The simple phrase “I move to call the question” was all it took to stop the discussion and have Ginter Park Baptist Church disassociated from the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Based on what I observed at the annual meeting, the BGAV simply wanted us to leave. How sad.
I sat in disbelief as the debate and sound bites began to get interesting — then there was the ever famous call for the question. We have all heard it said in our own church business meetings. It’s used to stop discussions and move the meeting along to its inevitable end — a vote on a motion. But, unfortunately, this vote on a motion was not so simple, because it was a vote on emotion.
Raymond Cady
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As a messenger from the church in question I sat in wonder as the debate began. I was looking forward to hearing from my fellow Baptists brothers and sisters why we should be disassociated from the BGAV. I wanted to hear firsthand how a decision that we made would impact the life of the BGAV. I never heard any viable reason for concern that would change how we do the business of God as Virginia Baptists. No specifics were given — only because of the issue of homosexuality. And that issue is not fully resolved. The reasons for kicking us out of the BGAV were based on a platform from 1993. We need to readdress this issue. A new study should be launched and this issue truly researched and studied based on scholarship and insights in biblical interpretation and discoveries that have taken place since 1993. Even the report from the Christian life committee this year asked to have the issue studied. But now we will never know.
I found it ironic that the theme for the meeting was “Together: In Walk, In Worship, In Work.” At a meeting with this theme someone was going to be asked to leave. I sat and listened to the presentations about the impact of the BGAV around the world and was proud to be part of this positive witness of God. This is the Good News that I learned about growing up as a Virginia Baptist. But quickly my thoughts again turned to the matter at hand and I asked myself how our decision was going to impact eradicating mosquitoes in Ghana? How is our decision going to impact the relief efforts in New York and New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy? How is our decision going to impact the viability of the food truck that ministers to those that live in modern-day food deserts? How did our decision impact the dental ministry and the blessings it brings to those that have a need for proper dental care? How is our decision to ordain a homosexual to the gospel ministry going to impact the life and ministry of your individual church? How? Now we will never find out, because we will never have that discussion. And now we will not have a seat at the table for viable and earnest dialogue about homosexuality or anything else in the life of the church. That is not Baptist!
I was moved by and thankful for the amendment offered by Jim Somerville from First Baptist Church of Richmond. It was reasoned and a well-meaning alternative to simply asking us to leave the BGAV without so much as due process. And it would have offered the opportunity for discussions and dialogue about what it means to be Baptists and how we, all Virginia Baptists, will engage with churches that feel the same as GPBC about ordaining someone who is called by God and is also homosexual.
Throughout this entire process we have never been asked to have a seat at any table to discuss the issue of our ordination or the issue of homosexuality in the life of our church and the wider church community. We have not been invited by the BGAV to engage in open and honest dialogue. Why? All we received was a certified letter asking us to leave the BGAV. What is fearful of engaging in dialogue? We did it when we wanted to ordain women as deacons and ministers and we certainly did it when many of us felt the Southern Baptist Convention was moving away from core Baptists principles in the late ’70s and early ’80s and it all came to a head for many of us in the early ’90s. I give credit to the Richmond Baptist Association for choosing to study the issue. I hope GPBC is invited to take part in the study.
I am thankful for the many heartfelt words of support, care and concern and the offers for prayers that have been received via email, phone and in person at the annual meeting. Thank you.
Please remember our church’s call and commitment to the common cause of Christ and his love for the world will not be changed by a simple call of the question or a simple majority vote in Roanoke. We will continue to be one of God’s churches and live out our calling to be a positive and prophetic witness in this world. Thanks be to God.
Raymond Cady ([email protected]) is the chair of deacons at Ginter Park Baptist Church in Richmond.