Messengers to the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting soundly defeated a motion affirming the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, the Southern Baptist Convention statement of faith that limits the role of pastor to men.
During the Nov. 12 business session, messengers debated a motion by Jeff Williams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Denton “that the Baptist General Convention of Texas affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.”
North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell raised the issue of the Baptist Faith & Message in response to a question from a Texas Baptist pastor at the SBC annual meeting in June.
Ezell said NAMB will not fund church starts within Texas in partnership with uniquely BGCT-affiliated congregations and suggested Texas Baptists change their statement of faith. He said NAMB’s “longstanding commitment” is to start churches in partnership with state conventions that affirm the 2000 version of the Baptist Faith & Message.
“I cannot and will not change that standard,” Ezell said. “But I would love for you to consider and for your state convention to adopt the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.”
Williams was one of several Texas Baptist pastors involved in an Aug. 15 meeting in Dallas involving BGCT and NAMB representatives.
Speaking in favor of his motion from the floor of Texas Baptists’ annual meeting, Williams said his intention was not for the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message to replace the 1963 Baptist Faith & Message as the BGCT statement of faith, but that it would stand alongside it.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Ken Camp and originally published by Baptist Standard.
