It breaks one’s heart to learn another church has withdrawn from the Southern Baptist Convention. Apparently the convention leadership is not too concerned. One leader noted that the churches withdrew of their own volition. True. They did.
Withdrawal, however, was always with a protest of some recently adopted creed of the Southern Baptist Convention and/or its leadership. The creed was not a creed of the Southern Baptist Convention at the time the ones that are now protesting, had given their hearts to Christ.
We need harmony. It would be to the credit of God’s people to thoroughly study the issues, understand all possible angles of it, consult authorities on the subject and review the emotional, economic and social impact.
I don’t think God is going to pat anyone on the back for listening to some emotionalized presentation and rushing out to take sides on an issue of which the side-taker is abysmally ignorant. Those he endangers may include himself, his family and society.
Messengers cannot represent their congregations. There is no consensus of opinion. Families split. Churches divided. Churches withdrew from the convention.
Conventions should not set up creeds on controversial issues. It divides our churches. We have a higher, more cooperative goal.
Should not our conventions convene for the purpose for which we should all be cooperating? To save a lost world? Don’t dictate division.
Paulinea K. Robillard
Auburn, Ala.
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