I say amen to the two letters in the Jan. 5 Baptist Courier. Jesus didn’t say to go out and be popular, but to “go out and preach the gospel.”
How many churches display the word “Southern” in their name? It therefore must be the word “Baptist” that offends. We Baptists have been proud of our stand against sin. It is for this reason that many people will not attend our churches. We are told that the word “Baptist” will still appear in our name. Will it be in fine print, as it is in LifeWay, which saw fit to change its name? Baptist College of Charleston changed its name to Charleston Southern University, and the word “Southern” in the name does not seem to have harmed them.
It was noted in the report by the SBC committee studying a possible name change that Southern Baptists are trending downward in membership. Of course we are. The action of the convention in the revisions of June 2000 to The Baptist Faith and Message alienated many. These changes that affected all of the membership were passed by less than 1 percent of convention membership.
This will happen again if we sit back and accept whatever our leaders propose. In the future, a vote on any proposal by the SBC or the state conventions should be voted on by letter by each church and require a three-fourths majority to carry. It is not practical, for financial reasons, for each church to be present.
I second what has been said before: I will not support the “new” denomination, but only my local church – and only if it retains its present name.
What do you think? Click here to send a letter to the editor addressing this or another subject.