Texas native resigns as IMB
regional leader rather than sign BF&M
___RICHMOND, Va. --Native Texan Bill Phillips has resigned as regional leader for International Mission Board work in West Africa rather than sign the 2000 version of the Baptist Faith & Message as required by IMB trustees.
___Phillips and his wife, MaryDean, will continue as IMB missionaries even though stepping down from the administrative position. IMB missionaries hired before the change are not required to sign the doctrinal statement. The Phillipses were first appointed missionaries in 1978.
___"My inability to sign the prescribed form is a matter of personal conscience related to signing such a form and has nothing to do with the content of the Baptist Faith & Message," Phillips said in a news release issued by the IMB May 23.
___"As I stated verbally and in writing to IMB leadership and trustees, I affirm the Baptist Faith & Message as a Baptist statement of doctrine for life, work and leadership," Phillips said. Both he and his wife "continue to fully support the global mission of IMB missionaries, staff leadership and trustees."
___Prior to missionary appointment, Phillips served as minister of education at First Baptist Church in Stamford, pastor of Heron Drive Baptist Church in Fort Worth and pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Breckenridge. The Phillipses, natives of Lamesa and Stamford, also served as missionaries-in-residence at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982.
___IMB President Jerry Rankin affirmed Phillips' doctrinal beliefs and expressed regret at his decision to step down, according to the IMB release.
___"We are grateful for Bill and MaryDean's outstanding leadership in West Africa and their passion for reaching a lost world, especially the multitude of unreached people groups in their region," Rankin said. "I personally regret their decision to step down from their leadership position. Their doctrinal soundness and support of the IMB and our strategies is unquestioned.
___"It is appropriate, however, for Southern Baptists to expect leadership to be willing to affirm commitment to the Baptist Faith & Message statement adopted by the SBC, and we regret Bill's decision not to affirm that commitment as requested by the IMB board and administration."
___IMB policy requires new missionaries and elected leaders to sign statements affirming their agreement with the recently revised Baptist Faith & Message and committing themselves to carry out their responsibilities "in accordance with and not contrary to" the statement of faith. The form also gives them the opportunity to state any areas of disagreement.
___In January, IMB trustees affirmed the agency's missionaries and stateside staff members, saying their beliefs already had been adequately screened during the selection process and that nothing more should be required of them.
___Bill Bullington, IMB vice president for overseas services, will serve as interim regional leader for West Africa until a successor to Phillips is elected.
___
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