LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Southern Baptist Convention discontinued its relationship with Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas, because of the church’s perceived toleration of homosexual members.
Messengers to the SBC annual meeting dismissed the church in less than 30 seconds, voting overwhelmingly to approve a recommendation by the convention’s Executive Committee June 23.
The recommendation did not specifically mention homosexuality. But that issue has been the backdrop of controversy at the church since late 2007, when a dispute arose regarding whether to include pictures of homosexual couples in the church’s membership directory.
Broadway’s denominational affiliation came under question at last year’s SBC annual meeting. William Sanderson, pastor of Hephzibah Baptist Church in Wendell, N.C., asked the SBC to declare the church “not to be in friendly cooperation” with the convention.
The Executive Committee studied the issue this past year and met with representatives of Broadway in February. Then, on the eve of the SBC meeting in Louisville, the committee voted to recommend “that the cooperative relationship between the convention and the church cease, and that the church’s messengers not be seated, until such time as the church unambiguously demonstrates its friendly cooperation with the convention under [constitution] Article III.”
Kathy Madeja, chair of Broadway’s board of deacons, expressed regret regarding the convention’s action.
“We are disappointed with the decision of the Southern Baptist Conven-tion,” she said. “Broadway Baptist Church has been affiliated with the SBC for over 125 years. Our mission at Broadway is and will continue to be consistent with the SBC’s stated enterprise of reaching the world for Christ.
“We do not believe Broadway has taken any action that would justify being deemed not in ‘friendly cooperation’ with the SBC,” she said.
The church has been pastorless most of the past year, since the previous pastor, Brett Younger, joined the faculty of Mercer University’s McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta.
Brent Beasley, who will begin his tenure as Broadway’s pastor next month, was moving from Memphis, Tenn., to Fort Worth the week of June 22 and unavailable for comment.
Article III of the SBC’s constitution notes that “churches not in cooperation with the convention are churches which act to affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior.”
In materials provided to the Executive Committee during its investigation, a Broadway staff member denied violating the SBC constitution, a position later reiterated by the church’s deacons.
“Broadway never has taken any church action to affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior,” Jorene Taylor Swift, minister of congregational care at the church, wrote to August Boto, the Executive Committee’s general counsel.
Swift’s letter acknowledged the church’s membership reflects “a variety of views” on homosexuality.
“Like a number of other Southern Baptist churches, our congregation is trying to understand how to minister to those who are engaged in a homosexual lifestyle,” she added.
A May 21 letter to Boto from Broadway’s deacons addressed what it called “innuendo and gossip” regarding the church’s position on homosexuality.
“We have not denied that we, like most other churches, have a few gay members,” the deacons’ letter said. “We do not inquire about sexual orientation when people present themselves for membership. We do require their profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord followed by believer’s baptism.”
The outcome of Broadway’s dismissal could have significant impact on several of the church’s members.
Swift’s letter noted four faculty members at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth are members of the church. Because of the convention’s vote, those faculty members will be required to join congregations in good standing with the national convention or resign their teaching posts.
Madeja declined to identify those faculty members, citing the private and painful nature of the situation.