Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 23, 1993 TAG: 9301230074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID REED ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
BAPTISTS SAY SPLIT UNLIKELY
Conservative Southern Baptists will vote Thursday to stay in the moderate-led Baptist General Association of Virginia but form an independent subgroup to promote their views, church leaders predicted Friday."If conservatives are patient and work hard and apply themselves, eventually we will win back the General Association of Virginia through the regular constitutional voting process," T.C. Pinckney of Alexandria said.
"I don't know if it's going to be fighting [with the moderates] so much as organizing," said The Rev. Tommy Joe Taylor of London Bridge Baptist Church in Virginia Beach.
Pinckney, a retired general who publishes the conservatives' state newsletter, was defeated in his bid to become the association's president at last year's meeting. He got less than a third of the votes.
The state organization, which was formed 170 years ago and represents more than 500,000 Southern Baptists, also discouraged conservatives by adopting resolutions they opposed. The group voted to reach out to homosexuals and foster the funneling of funds to a moderate rival of the conservative-led national Southern Baptist Convention.
Nationally, moderates have formed some of their own groups to fund missions and other work but have not split from the national group.
After the state convention, conservatives talked about forming a separate association and letting the national body decide whether to recognize both state groups or choose one.
The conservatives held six regional meetings in November and completed surveys asking which of four paths to take:
Immediately form a new conservative state convention and withdraw from the current state association.
Establish a formal conservative Virginia association that could develop into a separate state convention in the future.
Educate and organize to win back the Virginia organization.
Give up.
Pinckney said of the 518 participants who completed questionnaires, the overwhelming majority wanted to form a subgroup and stay in the Baptist General Association.
If those meeting in Lynchburg next week vote to stay in the association and form a subgroup, the new organization will elect officers and an executive committee and vote on a name for itself, Pinckney said. The committee then will draft a constitution and principles that will be voted on by the group next year.
"The meeting's theme is taking the high road of loyalty," said Austin Jones Sr. of Blairs, one of the organizers. "The theme of the meeting will be loyalty to Christ, loyalty to God's Word, and loyalty to the Southern Baptist Convention."
Taylor said the general feeling is that conservatives won't be leaving the general association "anytime soon - if ever."