March 12, 2001
Atlanta churches explore forming new association
___ATLANTA (ABP)--About 50 Atlanta Baptists met Feb. 22 to take initial steps to form a new Baptist association in protest of a January vote by Atlanta Baptist Association not to expel two churches friendly to gays.
___The individuals came from 18 churches. They passed a resolution announcing their intent to form a new association.
___The group elected Tim Clark, pastor of Pine Lake Baptist Church, as moderator pro-tem. Volunteers formed an executive planning committee for the new group, tentatively called the Metro Atlanta Baptist Association. The committee will draft bylaws to be adopted at the next meeting. After that, charter churches will be admitted and officers elected.
___The move comes in response to a controversial vote by the 153-church Atlanta Baptist Association against removing two churches known for accepting homosexuals as church members and leaders. The congregations, Virginia-Highland Baptist Church in Atlanta and Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga., earlier were voted out of the Georgia Baptist Convention over the issue.
___After the Atlanta Association vote, leaders of both the Georgia Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board announced plans to stop funding missionary positions in Atlanta Association unless the association changes its stand.
___Some Atlanta Baptists are pursuing that end. Sam Boyd, pastor of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Atlanta, has given notice that he plans to propose an amendment to the association's bylaw on membership at an upcoming meeting. Boyd's amendment would specify "an affiliated church does not include a church which knowingly takes, or has taken, any action to affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior."
___Others at the Feb. 22 meeting, however, said they weren't optimistic that the motion, which requires a two-thirds majority, would pass. Several appeared already committed to the idea of starting something new.
___Georgia Baptist Convention Executive Director Robert White attended as an observer, along with other state leaders. Asked to speak, White said he was grieved by the issue.
___"The convention will relate to churches and associations that are biblically sound," White said. "If Atlanta Association says 'we erred' and they correct that decision, that will put us in a position of working with the association."
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