SBC Executive Committee Maintains “Double Standard”

In June, Bob Stephenson of FBC Norman made a motion at the SBC meeting regarding the inconsistent treatment afforded to multiple state conventions in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri. 

In Texas and Virginia, Mainstream Baptists prevailed in state convention elections and Fundamentalists organized competing state conventions which were recognized by the SBC.  In Missouri, Fundamentalists prevailed in the state convention elections and mainstream Baptists organized a competing state convention that the SBC refused to recognize. 

Stephenson moved,  “That the messengers of this convention in session at St. Louis, MO on June 11-12, 2002 vote to instruct the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to limit the number of state convention that are recognized, and from which the Southern Baptist Convention will receive funds, to one convention per state and thereby resolve the inconsistent policy which receives funds from two competing state conventions in Texas and Virginia while refusing funds from a new Baptist convention in Missouri.”

Stephenson wrote a letter to the Executive Committee (EC) of the SBC requesting permission to speak to them about his motion and challenged the double standard convention leaders had set.  He wrote: 

“The current policy by which the Southern Baptist Convention recognizes and receives funds from state conventions appears to set a double standard.   This double standard is especially egregious when questions are being raised about the “character” and integrity of Southern Baptist missionaries who cannot conscientiously affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M) receiving salaries from a convention that has affirmed the 2000 BF&M.   In my opinion, if our missionaries’ “character” and integrity fall under “suspicion” for their willingness to continue to receive funding from a convention whose statement of faith they cannot affirm, then the “character” and integrity of those executives, administrators, board members and trustees of the convention who are willing to continue to receive funds from state conventions that refuse to affirm the 2000 BF&M fall under equal ‘suspicion.’”

Stephenson’s request to appear before the EC was granted.  He spoke to the administrative committee on September 17, but the committee killed his motion saying, the EC should “do what is in the best interests of the Convention.”   This ruling contradicted a statement Morris Chapman made in a January 25, 2002 letter to Jim Hill. Denying Hill’s request for recognition of  a new Missouri convention, Chapman wrote, “A single state Baptist convention per area is the ideal and best serves the interests of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Chapman used relational metaphors to explain away the contradiction.  He compared the overtures of the new Missouri convention to going on a date with someone who has criticized you.  Why get involved with someone new when you’ve already got a partner who fully supports you? 

Chapman said the relationships with Texas and Virginia were different.  In those states the Convention has longstanding relationships, but those relationships are troubled.  There, the EC recognized new state conventions that would fully support the Convention. 

Later, as the full EC met, Bruce Prescott challenged Chapman’s metaphors.  He asked, “What kind of logic would suggest that you could mend a troubled, but longstanding marriage by entering into a relationship with someone new?”

This policy violates point 6. of the cooperative agreement with state conventions (Item 20, Proceedings of the SBC May 16, 1928, 1928 SBC Annual, pp. 32-33).

Prescott admonished the EC saying, “If the Convention’s partnerships with Texas and Virginia are troubled, then the EC should be receiving instructions to work to repair them.  If the committee has no intention of striving to repair these partnerships, then the EC should clarify that decision by ending those partnerships so that you can fulfill your charge from the Convention to completely and heartily cooperate with your partnering state conventions.”

The EC voted to maintain its double standard.

Home     Join Us    Contents     Search

Online since April 7, 1999

E- mail questions or comments about this web site to bprescott@mainstreambaptists.org

Copyright © 1999-2003 MAINSTREAM OKLAHOMA BAPTISTS   P.O. Box 6371  Norman, OK  73070-6371 (405) 329-2266.