SBC: ANOTHER STATE WITH SOME ...

... real men at the helm (oh, and gutsy women too)!

The Missouri Baptist Convention [SBC] is no longer open to churches that support any other organization considered to compete with the state convention or the Southern Baptist Convention.

The changes will shut out congregations that participate in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship or the moderate Baptist General Convention of Missouri but make exceptions for other Baptist organizations.

I have no doubts these actions will bring about both problems and controversies but, knowing what I know about moderates in Southern Baptist life, I likewise believe very deeply Missouri is turning a corner which leads along a path of great strength.

The MBC will consider a church as cooperating with another body if that church sends representatives to the organization’s meetings, financially supports its work or includes the organization in the church’s budget.

A church also must be a cooperating Southern Baptist church, which the MBC defines as adopting a doctrinal statement in line with accepted faith and practice, contributing financially to the SBC, and refraining from participating with or contributing to another national convention.

There are going to be many lay people whose skin will crawl when they read the part about "adopting a doctrinal statement." Creeds of any kind are anathama to many of our people, and they'll see this as creedalism.

Church Disputes; Church Health; SBC; Southern Baptists