HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (ABP) — Acknowledging they have not always been on the right side of racial issues, Alabama Baptists endorsed a call to use the 50th anniversary of the Montgomery Bus Boycott as a way to foster racial harmony.
The action came during the annual meeting of the Alabama Baptist State Convention at Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, Nov. 15-16, during which messengers also approved two new international missions partnerships and a record budget for 2006.
The resolution on racial reconciliation was one of the eight approved. Others dealt with appreciation for the life and work of Adrian Rogers, opposition to gambling and support of the sanctity of marriage. “Intentional Evangelism” was the theme for the annual meeting, which registered 1,103 messengers from 867 churches.
Jay Wolf, pastor of First Baptist Church, Montgomery, and chair of the resolutions committee, stressed the importance of the resolution on race. “I want Alabama Baptists to get the credit for being a leader in racial reconciliation,” he said.
Wolf said the world's attention will be focused on Alabama with the anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycott. Triggered by the arrest of Rosa Parks Dec. 1, 1955, the boycott lasted 381 days — from Dec. 5, 1955, to Dec. 20, 1956, when the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed segregation on buses.
The anniversary provides a stage for promoting unity and the progress made in race relations in Alabama, Wolf added. He said in the past Alabama Baptists have sometimes taken the wrong side on the issue of race, following the culture instead of taking a stand for what is right. “God calls us to be reconcilers,” he said. “If we can get black and white churches working together, that will be massive.” The resolution passed with no discussion.
As Alabama Baptists wrap up a six-year partnership with the National Baptist Convention of Venezuela, they will begin two new partnerships with Ukraine and Guatemala. Messengers unanimously approved both of these partnerships for three years with the potential for renewal. They will begin in 2006.
Messengers adopted a record Cooperative Program base budget of $42,645,000.
They also approved a resolution expressing appreciation for the life and work of Rogers, recently retired pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn., and a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention. He died Nov. 15 at the age of 74.
Messengers affirmed Alabama Baptists' historic opposition to “gambling in any form.”
Noting the many attempts in the state legislature to find ways to legalize gambling or expand already-legal forms of gambling, the resolution called on Alabama Baptists individually to voice their opposition to the governor and state legislators. It passed with no discussion.
In a resolution supporting the sanctity of marriage, Alabama Baptists thanked the state legislature for passing the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment during the last legislative session. It will appear on the June 6, 2006, primary election ballot.
The resolution calls for Alabama Baptists to encourage citizens to vote for the amendment and “to demonstrate our love for those practicing homosexuality by sharing with them the forgiving and transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Disaster-relief volunteers were also recognized by messengers with a resolution in their honor. The resolution thanks not only disaster-relief workers but also Alabama Baptist churches and individuals for their monetary donations and hands-on volunteer work. It also expresses sympathy and support for those affected by the hurricanes.
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, pointed to disaster relief as one example of where Alabama Baptists have stepped to the forefront to become leaders. “We are by far the No. 3 disaster-relief [group] in the world,” he said.
Alabama Baptists are involved in relief efforts at all levels, Lance said, noting Alabama areas still recovering from 2004's Hurricane Ivan; areas hit by hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida; and areas in southeast Asia devastated by the 2004 tsunami.
Alabama Baptists have given $2.4 million to disaster-relief efforts since Katrina, he said. Of that, more than $2.1 million has been distributed to recovery efforts in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Lance said. “For every dollar spent in the state, we tried to match it outside the state,” he said.
Henry Cox, pastor of First Baptist Church, Bay Minette, was re-elected to a second one-year term as president. Roger Willmore, pastor of Deerfoot Baptist Church, Trussville, was re-elected to a second one-year term as first vice president. Jimmy Jackson, pastor of Whitesburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, was elected as second vice president. Mary Sue Bennett, special assistant to Lance, was re-elected recording secretary. All were elected with opposition.