The Baptist General Association of Virginia’s precedent in response to Ginter Park Baptist Church’s ordination creates a brand-new challenge for Virginia Baptists.
In acting to “disfellowship” from Ginter Park over its decision to ordain a particular member, the BGAV has chosen a step the Virginia association has never exercised before, because of the Baptist principle of local autonomy in our fellowship of churches. It would seem that a word of disapproval, if desired, short of an action to discontinue a relationship with a church, would far better keep faith with our historic Baptist principles, than does the exception created in the fall of 2012 state association meeting in Roanoke where we voted to “disfellowship” with that church over its ordination action.
Why? Because if Virginia Baptists are going to take action to “disconnect” churches on the basis of disapproval of an ordained person’s behavior or morality, we will need to be consistent, and begin “disfellowshipping” congregations who have ordained other persons whose actions or behaviors we consider unbiblical: Are divorced ministers in our congregations to be evaluated on the same grounds by the BGAV? Are ministers with addictions, such as pornography, gambling, alcohol (about one in five in our churches) to have their congregations disconnected from the BGAV? And, if we follow Scripture, do not churches with ministers who suffer from covetousness (greed), idolatry (worshiping power?) or revilers (verbally abusive), also need to be disenfranchised? (Did we ever take such an action against our churches when their pastors supported slavery, or segregation, or embezzled funds?).
It appears that if the BGAV is going to begin such pronouncements and take such actions, that we will need to appoint a “Morality Committee” to pass judgment on all ordinations approved by Virginia Baptist churches each year.
Daniel G. Bagby, Richmond