Thank you for your coverage of the Baptist General Association of Virginia executive committee action regarding Ginter Park Baptist Church. As the former pastor of that congregation, I was an early participant in the process of ordaining Scott McGuire to the ministry. I regret that my retirement precluded my presence at the service.
The church did not decide to ordain a homosexual to ministry. The church decided to ordain a person, called by the Holy Spirit, into ministry. There was no attempt to “make a statement.” After Scott’s internship with the church, he asked the church to confirm the work of the Spirit who had given him a call to service, within the Church of Jesus Christ, for children and their families. It was not the church’s task to decide what had already been decided by the work of the Spirit; it was its task to explore the genuineness of the work of the Spirit in him and to cooperate with the Spirit in ordination.
Through months of counsel, by meeting with a mentoring committee and an ordination council, Scott’s Christian commitment, his gifts of the Spirit and his sense of call were tested and confirmed. The groups prayed, looked at Scripture and had discussions and teaching sessions to discern God’s leadership in this matter. Members of the church witnessed Scott in his role as preacher, teacher, deacon, mission-action leader, counselor and congregant, and can testify to his calling and giftedness to serve God. I, along with the community of faith that is Ginter Park Baptist Church, have received communion at his hand and been blessed by his ministry.
The congregation acted upon his ordination because it believed that it must not “call unclean what God has called clean.” Jesus warned that we must not sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32). As the church watched Scott’s growth as a minister and shared with him the struggles of his life, it saw God at work. The church believed that not ordaining Scott would have been a roadblock to the work of the Holy Spirit.
I am sad that despite the long and mutually beneficial relationship between Ginter Park Baptist Church and the BGAV consideration is being given by the executive committee to severing the ties that have connected the church to other Virginia Baptists. Members of the BGAV are sisters and brothers in Christ with members of Ginter Park Baptist, and I will pray for the work of God through the BGAV. I do believe that you would join in affirming Peter’s declaration in Acts 4:19b: “But whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than God, you must judge ….”
It is my hope that GPBC’s affirmation of the work of the Holy Spirit will unite rather than divide the BGAV. The long history of creative, Spirit-filled ministry of Baptists in Virginia gives me reason to hope for the best. My prayers are with you in this matter.
Lee Gallman Jr. retired last year as pastor Ginter Park Baptist Church in Richmond.