Showing their true colors
The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina vs. the poor and needy.
That’s what the recent decision to axe out a moderate Baptist fellowship really boils down to. At their most recent annual convention in Greensboro, N.C., delegates for the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina decided to disassociate with the more moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. While the majority of State Convention-affiliated churches more closely align themselves with the conservative Southern Baptist Convention many also decided to give money, through the State Convention, to the Cooperative Fellowship based in Atlanta.
Last year, the State Convention voted on new regulations allowing the disassociation of churches that allow openly gay members and openly gay church leaders (Sunday School teachers, deacons, pastors, etc.). That decision led to the ouster of Charlotte’s Myers Park Baptist Church (a church I have attended several times since moving to the Queen City).
The division among North Carolina Baptists rests firmly on the issue of homosexuality; no other issue has gotten this much play since the Baptists’ debates on membership for African-Americans and the leadership capacity of women. It’s always the social issues that get’em.
The recent vote to disassociate with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship means that churches who want to give to the State Convention, Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Fellowship must write separate checks: One for the State Convention and Southern Baptist Convention, and another for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
To put it plainly, North Carolina Baptists chose to honor disagreements over human dignity over the good work the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship missions group does for the less privileged and broken-hearted around the nation and the world.
It’s a sad day when my fellow Baptists would rather focus on the gays than helping to feed, clothe and shelter “the least among us.”
A Gospel reminder for my fellow Baptists:
(Matthew 25:31) “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. (32) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
(34) “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
(37) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? (39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
(40) “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
(41) “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (42) For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, (43) I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
(44) “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
(45) “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
(46) “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Matt, 22, is an LGBT journalist, activist and youth advocate currently living and working in Charlotte, N.C., where he serves as the Editor of Q-Notes, the Carolinas' LGBT news source. A native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is still continuing to pursue his bachelors degree. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14.
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