Hephzibah Baptist Church

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of a series on Southern Baptists

Background Christianity Protestantism Anabaptists General Baptists & Particular Baptists Landmarkism Conservative/Fundamentalist Ascendance Baptist theology London Confession, 1689 New Hampshire Confession, 1833 Baptist Faith & Message Doctrinal distinctives Biblical inerrancy Autonomy of the local church Priesthood of believers Two ordinances Individual soul liberty Separation of church and state Two offices People
Deceased John Spilsbury • Lottie Moon • Annie Armstrong B. H. Carroll • W.A. Criswell • Adrian Rogers Jerry Falwell, Sr. Living Billy Graham • Franklin Graham • Duke K. McCall Richard Land • Paige Patterson • Albert Mohler Mark Dever • Jonathan Falwell Mike Huckabee • Rick Warren • Johnny Hunt
Related organizations Cooperative Program North American Mission Board International Mission Board LifeWay Christian Resources Women's Missionary Union Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Baptist Press Canadian Convention Seminaries Golden Gate Midwestern New Orleans Southeastern Southern Southwestern This box: view • talk • edit

Hephzibah Baptist Church is a conservative Southern Baptist church located in Wendell, North Carolina. They are also currently part of the Southern Baptist Convention.

1 Anti-homosexuality
2 Articles of Incorporation
3 Views and stance
4 See also

[edit] Anti-homosexuality

During November 14-15, 2006, their current pastor of thirty years, Reverend William R. Sanderson, made the news by putting in a vote to favor the banning of pro-gay churches that welcome practicing homosexuals from being part of the Baptist State Convention. Hephzibah Baptist Church is one of the churches who refuse gays full membership.

[edit] Articles of Incorporation

The change in the Articles of Incorporation says that among churches not in friendly cooperation with the Convention are churches which knowingly act to affirm, approve, condone, endorse, promote, support or bless homosexual behavior along with a change in the bylaws saying that an individual who is a member of a church doing the same thing is not eligible to serve as a trustee.

[edit] Views and stance

The pastor stated one of his reasons for supporting the ruling, saying, "We've got to fight for our children's lives. When they start saying in school that a man and a man is just like a man and a woman, well no, it's not." Instead of viewing it as homophobic, he sees it as protecting his flock from a particular sin, and as a defense of the traditional morals and values of Christianity. He is head of the Conservative Carolina Baptists and Hephzibah Baptist Church is involved in the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. He also goes as far to criticize the United States of America for the way the country has currently become. He tries, according to his beliefs, to do what he can to stem the moral free-fall around him.

Stanley Welch, who was elected president of the convention, said that the decision was not an attempt to attack homosexuals, but that the issue of homosexuality and church membership had to be dealt with because modern American society has "pushed it to the forefront." He said that it was not "a fight anyone was going to look for," but that they would not "sweep it under the rug" either.[1]