N.M. won't tie churches to BF&M

July 24, 2000

N.M. won't tie churches to BF&M
___ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (ABP)--Baptist leaders in New Mexico are recommending that Southern Baptists' official faith statement not be applied as a test of fellowship in the state convention.
___A credentials study committee was named in January to study a proposed change to Baptist Convention of New Mexico bylaws allowing only churches that affirm the Baptist Faith & Message to seat messengers at the annual meeting.
___Instead, the study committee, in recommendations approved Oct. 23-25 by the state convention's Executive Board, would define eligible churches as those that give at least $250 to the Cooperative Program unified budget and whose faith and practice do not "conflict with Scripture."
___"Everything in the Baptist Faith & Message is in Scripture, but not everything in Scripture is in the Baptist Faith & Message," said Joe Bunce, president of the state convention and pastor of First Baptist Church of Bloomfield, N.M.
___The convention in session would be final judge of whether a church qualifies to be represented at the annual meeting.
___The committee report notes that the preamble to the Baptist Faith & Message denies "the right of any secular or religious authority to impose a confession of faith upon a church or body of churches."
___The SBC uses the Baptist Faith & Message as a guide for employment of denominational workers but does not require churches to endorse it to be in good standing.
___Bunce said the statements from the Baptist Faith & Message preamble and the SBC constitution were the committee's main rationale for the proposal. Members also studied bylaws of several other state conventions, said John Hinze, chairman of the study committee.
___Bunce said the proposed change would apply three-fold criteria--"financial support, belief and practice"--to determine whether a church is "sympathetic with the convention's purpose and work."
___Albuquerque pastor Bernie Moraga raised a concern that some churches might not be able to give $250 a year to the Cooperative Program.
___Hinze said four churches that seated messengers at last year's annual meeting "didn't give a dime" to the convention's work.
___"This says if you're going to drink the milk and enjoy the butter, you're going to have to help feed the cow," Bunce said.

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