First Baptist Church of Rome, Ga., voted March 13 to join the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
The church had earlier announced it was considering the move, which was endorsed by 95 percent of the congregational vote. The action followed a lengthy study of denominational affiliations by the church's denominational relations committee and several congregation-wide “town hall” meetings.
First Baptist, founded in 1835, has long been affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Georgia Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The church will continue to link with the SBC and the CBF, but will drop its ties to the Georgia convention.
“Our recommendation is more about the future than the past, more about becoming part of an entity than of withdrawing from another,” said Janie Peacock, chair of the church's denominational relations committee. “We see this as a great opportunity to join with likeminded Baptists.”
Church leaders said their congregation's beliefs and spirit are compatible with those of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.
“We simply identify with the spirit of the BGAV,” said Tom Bennett, chair of deacons at First Baptist. Among the similiarities is a commitment to the 1963 version of the Baptist Faith and Message statement, which is still endorsed by the BGAV.
“The 2000 edition of the Baptist Faith and Message statement departs from some of our long-held beliefs,” he said.
The BGAV's constitution and bylaws do not restrict its member churches to Virginia. Four years ago the BGAV clarified its policy to permit a more widespread affiliation and developed an affiliation statement to be given to any church outside of Virginia requesting BGAV membership.
Pastor Joel Snider said the new BGAV ties will not “diminish our participation in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, either on the national or state level. The new relationship with the BGAV is an additional way to cooperate with other congregations. We are not an independent church. Cooperation with other churches is in our DNA.”
Snider cited the BGAV's partnership mission program as another draw for his church.
“The BGAV has volunteer mission opportunities that seem well-fitted to our congregation's desires to serve,” he said. “The GBC provides its members with some fine opportunities for missions. The BGAV's volunteer missions, however, are simply a better fit for us.”
First Baptist is also active in local missions and still plans to participate in CBF volunteer projects, Snider said. “Our members have a wide array of mission interests and skill sets they want to use to serve Christ. An additional mission partner helps us get even more people involved.”
Snider said First Baptist holds no ill will toward Georgia Baptists.
“This is a decision about organizations and which one best suits our congregation's needs,” he said. “We wish the very best to all Georgia Baptists. There are many fine churches with great members who belong to the GBC. We may no longer belong to the same group, but we still pray that God will use them in witness and ministry.”
Peacock said, “We are joining the BGAV, but we still live in Georgia. Our members go to school and to work with Georgia Baptists. They are our neighbors. We love our neighbors and will always help them anyway we can.”
At least two other Georgia churches are exploring ties of some sort with the BGAV. North Broad Baptist Church in Rome is in the “initial stages” of studying the affiliation issue, co-pastor Katrina Brooks said last month. A team from First Baptist Church in Dalton has joined Virginia Baptists in a project in Brazil and the church is considering additional mission trips with the BGAV.
Special to the Herald, with reporting by Herald staff