An Open Letter To Texas Baptists
By Officers of the BGCT

Editor's note: The following is a letter sent to pastors and lay leaders in Texas Baptist churches. TBC discovered that some fundamentalist pastors did not share this material with their church leaders. If you have questions about the beliefs of the leaders of the Baptist General Convention of Texas then let them speak for themselves in this letter.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

These are exciting days for Texas Baptists. Our state's population is projected to reach 23 million within the next ten years, and Texas continues to grow increasingly multi-ethnic, urban and unchurched. Charles Wade, executive director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, has set before us a compelling vision.

He has called on Texas Baptist churches to be the presence of Jesus in their communities. He has encouraged us to reach out in love with the Gospel to the disenfranchised and dispossessed. He has called on us to care about those like Zacchaeus - materially prosperous people who are "up a tree" and "out on a limb" searching for spiritual meaning and for someone to care about them. He has challenged us to work together to "put our arms around Texas and hug this state up close to God."

The vision can become reality, but obstacles must be overcome. Unfortunately, one of the great hindrances to our cooperative work as Texas Baptists is misinformation. Some individuals and organizations have attacked the Baptist General Convention of Texas and its leaders with untrue allegations. While we cannot judge their motivation for spreading these false accusations, we feel compelled to answer them with truth.

You may have received printed materials linking the Baptist General Convention of Texas to all sorts of positions contrary to the convictions of many Texas Baptists. These materials are filled with half-truths, innuendo, guilt by association and blatant misinformation. Bearing false witness against brothers and sisters in Christ is a serious transgression. Our purpose in writing you is to set the record straight about the BGCT.

The Elected And Employed Leaders Of The BGCT Believe The Bible Is Inspired, True And Trustworthy.

In 1980 and again in 1999, the Baptist General Convention of Texas passed motions affirming The Baptist Faith and Message, as adopted in 1963 by the Southern Baptist Convention, as a guideline for doctrinal beliefs.

Regarding the Bible, The Baptist Faith and Message states: "The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is the record of God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter."

Every Christian has the sacred privilege of interpreting the Bible. The same Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of Scripture also aids believers in interpreting it. Our statement of faith says, "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ."

That means Jesus Christ, the Living Word of God, is the guide for interpreting the Written Word of God. The introduction to this confession of faith also makes it clear that "the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is Jesus Christ whose will is revealed in the Holy Scriptures."

In the statement of values for TEXAS 2000 as adopted by the BGCT in 1994, the first value listed is "Biblical authority." Every priority of TEXAS 2000 has a clear Biblical basis that is listed by Scripture reference. The work of the BGCT is firmly rooted in the Bible. Our task is "Putting God's Word to Work."

The BGCT  Is Committed To The Bible As Our Only Creed.

Texas Baptists refuse to treat any man-made statement of faith as authoritative over the conscience of believers or as a substitute for divinely inspired Scripture. The Baptist Faith and Message, as affirmed by the BGCT, states, "Baptists emphasize the soul's competency before God, freedom in religion, and the priesthood of the believer."

Baptists historically have believed that we are accountable to God and to Holy Scripture, not to any confession of faith. Texas Baptists recognize that doctrine is important, truth is to be honored and Scripture is to be obeyed. To guard against error, we point to the whole Bible - not any incomplete statement of faith - as the "Confessions are only guides in interpretation, having no authority over conscience." The preamble to The Baptist Faith and Message also states, "A living faith must experience a growing understanding of truth and must be continually interpreted and related to the needs of each new generation.

Throughout their history Baptist bodies, both large and small, have issued statements of faith which comprise a consensus of their beliefs. Such statements have never been regarded as complete, infallible statements of faith, nor as official creeds having mandatory authority."

Baptists resist creedal faith because man-made creeds always are used eventually to coerce conscience. Texas Baptists have no creed but the Bible.

The BGCT Affirms Reverence For Human Life And Opposes Abortion.

Six times since 1980, the BGCT in annual session has adopted resolutions opposing abortion, while consistently allowing for exceptions to save the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest. In 1997, the convention also passed a motion specifically condemning the partial birth abortion procedure.

Abortion on demand is forbidden by the policies of all BGCT-affiliated hospitals. While the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission statement, "Abortion and the Christian Life," is not an official policy statement adopted by the BGCT, it also clearly opposes abortion as birth control.

Critics have attacked the BGCT because some organizations and individuals with whom Baptists have worked have cooperated in programs or worked in coalitions with groups that do not share our conviction regarding reverence for the life of the unborn.

Texas Baptists traditionally have recognized the wisdom of working for the common good in limited partnerships alongside those with whom we may disagree on some issues. A shared commitment on one issue does not mean agreement on all issues.

The BGCT position against abortion is clear. In both policy and practice, the BGCT affirms reverence for human life and opposes abortion.

The BGCT  Has Spoken Clearly And Acted Decisively In Opposing The Practice Of Homosexuality.

As far back as 1982, the BGCT in annual session voted its conviction that "the homosexual lifestyle is not normal or acceptable in God's sight and is indeed called sin."

As recently as 1996, the convention adopted a report from its Messenger Seating Study Committee that stated: "The Bible teaches that the ideal for sexual behavior is the marital union between husband and wife and that all other sexual relations - whether premarital, extramarital, or homosexual - are contrary to God's purposes and thus sinful. Homosexual practice is therefore in conflict with the Bible."

Then in January 1998, the BGCT Administrative Committee learned that a church knowingly ordained a practicing homosexual as a deacon, and the church indicated on its web site it was affiliated with the BGCT.

