Birmingham Baptists vote to stay with 1963 BF&M

The Birmingham Baptist Association (BBA) executive board voted to continue serving under the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M). The April 14 vote was 59 percent not to adopt the 2000 BF&M to 41 percent wishing to adopt it, said BBA moderator Dan Nichols.

The vote resulted from a motion presented in January by Randy Overstreet, speaking for First Baptist Church, Birmingham. Overstreet made a motion to adopt the 2000 BF&M. He also asked that the association hold member churches accountable.

The motion was referred to the BBA executive committee, which decided to open the topic up for discussion at the April board meeting, said Nichols, pastor of Walkers Chapel Baptist Church, Fultondale.

Overstreet, senior associate pastor at First, Birmingham, read his motion and spoke in favor of it.

Nichols said he allowed several to speak for and against the motion. Questions were also entertained from members of the board. The vote was by secret ballot- yes if in favor of adopting the 2000 BF&M or no if opposed to the adoption.

Nichols noted that the First, Birmingham, representation withdrew the aspect about holding member churches accountable because the association’s bylaws already state something similar.

Nichols emphasized that once the vote was over, business moved along as normal. “Nobody feels good or bad about what happened,” Nichols said. “We did what we felt was on our conscience and we moved on. There was no animosity. There was no cheering.”

Still, Nichols said he expects the issue to surface again in the future.
Overstreet said he was disappointed in the vote but acknowledged that the process was handled properly. “It was brought to the attention of the association. The association voted on it, and we will abide by it.”

How First, Birmingham, will support the association financially is yet to be determined, however.

Members of the church voted in January to escrow all but $100 of the church’s funds directed to BBA until a decision was made about the 2000 BF&M. They also voted to keep those escrowed funds of the adoption failed. Overstreet anticipated the issue would be discussed at the July church conference. “Our financial contributions to the association will have to be decided by the church,” he said.

(TAB)