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Episode #421Tony Wolfe was revealed this week as the candidate to succeed Gary Hollingsworth as the executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and California Baptist University announced a record-breaking $28.5 million gift to rename their events center.

News Recap* Tony Wolfe named as candidate for South Carolina exec position – https://bit.ly/3YhynUh * Jeff Robinson named editor of Baptist Courier – https://bit.ly/3J9h9UV * ARITF shares new information on proposed Ministry Check website – https://bit.ly/3YdqwHs * ARITF releases video interview with Samantha Kilpatrick of Guidepost’s ‘Faith-Based Solutions’ – https://bit.ly/3SGh5ix * Gateway Seminary to fund short-term mission trips for all students – https://bit.ly/3ZdWzZ7 * Southwestern Seminary accepts City of Fort Worth offer for purchase of Carroll Park – https://bit.ly/3miHbvM * California Baptist University receives historic $28.5M gift – https://bit.ly/3ZfwMPY * Former youth pastor sentenced to 60 years for sex-related crimes – https://bit.ly/3mexT3X

This Week in SBC HistoryJames Sullivan Named BSSB President

  • http://media.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/59,04-Mar-1953.pdf
  • https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/james-l-sullivan-the-tower-is-gone-legacy-remains/
  • https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-remembering-a-great-man-james-l-sullivan/
  • https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/james-sullivans-faith-wit-leadership-remembered-at-service/
  • https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/james-l-sullivan-former-president-of-sbc-baptist-sunday-school-board-dies-at-94/

1845 – “shall consist of members who contribute funds” — after that, it’s basically about $$$ for the first one hundred years

1925 – Baptist Faith and Message and Cooperative Program

1948 – “for each regular Baptist church which is in friendly cooperation with this Convention and sympathetic with its purposes and work

1992 – TC Pinckney proposes constitutional amendment at an EC meeting- “Homosexuality was being promoted and was making progress … and we wanted to protect the Southern Baptist Convention from [a] nickel and dime whittling away of standards and promoting acceptance of homosexuality” – http://media.sbhla.org.s3.amazonaws.com/7395,19-Feb-1992.PDF

1993 – Constitutional amendment passes for the second time and goes in

Is in friendly cooperation with the Convention and sympathetic with its purposes and work. Among churches not in cooperation with the Convention are churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior.”

1999 – T.C. Pinckney proposes Baptist Faith and Message committee

2000 – Baptist Faith and Message – clear at the time that it was “not binding on local congregations”

Acknowledgement of female pastors, including Fern Creek – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/sbc-life-articles/sbc-and-women-pastors/

2004 – starts showing up in state conventions

Michigan, Florida: changed bylaws to say they could expel congregations that did not adhere to the BFM; other states followed suit, also some local associations

2007 – Garner motion – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/bfm-motion-grabs-attention-at-sbc/

2014 – new proposal for cooperating standards, primarily financial, about upping the minimum giving standards… BUT it adds the BFM 2000

Original: Has not intentionally operated in any manner demonstrating opposition to the doctrine expressed in the Convention’s most recently adopted statement of faith. (By way of example, churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior would be deemed not to be in cooperation with the Convention.)

Text gets changed to: “Has a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith. (By way of example, churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior would be deemed not to be in cooperation with the Convention.)”

2017 – constitutional amendment to add racism is declined – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/ec-wrap-up-cp-escrowing-by-churches-draws-study/

2018 – Raleigh White Baptist Church – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/ec-disfellowships-ga-church-honors-mohler/

2019 – Constitutional amendments and Bylaw 8

Round 1 amendments – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/wrap-up-sex-abuse-prevention-tops-sbc-exec-comm-agenda/

Possible revision – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/sbc-ec-may-revise-sex-abuse-prevention-proposal/

Final version moves forward – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/sexual-abuse-racism-votes-move-to-sbc-messengers/

2020 – Mohler article on women pastors in the SBC – https://albertmohler.com/2020/08/14/briefing-8-14-20

2021 – Saddleback Motion in Nashville

Tom Ascol calls for credentials committee submissions: https://twitter.com/tomascol/status/1391532666399432705?s=20

Mohler Article – https://albertmohler.com/2021/05/10/women-pastors-women-preachers-and-the-looming-test-of-the-southern-baptist-convention

2022 – Credentials committee report in Anaheim – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/credentials-committee-withdraws-recommendation-related-to-saddleback-continues-work/

Mike Law motion – https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/barber-wellman-issue-statement-on-proposed-constitutional-amendment/

Resources of the Week Amy: Mourning the Presidents * Jonathan*: Send Luncheon Registration – https://bit.ly/3mdaU9j