This blog features observations from Randy Turner, a former teacher, newspaper reporter and editor. Send news items or comments to rturner229@hotmail.com
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Southern Baptists kick out Springfield church
As expected, the Missouri Baptist Convention removed University Heights Baptist Church of Springfield and 18 other churches from the rolls Friday. Convention officials considered the churches to be too moderate.
How very sad that the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptists can not get along with some local churches. I grew up Sothern Baptists. One of their key beliefs is suppose to be autonomy of the local church. I guess that one does not prove true any longer.
I wonder if the Baptist Convention really viewed the excluded churches as too "moderate" or did they view them as too "liberal"? As for autonomy, it seems to me that the excluded churches are now about as autonomist as they can be.
Its amazing to me that supposedly good Christians like the Baptists claim to be cannot get along with each other. I have known Baptist congretations all my life, and its always been that way. They were the first to get into a fuss and a handful run out and start another church. Now their "radicalness" has turned into the Cult variety. Its our way or the highway. If I were a baptist and that will never happen, I would certainly take the highway. DRust
Maybe these evicted Baptist Churches could join up with Ted Haggard who abruptly resigned (11-2-06) from the presidency of the 30-million-member National Association of Evangelicals after a male escort alleged that he had paid him for sex nearly once a month for the last three years. Haggard has now publicly admitted to buying meth from this same escort and says he paid the escort for “massages” . Haggard has long been a key leader of the religious right and a fervent opponent of same sex unions. Haggard has long been a rising star within the leadership of the religious right; he is a close confidant of James Dobson. In 2005 Time Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in the country, and for the last several years he has enjoyed weekly calls with the White House.
So Haggard could be forgiven and lead this group of churches.
How very sad that the Missouri Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptists can not get along with some local churches. I grew up Sothern Baptists. One of their key beliefs is suppose to be autonomy of the local church. I guess that one does not prove true any longer.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the Baptist Convention really viewed the excluded churches as too "moderate" or did they view them as too "liberal"? As for autonomy, it seems to me that the excluded churches are now about as autonomist as they can be.
ReplyDeleteIts amazing to me that supposedly good Christians like the Baptists claim to be cannot get along with each other. I have known Baptist congretations all my life, and its always been that way. They were the first to get into a fuss and a handful run out and start another church. Now their "radicalness" has turned into the Cult variety. Its our way or the highway. If I were a baptist and that will never happen, I would certainly take the highway.
ReplyDeleteDRust
Maybe these evicted Baptist Churches could join up with Ted Haggard who abruptly resigned (11-2-06) from the presidency of the 30-million-member National Association of Evangelicals after a male escort alleged that he had paid him for sex nearly once a month for the last three years. Haggard has now publicly admitted to buying meth from this same escort and says he paid the escort for “massages” . Haggard has long been a key leader of the religious right and a fervent opponent of same sex unions. Haggard has long been a rising star within the leadership of the religious right; he is a close confidant of James Dobson. In 2005 Time Magazine named him one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in the country, and for the last several years he has enjoyed weekly calls with the White House.
ReplyDeleteSo Haggard could be forgiven and lead this group of churches.