Missouri Baptist Convention
Under "what were they thinking?" The Missouri Baptist Convention decided on December 10th to no-longer fund church plants within their convention that also affiliate with the Acts 29 network because Acts 29 does not take an abstinence stand on the use of alcohol. Here is the story in Baptist Press and a story here and here from some blogging friends. Tom Ascol over at Founders Blog has a great interview with Kevin Larson whose church will be effected by this change. The sad part is that they are giving these church planters 20 days notice during the Christmas Season about this change. Heartless!!!
I have stated previously after the Greensboro Convention in 2006, when the resolution on alcohol was past that I voted against, that I don't drink. I have tried some different beverages in my past and never cared for the taste of any of them. I believe the bible is inerrant, and because of that belief I can unequivocally say that drinking alcohol is NOT a sin but being drunk with it is!
Let me say that my personal belief is that this has a little to do with alcohol and Acts 29 and a lot to do with who has the power in denominational life. It is happening more in more where a select group has to control everything down to the last detail until everyone in the room acts the same and believes the same. Do I think this is only the beginning in Baptist life? No, this is just one more stone in the wall that will separate many non-Christians from Christ.
I love what Kevin Larson said in one of his answers to Tom Ascol:
The other mainline denominations are becoming more and more gray. No disrespect is meant toward my elders; we are desperate to have mature Christians at Karis. But the grayer a congregation or denomination looks, the more bleak the future becomes. Well, those mainline denominations are graying due to liberalism. Young people want something true and something worth believing and dying for. But the SBC, I'm afraid, could gray and ultimately die because of legalism.
I pray that some people will come to their senses very soon and reclaim not only the authority of the Bible but also the sufficiency of it for life and practice as well.
