Ark. messengers reject amendment

This issue is already coming up at the associational level. Keep an eye on it in other state conventions.

 

This is the SBC, right?
If so, why do associations or the denomination have the right to tell churches how to interpret a scripture...

If the SBC can dictate to local churches what to believe, they are no longer Baptist.

That undermines the priesthood of the believer, and church autonomy. Baptists have no creeds.. unless you are SBC... right.

But of course, I may have misunderstood.

I have never been SBC, so I may not understand.. but if a church wishes to be SBC, do they have to agree to your creed.. "The Baptist Faith and Message"?

If so, doesn't that give power to the SBC to dictate what each local church believes?
And if so, if a church refuses to agree to it, will the SBC still recognize that church?

Binding Creeds are not biblical..

 

No.

had to extend message to 10 characters.

 

Good... ...

Putting the extra dots, will work to extend a simple message...............

 

A majority of messengers approved the motion, just not 2/3.

Of course, I don't care at all what the convention says. It has absolutely no power over the individual church.

 

Just to let you know - it is not a creed.

It is what the majority of churches who wish to come to together as a singular voice (known as the SBC) agrees with and hold in the main but not specifically to all points.

 

Church autonomy is much more important than communion or alien baptism. Each church is quite capable of figuring it out, and implementing their own policy. If you want higher, binding human authority, be a Methodist, Presbyterian, or Lutheran.

 

Are you addressing a post in particular??

 

Wow. Not too surprised, this whole IMB mess (you have to have been baptized in an SBC church in order to be a missionary) is quickly overflowing into our local denom level.

Funny thing, most denominations have been killed because of a leftward drift which the resurrgence was supposed to correct. I have a feeling that the SBC will be known as the one denom that was killed because of a rightward shift.

More reason why we just give to the CP and nothing else.

 

The SBC and its "conservative" affiliates is quickly turning into a context over one's "credentials."

"I'm more conservative than you!" "Oh, yeah? PROVE IT!"

 

I always thought the SBC was the perfect denomination growing up....

It is refreshing to see that all denominations are in the same boat... no such thing as perfection...
We are all struggling to be the best Christians we can....

 

Now focus, Rev 2 and 3 is Jesus Christ directing the church, not the SBC. I do believe that those two chapters have to do with the commitment these churches have to Him.

I dont believe that one time in those two chapters Christ talks about the Lords Supper or alien baptism. That is why we have local churches, to decide issues such as this. We do not need a higher human authority running our local churches.

As said before, if you want that type of setup, affliliate with a denomination that practices such.

 

My sentiments exactly...
Baptist by the very nature is not set up to be subject to human authority.
When a church allows itself to be dictated by denominations, it is no longer a Baptist church...
And the name "Baptist" should be removed from it's name.

Baptist churches MUST be autonomous...


I have a question...

If our church decided to join with the SBC, would we have to agree to the Baptist Faith and Message?

 

No. I believe the only thing that will get you kicked out of the SBC is the affirmation of homosexuality. You can be a member of the SBC by giving through the Cooperative Program. Now, if you do not affirm the BFM, you won't ever find yourself in a position of influence, but you won't be kicked out.

 

That's refreshing...

In the SBC, are the gatekeepers of the denomination the local associations, or would the decision to kick a church out, be up to the denomination....

IOWS, if we were SBC, and became a welcoming and affirming church, who would have the responsibility to remove us from fellowship?

The local association or the denomination?

What if there were enough churches in the local association that were also welcoming and affirming so that they did not disfellowship that church?

What if all the conservative churches moved from that association into another one?

Would the SBC disfellowship the welcoming and affirming association?

 

A church doesn't have to join all three (assoc./state/SBC). In fact, a church could be local association only, Local/State only, all three, SBC only, State/SBC only, etc.

Each organization has its own rules. E.g. your church can be kicked out of the local association and the state convention, but that will not automatically remove you from the SBC. You could still contribute directly to the SBC.