At its meeting the next month, the BGCT Executive Board approved a recommendation from the Administrative Committee that the BGCT decline any financial contributions from that church. It also asked the church to remove the convention's name from its web site and other materials.

Since the church made no attempt to send messengers to the state convention, that was the strongest action the BGCT could take, in keeping with Baptist polity. The Baptist General Convention of Texas affirms ministry in Jesus' name to all people -  including homosexuals, believing that forgiveness, restoration and transformation are available to all who repent.

As the 1998 Administrative Committee recommendation stated, "We commend those churches who seek to minister to those who engage in homosexual behavior. We cannot, however, approve of churches endorsing homosexual practice as biblically legitimate."

The BGCT  Supports Religious Liberty.

True to our heritage, Texas Baptists believe in the separation of church and state. As George W. Truett, Texas Baptist statesman and longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, said from the steps of the United States Capitol in 1920, "Christ's religion needs no prop of any kind from any worldly source, and to the degree that it is thus supported is a millstone hanged about its neck."

Because we support a free church in a free state, Texas Baptists have supported the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs. The Baptist Joint Committee consistently has opposed those who have urged government-sponsored school prayer, tuition vouchers for parochial schools and state funding for Christian ministries.

The Baptist Joint Committee has been equally staunch in guarding the free exercise of religion, leading the way in securing passage of the Equal Access of 1984 and building a coalition of 68 religious and civil liberty organizations from the far right to the far left which passed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

The political necessity of coalition-building has made the Baptist Joint Committee vulnerable to attack by its critics. Out of a shared concern for separation of church and state, the Baptist Joint Committee has worked on projects in cooperation with a wide variety of groups, from the conservative National Association of Evangelicals to the liberal People for the American Way.

Obviously, Christians must use good judgment and exercise wisdom in deciding which coalitions to join and which partners to work alongside. Without doubt, the Baptist Joint Committee has worked with some groups that support positions contrary to the convictions of most Texas Baptists.

However, as noted previously, Texas Baptists historically have put aside differences with others to work with them on matters of the greater public good. Texas Baptists have worked with Muslims and Mormons to fight legalized gambling, and no reasonable person could imply BGCT endorsement of their theology.

Last year, Texas Baptists were part of a statewide coalition composed of nearly every faith group in Texas, representatives from the Religious Right and from civil liberties groups. Together, they supported vital religious freedom legislation that was passed by Texas lawmakers.

Obviously, there were many issues on which they would disagree, but the coalition worked together out of a shared commitment to religious liberty.

By the same token, the Baptist Joint Committee's willingness to work with a wide variety of groups on church-state issues does not imply a blanket endorsement of those groups on all issues.

The Baptist General Convention of Texas supports the Baptist Joint Committee because Texas Baptists believe in religious liberty and value the contribution that the Baptist Joint Committee has made to the protection of that liberty.

The BGCT  Believes In The Autonomy Of The Local Church.

The BGCT does not ordain anyone, nor does the BGCT instruct churches as to qualifications for ordination as a deacon or minister of the Gospel. Texas Baptists traditionally have viewed ordination as strictly a local church issue.

Unless a church affiliated with the BGCT knowingly and willfully ordains someone living in open sin and publicly voices approval for that person's lifestyle, the convention takes no action of any kind.

The convention has never presumed to tell a church that it could not ordain a woman as a deacon or minister. The BGCT does not dictate to a church whom that church should or should not call to serve as a pastor or staff member. The BGCT honors local church autonomy.

The BGCT Believes In The Family As A Divinely Appointed Institution.

Because of this commitment, the BGCT and its Christian Life Commission have trained hundreds of consultants and volunteers to work in local churches to help congregations develop ministries to families.

Some have criticized the BGCT for not affirming the language of the 1998 Southern Baptist Convention "family" amendment to the Baptist Faith and Message.

Not all Texas Baptists interpret the fifth chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians the same way.

Some view "mutual submission" as the governing principle for family relations, and they base their positions on the Scripture. Others hold contrary positions, and they also cite the Bible as their source. Lack of agreement on the interpretation of one biblical passage does not diminish the Texas Baptist commitment to the institution of the family.

The BGCT  Will Continue To Work With Other Baptists Who Share Our Vision.

The BGCT has been accused of distancing itself from the Southern Baptist Convention. Texas Baptists affirm the principles that historically have identified Southern Baptists: commitment to the inspiration and authority of the Bible, soul competency, religious liberty and a cooperative approach to fulfilling the Great Commission and Great Commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Texas Baptists rejected the legalistic approach of Independent Fundamentalism more than 75 years ago, choosing instead to embrace those time-honored distinctive Baptist principles. The BGCT has not moved from that position.

Texas Baptists will continue to work with those who share a commitment to the historic Baptist vision, but the BGCT will not act in violation of Baptist distinctives. We are heartbroken by strained relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ.

If attacks on the BGCT continue and churches are confused by false reports, what have we gained? We will have two separate but weakened conventions. We will have young leaders who choose to carry out their ministries outside of Baptist life because they want no part of the infighting.

We will offer a poor witness to a lost and dying state, and the cause of Christ will suffer. The BGCT is not perfect now, and it never has been. At the same time, we believe it has been and continues to be used by God to accomplish his work in Texas.

Because this work is so important and so obviously has been blessed by God, we cannot and will not allow false and misleading statements to go unchallenged.

We want every Texas Baptist to know what it means to be a Baptist and to unite around Christ, the Great Commission and our historic Baptist principles. Please join us in setting aside distractions and focusing on the task of sharing the message of God's love with the people of Texas.

September 2000