Chapman says BGCT forcing churches to choose
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___The Baptist General Convention of Texas is "systematically attempting to influence Southern Baptist churches in Texas to forsake their loyalty to the Southern Baptist Convention," Morris Chapman told the SBC Executive Committee Sept. 18.
___Chapman, president of the Nashville-based Executive Committee, firmly denounced a proposal by two BGCT committees to redirect nearly $6.5 million in Cooperative Program
funds away from certain SBC causes next year.
___"BGCT leaders seem to be attempting to lead the Baptists in Texas to have Texas only on their hearts," Chapman asserted. "If this is true, it is an indescribable travesty and a miscarriage of the cooperation by which all Southern Baptists have lived.
___"Most tragic of all is the attempt of the BGCT to force the local churches in Texas to decide between the SBC and the BGCT. The BGCT seems determined to lead Baptist churches in the state to turn inward.
___"Why would any Baptist body not run from a strategy that would knowingly create chaos, confusion and division among the members of local churches?" Chapman asked.
___He announced that in light of the Texas challenge, the Executive Committee will launch a new website Oct. 1 to provide "continuing updates and resource information about current issues in the Southern Baptist Convention." The address will be Baptist2Baptist.net.
___Chapman outlined several possible scenarios by which he suggested Texas churches might continue to support all SBC causes. Those included giving through the BGCT if a "traditional" Cooperative Program is offered, giving through the new Southern Baptists of Texas Convention or giving directly to the Executive Committee.
___"If the BGCT refuses to let the churches in Texas give to the traditional Cooperative Program, and/or if it fails to promote the Cooperative Program as a means of supporting world missions in cooperation with SBC, then the Southern Baptist Convention will be compelled to assist the churches directly," he warned.
___To this point, no BGCT leader has suggested prohibiting any church from giving through the BGCT in whatever manner they desire.
___Chapman ended his address with a lengthy discourse on how doctrine makes a difference. Although he did not name the BGCT specifically, he drew parallels between the doctrines of the SBC and those of "dissident voices for liberal causes."
___Southern Baptists, he said, believe in the autonomy of the local church, the priesthood of the believer, soul competency, the pre-existence of Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection and "glorious return," as well as "the inspired, infallible word of God, inerrant in the original manuscripts."
___Chapman then outlined eight questions he said should be asked to determine "whether a man has the faith of our fathers."
___They are:
___ Do you believe in the sacrificial and substitutionary death of Jesus Christ?
___ Do you believe salvation comes by faith in Christ and him alone? Is there any other way to be saved?
___ Do you believe in the actual, literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ?
___ Do you believe the Bible to be God's absolute truth in all matters to which it speaks?
___ Do you believe the narratives of Scripture to be historically and factually accurate?
___ Do you believe every Christian should be a soul-winner?
___ Do you believe the church is God's plan for reaching the world with the gospel?
___ What is your passion in life?
___"If a person is truthful, these questions, and others like them, will reveal the condition of an individual's heart before God," Chapman said. "The difference is in the belief system.
___"The difference between most Southern Baptists and dissident voices for liberal causes is what they believe and/or what they do not believe biblically. If you want to know what separates the two, ask individuals these questions; read carefully their answers and listen closely to their responses."
___Charles Wade, BGCT executive director, responded to Chapman's address by noting that Texas Baptists stand at a crossroads.
___"We have the opportunity to say with a clear voice what kind of Baptists we will be in the coming century," he said. "Our actions demonstrate that we are committed to preserving the independence of Texas Baptists to believe as historic Baptists always have believed. We will remain free to respond to God's leadership and to obey his inspired word and will not be bound by man-made creeds or 'instruments of doctrinal accountability.'"
___The BGCT and SBC share a common heritage, Wade continued. "Texas Baptists are committed to preserving that heritage and the historic Baptist vision that springs forth from it. We will continue to cooperate with those who share that vision of meeting the needs of a lost and hurting world.
___"The proposal to redirect funds to meet urgent needs in Texas grows from that common vision," he added. "We want to preserve a tradition of ministry to the people of Texas, while at the same time honoring the worldwide scope of the Great Commission. Likewise, we are committed to keeping the Texas Baptist Cooperative Program a church-directed plan for responding to worldwide needs. We honor the freedom of each church to give according to its convictions."
The Baptist Standard
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