The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) Executive Board voted to unanimously to remove tow congregations from their affiliate status during an executive session held on Tuesday, May 23.
The congregations, who remain anonymous as they have until June 30 to respond to the board’s decision, were found “outside of harmonious cooperation with the churches of the Convention.”
The reason for the expulsion? The two churches were publicly affirming homosexuality and LGBTQ ideologies.
This acceptance and affirmation of a lifestyle the Bible lists as a sin in both the Old and New Testaments is rapidly expanding the existing schism within every denomination of Christianity in America.
According to Baptist News Global, “The BGCT is the largest of the autonomous state Baptist conventions that partner with the Southern Baptist Convention. Once a state convention resistant to the conservative course of the SBC in the 1980s and 1990s, the BGCT in more recent years has lined up with most of the conservative theological and social positions of the SBC.”
The congregations in question have been sent a letter detailing the results of the board’s vote and given a chance to respond and clarify where they stand when on biblical and human sexuality with a deadline of June 30.
“While we appreciate the longstanding relationship and previous collaborations with these two congregations, our heart at BGCT is to remain tethered to the grace and truth extended to us found only in God’s Word and the Spirit of Christ,” says Bobby Contreras, chair of the BGCT Executive Board and pastor of Alamo Heights Baptist Church in San Antonio.
“This foundation has and will continue to be where BGCT stands united,” he adds.
“The Board,” says Contreras, “is committed to leading in sharing Christ and showing love in all we say and do.”
The Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in 2016 established a resolution stating “any church which affirms any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a marriage between one man and one woman be considered out of harmonious cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.”
As reported by the Christian Post, “While the BGCT announcement didn’t identify the congregations in its public statement, Baptist News Global reports the congregations are Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio and Second Baptist Church in Lubbock.”
These expulsions come on the heels of the Seattle-based megachurch Quest Church voluntarily separating from the Evangelical Covenant Church group over their affirmation of the LGBTQ lifestyle, and performing same-sex weddings by their current Lead Pastor Gail Song Bantum.
With churches around the world leaving biblical doctrines to embrace the LGBTQ lifestyle, causing internal conflict such as the United Methodist Church is experiencing in massive numbers, the Bible urges Christians to be aware of the growing apostate church and lean on the truth of Jesus Christ to navigate during these times that are leading to the end of days: “Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils…” (1 Tim. 4:1).
For Christians to spiritually war against the coming (and present) deception and misinformation, as prophesied in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, the faithful need not be fearful of these things but aware, and utilize wisdom given to them by the Holy Spirit to discern what is good and of the Lord versus what is detrimental and of Satan.
By pointing all questions and confusion of a situation back to Scripture, a believer will always be guided by truth and will stay in the will of God during these uncertain times. {eoa}
James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.
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