N.C. Baptists expel church for accepting gays

GREENSBORO, N.C. — North Carolina Baptists expelled Myers Park Baptist Church, Charlotte, from their statewide group because the church accepts gay members into leadership.

The executive committee of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention ruled Nov. 12 that the church was not in compliance with membership articles. While convention messengers voted overwhelmingly to hear the Myers Park appeal the next day, they voted similarly to reject it.

By Myers Park’s own admission, its acceptance of homosexuals into positions of church leadership places the congregation in opposition to the state convention’s constitution, which says any church that affirms or blesses homosexual behavior is “not in friendly cooperation” with the convention. A similar bylaw at the Southern Baptist Convention already has excluded several North Carolina churches from that national group.