Ties severed with church led by husband and wife

SOUTH DAYTONA, Fla. — Central Baptist Church of Daytona Beach has been removed from membership in the Halifax Baptist Association due to “doctrinal differences,” according to a unanimous vote of the Florida association’s executive committee at a Nov. 18 called meeting. 

The meeting was called, moderator Dennis Littleton of First Baptist Church in Palm Coast said, “to clarify and affirm” action that had been taken at the association’s annual meeting Oct. 28. Apparently there had been some confusion at that meeting over the motion to dissolve Central’s membership in the association.

The “doctrinal differences” involved Central’s calling of a  husband-wife team earlier this year as co-pastors, Dave and Sonja Phillips.

Dennis Belz, director of missions for the Halifax association, said the calling of a woman pastor was “in direct opposition to the Word of God and the revised Baptist Faith and Message of 2000.

The original motion at the October associational meeting, made by Rima Ridge Baptist Church Pastor Chris Lybarger, was that the association “not seat the messengers from Central and that we disfellowship with the church because of doctrinal differences.”

Central’s messengers were not allowed any voting rights at the meeting.