November 24, 1999
Georgia convention ousts two churches
___By Bob Allen
___Associated Baptist Press
___MACON, Ga. (ABP)--For the first time in its 177-year history, the Georgia Baptist Convention voted Nov. 16 to withdraw fellowship from two churches that a convention leader said "honor" homosexuality.
___Messengers to a two-day annual meeting in Macon voted 2,086-262 to withdraw fellowship from Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur. In a second vote minutes later, they took similar action against Virginia-Highland Baptist Church in Atlanta by a wider margin, 2,111-228.
___The churches were the first to be removed under an amended article on membership added to the Georgia Baptist constitution last year. New language defining friendly cooperation with the state group excludes congregations that knowingly take action to "affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior."
___Prior to recommendations calling for the churches' ouster, Georgia Baptist Executive Director Robert White told messengers the two congregations had moved beyond ministry to homosexuals to take positions that "honor homosexuality."
___"If the church declares that sin is not sin, is not the blood shed on the cross of Christ in vain?" White asked.
___White said he was "discouraged and frustrated" by media reports that the churches were being removed because they minister to gays and lesbians. "The Georgia Baptist Convention encourages, indeed urges, our churches to minister to everyone, including homosexuals," he said.
___"We believe the greatest act of love is to tell the truth about sin," White continued. "The Bible declares that homosexuality is a sin, but it is not the unpardonable sin."
___Statements by both churches said they do not believe Bible passages in Genesis, Leviticus and Romans condemning homosexuals match the situation of gays and lesbians today. They said other Bible teachings reject distinctions based on race, gender, class or sexual orientation.
___They also pointed out Baptists traditionally have left decisions regarding theology and mission up to the local church, not the state convention.
___Both the theological and polity issues came up during a brief debate.
___"This issue before us is not homosexuality," said James Merritt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Snellville, Ga. "The issue before us is not soul freedom. The issue before us is not local-church autonomy. The issue before us is fidelity to the truth of the word of God."
___Messenger Paul Weldon accused the two churches of "blatant and pervasive" sin in allowing known gays and lesbians to hold leadership positions.
___But Charles Graham, pastor of Church of the Savior in Roswell, Ga., countered that Georgia Baptists need churches like Oakhurst and Virginia-Highland, despite their unconventional views on sexuality. "A sure sign we have made God in our own image is when God doesn't like the people we don't like," he said.
___Messengers overwhelmingly rejected a motion by Oakhurst Pastor Lanny Peters to delay the ouster vote to allow church members and convention leadership to seek reconciliation.
___Virginia-Highland Pastor Timothy Shirley also was permitted to address the convention, though he was not a messenger. "This issue is not about sin. It is about people," he said.
___Peters and Shirley later told reporters they were disappointed that the convention was unwilling to dialogue about what the Bible teaches about homosexuality.
___"The idea there is only one interpretation of the word of God and that is mine" is un-Baptist, Peters said. "Our congregation has studied the Bible and homosexuality 20 years."
___Shirley said he doesn't believe sexual orientation is a choice and therefore isn't a sin.
___"I can appreciate where folks are" in believing the Bible condemns homosexuality, Shirley said. "I'm surprised there's not consideration of another view."
___Georgia Baptist Convention President Gerald Harris said he is willing to continue conversations with the two churches. "I don't know if the convention can compromise its position on this issue," he told reporters. "We read the Bible, and we come to different sides on this particular issue."
___Meanwhile, Peters suggested it was inconsistent for Georgia Baptists to single out churches over one moral issue. He said he would like to see the convention become equally concerned about ending racism.
___"No church was kicked out of this convention for condoning slavery," Peters said, adding that many Georgia Baptists also supported segregation. "There are churches in the Georgia Baptist Convention that are racist," he said. "If you're going to be consistent, that should be confronted."
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