October 14, 2002

Oklahoma churches consider BGCT
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Two Oklahoma Baptist churches recently affiliated with Texas Baptists, and sister churches are showing increasing interest in partnering with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, leaders report.
___Recently formed Chapel Creek Baptist Church in Tulsa was the first Oklahoma church to affiliate with the BGCT last summer.
___First Baptist Church in Muskogee also has linked with the BGCT.
___Other churches continue discussing similar arrangements with BGCT leaders.
___BGCT President Bob Campbell, who served as pastor at Northwest Baptist Church in Ardmore, Okla., for more than six years, has discussed BGCT affiliation with leaders from about 20 churches since May. Some of the churches, many with Texas ties, have approached the Texas convention to discuss affiliation, while the BGCT also has sought to help Oklahoma churches without a state convention affiliation improve their missions efforts.
___"Why not work with them?" Campbell asked rhetorically. "They really don't have a state affiliation. They are looking to do missions with a group that is similar to them theologically."
___Some Oklahoma churches have been disfellowshipped from their associations for various reasons, Campbell said. The churches may support women as deacons or senior pastors and feel "disenfranchised" from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
___"I'm not a radical person," said Debbie McDaniel, a member at Chapel Creek Baptist Church. "I just didn't want my daughter to have to go to another denomination to see a woman passing out bulletins or leading prayer."
___The churches' theological differences with the Oklahoma convention also have led them to look toward Texas programs such as Buckner Baptist Benevolences for missions partnerships.
___"We needed to partner with someone because we can do more with others than just as one church," McDaniel said. "We wanted to partner with a group with a more inclusive picture. We are just more in line theologically with the BGCT."
___The Tulsa church believes affiliation with the BGCT will help the church grow as a family and expand its ministry.
___"We would like to be involved in missions where the whole family can be involved," said Tim Stimson, a member of Chapel Creek Baptist Church. "If we can grow together as a church family, our physical families will also grow close.
___"We can't just stick with our little group. It has to be bigger than that."
___BGCT messengers voted to allow out-of-state churches into full fellowship in the convention at the 2000 state meeting. Convention affiliation allows the church to send messengers and vote at the annual state meeting as well as give church funds to BGCT entities. Two Louisiana churches and one New Mexico church are aligned with the Texas convention.
___Campbell welcomes the inclusion of churches from other states and looks forward to working with them for years to come.
___"Any Baptist church of like faith and order who wants to cooperate and do missions is an advantage," Campbell said.

Get printer-friendly version of this story


Send this story to a friend



News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.

---

Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook