Baptist Faith and Message Archives

CBF NIXES ‘ABSOLUTE’ LGBT HIRING BAN

February 21, 2018

By David Roach
Baptist Press

Charlie Fuller, chairman of the CBF’s Illumination Project Committee, presents a report to the CBF General Assembly June 29. -Screen capture from CBFblog.com

DECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Governing Board has voted to lift the Fellowship’s “absolute prohibition” of hiring homosexual and transgender employees.

But CBF “leadership positions in ministry” and missionary roles still will be limited to individuals “who practice a traditional Christian sexual ethic of celibacy in singleness or faithfulness in marriage between a woman and man,” according to a hiring “implementation procedure” also adopted by the Governing Board. Other positions will be open to “Christians who identify as LGBT.”

The new hiring policy and implementation procedure — adopted Feb. 9 at a CBF Governing Board meeting in Decatur, Ga. — replace the previous CBF hiring policy, which prohibited “the purposeful hiring of a staff person or the sending of a missionary who is a practicing homosexual.” [Read more…]

SUMMIT, AUTONOMY, AND THANKSGIVING

November 21, 2017

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

Another Summit has come and gone. Tennessee Baptists met last week at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, to worship, fellowship, and conduct business. They did all three well.

The convention started off on the right foot with the Sunday night service at First Baptist and an All Nations celebration service at nearby Long Hollow Baptist Church. Bartholomew Orr preached an outstanding message at First Baptist, the first of many good messages throughout the week. [Read more…]

MESSENGERS AFFIRM COMMITTEE DECISION

November 14, 2017

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

TBC Registration Secretary Dan Ferrell, left, speaks with Ellen Di Giosia, right, pastor of First Baptist Church, Jefferson City, and other church members. Messengers to the annual meeting later upheld a decision by the Committee on Credentials to not seat messengers from FBC. –B&R photo by Lonnie Wilkey

HENDERSONVILLE — Messengers to the annual meeting of the Tennessee Baptist Convention voted overwhelmingly during the opening session on Nov. 14 to not seat messengers from First Baptist Church, Jefferson City.

First Baptist attempted to register seven messengers, including new pastor Ellen Di Giosia, who has been in the position since Aug. 1.

In mid-October, the TBC’s Committee on Credentials met and agreed that a church with a woman pastor does not fit the definition of a “cooperating church” as defined by convention bylaws. The committee based its decision on Article VI of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 declaring that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.” [Read more…]

CARSON-NEWMAN, TBMB AGREE TO BFM INCLUSION

September 27, 2017

By Mark Brown
Carson-Newman News Office

JEFFERSON CITY — Carson-Newman University trustees recently agreed to incorporate the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message as part of Carson-Newman University’s operating procedure. The agreement ensures the partnership of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board as the university fulfills its mission to help “students reach their full potential as educated citizens and worldwide servant-leaders.” [Read more…]

TBMB RECEIVES REPORT ON CARSON-NEWMAN

September 13, 2017

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector

FRANKLIN – The board of directors of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board have been informed of a recent action by Carson-Newman University board of trustees to “incorporate the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message and the Preamble as part of the standards and regulations concerning the operations of the university.”

The directors also heard the response of their Partner Ministries Committee (PMC) which has been in dialogue with C-N officials during the past year: “The Partner Ministries Committee of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board appreciates and receives the positive response of the Carson-Newman University board of trustees toward our concerns.” [Read more…]

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