ASHEBORO, N.C. (ABP) – The General Board of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention weighed in on several social issues but declined to address the state's cooperative giving plans during its spring meeting May 18-19 at Caraway.
Adopting a statement affirming Christian involvement in public schools, the board also approved a dual motion to oppose same-sex marriage and a North Carolina lottery.
The statement regarding public schools came in response to a highly publicized attempt by T.C. Pinckney of Virginia and Bruce Shortt of Texas to have the Southern Baptist Convention approve a resolution when they meet in June. The resolution encourages Christian parents to pull their children out of public schools.
Their proposed statement, which has been submitted to the SBC resolutions committee, describes “a dark and decaying public school system” that is “godless” and “anti-Christian,” and “run by the enemies of God.” It urges parents to put their children into private Christian schools or home-school them to ensure they have a “thoroughly Christian education.” Many observers do not expect the proposal to make it out of the resolutions committee in its present form.
The North Carolina response affirms “the ultimate responsibility of all parents for their children's education, and their right to choose alternatives” while affirming the historic value of public schools and those who strive to “bring salt and light” by participating in them.
On a voice vote near the close of the meeting, a dual motion was passed that the General Board would send letters to N.C. legislators and to N.C. members of the U.S. House and Senate, opposing a lottery in North Carolina and urging support for state and national bills opposing same-sex marriage, including a proposed constitutional amendment.
But the General Board voted to table a motion asking the body to formally express affirmation of the convention's four giving plans to the budget committee.
The committee has been studying the plans and has conducted six listening sessions around the state to gauge reaction to a proposal to eliminate them in favor of a new plan. The new plan is similar to the convention's existing Plan A that sends 32 percent to the SBC and keeps 68 percent for North Carolina causes, but would also allow churches up to five percent for any cause approved by messengers to the state convention annual meeting.
According to convention comptroller Robert Simons “the majority of the people — perhaps 70-80 percent of those we heard from — like having the options and think we should keep the current system because it works.”
During the meeting representatives from the convention's colleges, social service institutions and agencies also affirmed the giving plans and encouraged the budget committee to recommend they be retained.
However, after being cautioned by General Board president John Butler about giving the appearance of instructing the budget committee, the board voted to table the motion.
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