The home office weighs in on the Carolina 9

[triguy46]

From the Southern Baptist News,
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20751

Apparently, the Southern Baptist Convention is trying to distance itself from the removal of the North Carolina 9.

Snip: "I believe it would never -- never -- be appropriate or acceptable for a local Baptist church to decide membership based upon how a person votes."

Snip:
"I believe that preachers and pastors have a responsibility and an obligation to preach what the Bible says about moral, social public policy issues and to encourage people to vote, and when they vote, to vote their values, their beliefs and their convictions. But the decision about the candidate must remain part of the individual responsibility of the priesthood of all believers. A person's casting of a ballot should never be a cause for church discipline."

Even if a person voted against a constitutional marriage amendment -- similar to what will be on the ballot in at least four states next year -- it would not be cause for church discipline, Land said.

"They need to be at church more than anybody else to hear why they need to change their mind," Land said of a person voting against a marriage amendment. "If you remove them from membership then you've lost the opportunity to share with them and to help them understand that they need to strongly support traditional marriage."

This leaves the door open for a favorite Baptist activity, rebuking from the pulpit. Their position is interetsting and not surprising, and can be summarized as, 'If we kick them out, we can't have them to brainwash anymore.'

[LizW]

1. Land is surprisingly honest

Clearly, it does not serve the Baptists if their churches split over politics. They want every warm body in the pews they can get, and they'll get them there any way they can.

Chan Chandler probably never thought when he said "they need to repent or resign" that people actually would buck his authority. And he certainly didn't expect that 40 of his flock would leave in support of the 9.

[QuettaKid]

2. total numbers??

Anyone have any idea what the total number of people attending this church is? 49 out of how many.....?

[marions ghost]

3. 400+ total members is what I heard

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. I'll bet anyone that behind the scenes...

the muckety mucks at the SBC are applauding Chandler's actions and choking on bile because they have to publicly denounce his actions. When my grandfather passed away the then president of the SBC presided at his funeral. I have never met a man less like Christ in my life. I think of the countless Southern Baptists who follow the interpretations of their narrow minded leaders and actually think they are following the teachings of Christ, my loving caring grandparents included. It's very very sad.