SBC Thought You Like to Know Brochure Page 1 BLACKCYANYELLOWMAGENTA Fold Quick Facts We Thought You’d Like To Know Every denomination is experiencing tension, and Southern Baptists are no exception. Of course, tension can be healthy. It serves to clarify beliefs. But tension also has a down side. It can generate misleading statements and create confusion in the local church. We know that some may be struggling to sort out truth from fiction. Because this is so, we offer you these simple position statements Accountability Growth which reflect the actions of the Convention and its entities. Financial and programmatic accountability are Southern Baptists average 4 new congregations We hope that they will prove helpful to you. The Southern Baptist Convention in session hallmarks of the Southern Baptist Convention; each day; the Convention has more than 40,000 the public record is detailed and extensive. churches and is nearing the 16-million-member mark. Autonomy The Press Priesthood of All Believers Women In Ministry We affirm the autonomy of the local church. Each church is Baptist Press is the national news service of Moral Concerns We affirm the priesthood of all believers. Women participate equally with men in the priest- free to determine its own membership and to set its own Laypersons have the same right as ordained course under the headship of Jesus. It may enter into alliance Southern Baptists. It is a cooperative system, The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is hood of all believers. Their role is crucial, their wis- with other churches as it chooses, so long as those other Laity involving scores of national and state contributors. leading Southern Baptists to study and act on a ministers to communicate with God, interpret dom, grace and commitment exemplary. Women churches are willing. Mobilization of the laity is one of the great sto- broad front; a survey of recent issues of LIGHT Scripture, and minister in Christ’s name. That are an integral part of our Southern Baptist boards, ries of the era; each year about 100,000 go Ethnicity shows treatment of euthanasia, television, racism, is why the Convention requires strong lay faculties, mission teams, writer pools, and profes- The same is true for other Baptist bodies — local associations; Each Sunday, Southern Baptists in America out on special short-term mission and disaster gambling, world hunger, the environment, AIDS, involvement on its boards. sional staffs. We affirm and celebrate their Great state conventions; national conventions. They, too, may worship in 212 languages and dialects ; black relief projects, at home and abroad. world peace, pornography, alcohol, the homeless, Commission impact. determine their membership and set their own course. and ethnic growth is strong in the SBC; black fetal tissue research, cloning, abortion, persecu- This doctrine is first and foremost a matter of and ethnic representation on the boards and If, in its autonomy, a Baptist body expels a church from its tion of Christians, and religious liberty. responsibility and servanthood, not privilege While Scripture teaches that a woman’s role is not Literature professional staffs is growing. fellowship, it does not negate that church’s autonomy. The and license. identical to that of men in every respect, and that LifeWay Christian Resources is the world’s church is perfectly free to go on with its business — but not largest publisher of religious materials; its pastoral leadership is assigned to men, it also teaches Biblical Interpretation Further Reading as a member of that larger Baptist body. Sunday school literature is the choice of It is, of course, a perversion of this doctrine to that women are equal in value to men. Within broad parameters, there has always been, There is no substitute for the original text. We say that all views are equally valid, that you can approximately 37,000 Southern Baptist and will continue to be, liberty of interpretation urge you to read such primary sources as: churches; orders come as well from churches of believe anything and still be a Baptist, or that Cooperation in our institutions; from millennialism to predes- • The Foreign Mission Board’s (now the Church and State The Cooperative Program of missions is integral to the other denominations and from more than 40 the pastor has no unique leadership role. We stand for a free church in a free state. Neither tination to missiology to polity, Southern Baptist International Mission Board) letter Southern Baptist genius. In the early days of our countries around the world. one should control the affairs of the other. We sup- faculty and staff espouse a range of views, within to the churches concerning Convention, churches were bombarded with special appeals a framework of biblical inerrancy. Soul Competency port the First Amendment to the United States Ruschlikon Seminary. from various missions causes. The material resources of each We affirm soul competency, the accountability Constitution, with its “establishment” and “free