Because Our Churches Should Be a Pillar and Buttress of Truth

Tom Ascol shared yesterday that he has sent the resolution he drafted on integrity to the Southern Baptist Convention Resolutions Committee. This resolution was originally kicked around last Fall and resurfaced over the past couple of weeks. I am very encouraged that Tom went ahead and sent this to the committee. However, there are not high hopes that this resolution will make it past the committee. Art Rogers did comment that if the committee does not pass it, it can be brought to the floor by the convention with a 2/3 vote. If that is the case, then 2/3 of the churches being represented must be willing to call themselves out on this all-important matter of being people of truth and integrity. Because I believe in this resolution and its importance of having the widest reading, I have posted it below. As Tom has stated in previous posts, this issue transcends theological constructions or disagreements with nuanced viewpoints. This is a widespread problem and requires widespread support. Therefore, I am asking that you consider this resolution and its importance and support it (however way you see fit). Whereas this 148th annual session of the Southern Baptist Convention marks the 26th anniversary of the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention; and Whereas at the heart of this resurgence has been a determination to return to an unashamed commitment to the inerrancy and infallibilty of the Bible as the written Word of God; and Whereas the Baptist Faith and Message states that the Scriptures are "the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried" (Article 1); and Whereas the inerrant, infallible Word of God instructs us not to bear false witness (Exodus 20:16), but to put away lying and to speak truthfully to his neighbor (Ephesians 4:25); and Whereas in 2004 the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Church Profiles indicated that there are 16,267,494 members in Southern Baptist churches; and Whereas well over one half of those members never attend or participate meaningfully in the life of any local Southern Baptist church and are thus no different than non-members; and Whereas the ideal of a regenerate church membership has long been and remains a cherished Baptist principle; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED that the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2005, urge Southern Baptists to repent of our failure to maintain responsible church membership, and be it further RESOLVED that we urge the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention to repent of the widespread failure among us to obey Jesus Christ in the practice of church discipline (Matthew 18:15-18), and be it further RESOLVED that we plead with pastors and church leaders to lead their churches to study and implement out Lord's teachings on this essential church practice, and be it further RESOLVED that we encourage denominational servants to support and encourage churches that seek to recover and implement our Savior's teachings on church discipline, especially when such efforts result in the reduction in the number of members that are reported in those churches, and be it finally RESOLVED that we commit to pray for our churches as they seek to honor the Lord Jesus Christ through reestablishing integrity to church membership and to the reporting of statistics in the Annual Church Profile. May it be that the Lord graciously bring us to humility and repentance and cause us to be people of truth and integrity in what we profess and practice.