Moderator
The Motion: To elevate the fellowship position and title on the gender issue pastoral leadership and fellowship churches formally adopted via vote at National Convention in November 1997 to the status of a fellowship policy statement. See bylaw section 15.1, D.
I will now call upon John Bellingham, who is the original signatory, to make a motion, and then I will need a seconder from another one of the signatory churches. And then each will be given two minutes to speak.
John Bellingham – Rosedale Baptist Church, Wellington (Original Signatory)
“The Fellowship of Baptist Churches, we’re standing this morning at an important crossroads that will determine the future trajectory of our association. Historically, our fellowship has been known to be biblically faithful, theologically conservative and distinctly complementarian. We are, in fact, one of the
largest and last remaining complementarian associations in the country.
The church that I have pastored for the past 14 years left the Baptist Convention and entered into the fellowship, specifically because of its strong complementarian position. The church that I represent does not want to leave. We love the fellowship, but we will not stay forever in an association that is accepting of egalitarian practice.
Our fellowship is in a state of crisis that can no longer be swept under the rug, cannot be hidden under cleverly redefined words. We do not need a lengthy process of consultation to decide what we believe. Our beliefs are already clearly spelled out in our bylaw and existing position statement. The real question
that needs to be answered is whether or not we are going to practice and enforce what we already claim to believe. Are we going to stand on God’s word and be united in a common confession, or will we be driven off course by the winds of changing culture?
If we complementarian delegates vote against the motion today, our vote will only help egalitarian practice to become further entrenched and normalized. If this motion does not pass, understand, we will likely lose at least 10 complementarian churches in Pacific. Defeating the motion today will result in an
entire region that is accepting of egalitarian practices, and the dissented voice in that region will largely be gone. These churches will continue to send delegates to participate on committees that will affect the future direction of all other regions, including the region that I am a part of that is central.”
For the full transcript: 97 Motion Business Session