Academics • The Executive Committee rationale ministry were dependent upon the persistence and eloquence The scope of Southern Baptist seminary educa- for the 1990 BJCPA recommenda- of each person before God. Your family cannot exercise” clauses. of the spokesmen. This societal approach to missions was tion is unmatched by any other denomination. tion. save you. Neither can your church. It is a mat- uneven and exhausting. America’s 237 theological schools average • SBC resolutions on priesthood of ter between you and God. Authorities can’t We do, of course, acknowledge the legitimate inter- about 300 in enrollment. The six Southern believers (1988), women in ministry force belief or unbelief. They shouldn’t try. play of these two spheres. For example, it is appro- In 1925, Southern Baptists chose to join the causes of state Baptist seminaries average about 2,280. One (1984), etc. priate for the state to enact and enforce fire codes and national missions in a denominational plan of unified out of every five theological students in the • ERLC publications, SALT and Against this backdrop of religious freedom, it’s for church nurseries. It is also appropriate for minis- giving. This Cooperative Program laid the foundation for U.S. is enrolled in a Southern Baptist seminary. LIGHT. important for us Baptists to set forth our con- ters to offer prayer at civic functions. Neither the extraordinary growth and fruitfulness. The Partners in the victions. By stating them in a forthright man- Constitution nor Baptist tradition would build a Harvest campaign celebrates the 75th anniversary of Innovation and Efficiency ner, we provide nonbelievers with a clear wall of separation against such practices as these. the Cooperative Program in the Year 2000 with In an effort to provide Southern Baptists with For these items and more informa- choice. goals of 1 million baptisms, unprecedented volunteer resources and information, the Southern tion, contact: Missions mission involvement, and $750 million in Baptist Convention has created a new website. Convention Relations Creeds and Confessions We ask the people of the world to conform to Cooperative Program and other missions gifts. SBC.net provides you with access to important Executive Committee, In some groups, statements of belief have the Christ and His Word, and not to our merely human Southern Baptist documents, quick links to Southern Baptist Convention same authority as Scripture. We call this traditions. We seek to lift up national leadership in Sexuality and Sanctity of Life 901 Commerce St. each SBC entity, and features an online prayer creedalism. Baptists also make statements of the countries where we serve, and to respect the cul- We affirm God’s plan for marriage and sexual intimacy — one room where you can intercede for Southern Nashville, TN 37203 belief, but all of them are revisable in light of tural expressions of their Christian faith — we man, one woman, for life. Procreation is a gift from God, a Baptist needs around the world. You can reach (615) 244-2355 Scripture. The Bible is the final word. honor the indigenous principle in missions. We precious test reserved for marriage. At the moment of con- our website at: (615) 782-8684 FAX cannot, however, compromise doctrine or give up ception, a new being enters the universe, a human being, a http://www.sbc.net (866) 722-5433 TOLL FREE Because of this distinction, we are generally who we are to win the favor of those we try to reach being created in God’s image. This human being deserves more comfortable with the word “confession.” or those with whom we desire to work. This would our protection, whatever the circumstances of conception. October 2000 Still, we are “creedal” in the sense that we rob our efforts of their integrity and life. believe certain things, express those beliefs, and Homosexuality is not a “valid alternative lifestyle.” The Bible order our institutions accordingly. There have The priority is evangelism which results in churches. condemns it as a sin. It is not, however, unforgivable sin. The always been Baptist limits. And within these This priority is consistent with strong social min- redemption available to all sinners is available to homosexuals. limits, there have always been Baptist prefer- istries, including medical care, emergency famine They, too, may become new creations in Christ. ences. relief, water projects, and agricultural assistance. Fold SBC Thought You Like to Know Brochure Page 2 BLACKCYANYELLOWMAGENTA Fold J.B. TIDWELL HERSCHEL HOBBS A Bible Chairman, Bible President, Southern J.M. FROST Department Baptist Convention Corresponding Secretary, B.H. CARROLL, First Baylor University Chairman, Baptist Faith and Baptist Sunday School President, Southwestern (1910-46) Message Committee (1963) Heritage Board Baptist Theological These writers certainly claimed that what they say Infallible has two meanings; one is “without error,” Seminary (1908-14) We accept the Scriptures as an all-sufficient and infal- We invite you to consider JAMES P.