Southern Baptists will take action to help families, the convention’s executive committee voted Feb. 19.
The need is “great and urgent” because “today’s family is under severe attack,” a study committee reported to the executive committee.
Executive committee members approved the study committee’s recommendation to create a “ ‘blue ribbon’ Southern Baptist Convention Council on Family Life” in a unanimous voice vote during the opening session of their Feb. 19-20 meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
The SBC Council on Family Life, as approved by the executive committee Feb. 19, will work for two years, reporting both to the executive committee and to the SBC agency leaders’ Great Commission Council, with its key recommendations to be forwarded to the SBC annual meeting for approval.
The Council on Family Life “will work cooperatively with SBC entities whose ministry assignments include family emphases to support and multiply such programs,” according to the executive committee action.
A “cohesive and concerted strategy,” according to the study committee, would include:
Drawing together “both our resources and our people with the goal of elevating our families, and the meaning of the word ‘family,’ to God’s standard as clearly stated in the Scripture.”
Enabling pastors and church leaders to identify and hold forth “key biblical principles for marriage and family.”
Working to build “strong, ‘Great Commission-oriented families” and to recognize that “strong churches ultimately grow out of strong families.”
Elevating Southern Baptist churches as “great for the community because they are great for the family.”
Also needed is “an authentic ministry to those whose… families have been fractured and ravaged,” the committee said.
(BP)
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