It is a fact that an extremely extremely high percentage of Southern Baptist congregations do not practice church discipline. It’s also a safe assumption that many many SBC congregations have a gay man or lesbian in their pew on any given Sunday morning. Many of those gay men and lesbians are in fact members. They might not wear a name-tag that says “Hi I’m Bob and I’m Gay” but everyone knows they are indeed gay and probably have a partner or are dating.
By your standard, such congregations are affirming and deserve the boot.
Heck, John McCain’s pastor admitted in an interview that his megachurch has gay couples. But he doesn’t affirm their relationships and has preached against homosexuality. Yet, I don’t see the SBC moving to disfellowship North Phoenix Baptist Church. How many millions do they give to the CP again?
It’s also a safe assumption that many many SBC congregations have a gay man or lesbian in their pew on any given Sunday morning. Many of those gay men and lesbians are in fact members. They might not wear a name-tag that says “Hi I’m Bob and I’m Gay” but everyone knows they are indeed gay and probably have a partner or are dating.
Oh, and of course you can PROVE this. Otherwise, it’s just mainstream drivel.
The fact that Broadway was still SBC is just further proof that the Conservative Resurrgence didn’t go far enough and didn’t cut deep enough despite all the belly-aching of Moderate christians about how they were so hurt by the CR. Anyone who was “hurt” by the CR got far better than they deserved.
Homosexuality is NOT a sin. If you want to characterize a behavior, that is fine, but the fact of a preference is not a sin unless it is acted upon, or one devotes mental energy as to how to find a partner to safisfy the urge. Being heterosexual is not a sin, but lusting after someone who is not your spouse is. Same way for homosexuality, at most.
BTW, we need to act to exclude members who are engaged in unrepented sin of all kinds if we are going to do that with regard to sexual sin. Lusting after power and money is surely a sin and it affects many in ministry in the SBC, including many in the pulpits of our larger churches.
Lets do church discipline on that issue. It will then give credibility to church discipline on other issues. BTW most church discipline is nothing more than power consolidation by church staff.
Still no gluttony resolution?
Big Daddy,
Broadway was being deceptive, just like you do when you try to deny that you are a hardcore liberal.
Today that little game ended fro Broadway Baptist.
Define “hardcore liberal” and let’s see where I stand. I’m a rather open and honest person regarding what I believe and don’t believe. Over 3 years of blogging will back that up - my views are out there.
Seriously, define hardcore liberal.
Welcome back, Mr. Magic Johnson.
Joe,
I hope soon, as Texas in Africa has asked, that the SBC passes a gluttony resolution. After all, gluttony is a sin, and the gluttons are far easier to call out than a gossip, a tax cheat or an adulterer.
[...] recently wrote about the decision of Southern Baptist messengers to oust Broadway Baptist Church from the Southern [...]
Joe,
I’ve seen your anti-gay junk on other blogs as well. I would rather have Broadway as a part of the SBC then guys like you that rejoice when a church is kicked out of the convention. You should be ashamed of your attitude.
Whats next…kick out churches that have members that are….fat (gluttony), smokers (Spurgeon smoked), gossipers, liars, prideful, arrogant? Where does it stop?
There is no disputing that homosexuality is becoming a bigger issue in the US. We’ve boycotted Disney, have people calling for the boycott of Pepsi…so when a homosexual (no less a person than you or I) starts to wonder about God do you think they’re going to think…”I’ll go to a SB church”? No way….because we’ll let prideful, fat, arrogant men fill the pulpits but there’s no way we’re going to let some gay guy join the church.
Grady
Grady
In order for me to care about anything you said, I would have to have respect for you and since you’re a mainstreamer who doesn’t have the guts to stand up for solid biblical doctrine because your doctrinal convictions could fit on a postage stamp I don’t have any respect for you.
If you have a Bible, why don’t you try reading it. You might actually learn something.
Joe,
You really do have some issues. You seem full of hate. Not very Christ-like in how you communicate with others…
Wow. Gentlemen, let us remember we have the same ultimate goal to serve and glorify God properly. I happen to be very conservative in my doctrinal views, and agree with the opinions of the Executive Committee, but not 100% on board with voting them out of the SBC. They know where the SBC stands on the issue of homosexuality and can make the decision to affiliate with us or not. Yet, I personally don’t approve of the tactics seemingly employed by Broadway, that is, accepting homosexuals as members in good standing, as a means of outreach. I also agree with some of the more “moderate” comments stating that since we are standing up against openly homosexual sinners we should do the same for other sins. That being said, I am more concerned about the heart of those “sinners.” Is the homosexual couple in ignorance of their sin or opperating in defiance and rebellion to God’s command? If they had a heart of repentance and were willing to work through their sin issues, then I would take them into fellowship over a greedy, power hungry unrepentant sinner any day.