Texas Baptist Convention and their homophobia. Updated.
This is a reference material post for future posts and also others neededing information.
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What is the Texas Baptist Convention?
They are an independent body. They are not to be thought as a Texas branch of the Southern Baptist Church. There is also the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention which is a different group. Be careful and don’t confuse similar named groups.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/governance
As for affiliations, I didn’t find the Southern Baptist Convention listed on their webpage, but I did find the World Baptist Association.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/partners
The Southern Baptist Convention does list the Texas Baptist Convention in their list of State and Local Assocations. You get a good list of universities to avoid also.
https://www.sbc.net/resources/directories/state-and-local-associations/
Churches Affiliated with Texas Baptists.
You will be surprised by what churches you might find involved.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/churches
Texas Baptist Homophobia
From “Marriage and Sexuality,” webpage at the Texas Baptist website. Some quotes:
In short, Texas Baptists, meeting in annual conventions, have affirmed that sexual relationships honor God only when they occur within marriage between one man and one woman.
Most recently, in 2016, messengers approved a motion dealing with the issue. It noted the following:
...that because of the historical and biblical positions of the BGCT as stated in multiple resolutions, motions, and actions, that any church which affirms any sexual relationship outside the bonds of a marriage between one man and one woman be considered out of harmonious cooperation with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
And these resolutions not only condemn homosexuals, but advocate being engaged in the political process to support their homophobic agenda.
The 1992 and 2005 resolutions state, in full:
WHEREAS Texas Baptists follow the Bible as their guide for faith and practice; and
WHEREAS Texas Baptists must seek to be “salt and light” in a sinful world; and
WHEREAS Scripture upholds a high sexual ethic of fidelity in marriage and abstinence outside of marriage; and
WHEREAS behaviors such as homosexuality, adultery, incest, and pornographic activity are distortions of this ethic and therefore wrong; and
WHEREAS the media frequently conveys sexual values which are contrary to healthy human sexuality; and
WHEREAS attempts to pass nondiscriminatory legislation threaten to promote inappropriate sexual behavior; and
WHEREAS the church has the responsibility to promote biblical sexual ethics in its membership and community; and
WHEREAS excellent materials for the education and promotion of biblical sexuality are available from the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission and other sources:
BE IT RESOLVED that this convention encourages all persons to uphold a lifestyle of biblical sexual values; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we encourage and join the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission in its opposition to objectionable sexual material in television, movies, music and other media; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge our churches to teach biblical sexual values to our children and youth through preaching, education, and other programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge individuals to promote biblical sexual values through involvement in the community, participation in the political process, and other effective methods such as letter writing; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we affirm that the gospel provides forgiveness and restoration for all persons through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, thus offering the only hope for our broken world.
An excerpt from their 2009 resolution.
WHEREAS the 2005 annual meeting reaffirmed this resolution because “society continues to be plagued by sexual values and practices which are both harmful to humanity and unfaithful to God”; and
WHEREAS the 1996 annual meeting adopted a report stating 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”; and
WHEREAS the 1982 annual meeting adopted a resolution stating that “homosexual lifestyle is not normal or acceptable in God’s sight and is indeed called sin”:
The LGBT is “plagued” by their stupidity.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/beliefs/marriage-and-sexuality
They practice the New Homophobia
This is a guide to responding to LGBT. It is from 2023. David Sanchez, who is the Director of Ethics and Justice for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission gave a lecture.
From their website, “Churches should follow James 1:19 when ministering to those with LGBTQ+ issues.”
“We titled this workshop ministering to those in our pews who struggle because we have to reach those inside before we can know how to reach those outside,” Sanchez said. “We’re fooling ourselves if we think there is no one inside our churches who is struggling with this, even if they are not saying much.”
Sanchez said many pastors ask how they can preach on LGBT issues from the pulpit in a way that would not discourage someone struggling from sharing with a church leader. While he said First Corinthians 13:7 does indeed say “Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth,” he also noted that pastors would be wise to read back to verse 4, where Paul says “Love is patient … and not arrogant.” Assuming that posture will prevent those struggling with closing down and feeling unable to share.
Really creeepy, they are targeting homeless LGBT.
“Caring for Homeless Youth,” presented by Josh Cogan, program director at OutLast youth, was added which seeks to equip those ministering to homeless LGBT+ youth, who make up a large percentage of the adolescent homeless population. Hardage commented, “Texas Baptists love everyone.”
https://www.texasbaptists.org/article/hardage-bears-witness-to-the-good-work-of-texas-baptists
Then there are these series of conferences they have had in 2024.
From the schedule for Houston Conference.
10:15 am – 11:15 am Breakout Session #1
Ministering to those in our pews who struggle with LGBTQ+ issues. – Sanctuary
3:15 pm – 4:15 pm Breakout Session #2
Ministering to those in our pews who struggle with LGBTQ+ issues. – Room 211
https://www.texasbaptists.org/events/unapologetic-conferences/houston
From the schedule for El Paso Conference.
10:15–11:15 am Breakout Sessions 1
Biblical Sexuality: Clarity & Compassion in a Confused Culture – Gary Stidham – 3rd Floor Higher Ground
3:15–4:15 pm Breakout Sessions 2
Biblical Sexuality: Clarity & Compassion in a Confused Culture – Gary Stidham – 3rd Floor Higher Ground
https://www.texasbaptists.org/events/unapologetic-conferences/el-paso
Conference in Saginaw
10:15–11:15 am Breakout Sessions 1
Bill Scott – LGBT in the Global Conversation
3:15–4:15 pm Breakout Sessions 2
Bill Scott – LGBT in the Global Conversation
https://www.texasbaptists.org/events/unapologetic-conferences/saginaw
They expel Baptist Churches which aren’t homophobic.
They are always trying to make their bigotry sound as lovely as possible. They don’t name the churches. Some excerpts.
During an executive session of the BGCT Executive Board meeting held virtually from the campus of East Texas Baptist University Tuesday, May 23, two congregations affiliated with the BGCT were deemed to be outside of harmonious cooperation with the churches of the Convention due to their public affirmation of same-sex sexuality.
Threat to expel Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, which the Texas Baptist did.
Another article.
This article lists all three churches they expelled. Which were Wilshire Baptist in Dallas, First Baptist in Austin, and Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco.
https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/texas/bgct-board-votes-to-remove-three-churches/
This article is about the expulsion of Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio and Second Baptist Church in Lubbock.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/2-churches-expelled-from-texas-baptist-convention.html
I don’t think these churches miss being in the Texas Baptist Convention any more than if they were expelled from a group of Christian poop eaters.
From their website, “Executive Board aims for agility in meeting needs, reaching next generation for Christ.”
Board votes to remove CBF as giving option
Chairman Dennis Young presided over the business session Tuesday morning, in which board members voted to accept a joint-recommendation from the Finance and Administration Support Committees to remove the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship from its church giving forms.
The move followed action taken by CBF’s Governing Board on February 9 to the accept recommendations from the Illumination Project, which opened up a number of employment opportunities to LGBTQ persons.
“I am very grateful for the consistent, steady way in which the BGCT has held to God’s Word. We lovingly say to all people the truth that marriage is to be between one man and one woman,” said Danny Reeves, BGCT President.
Various online Texas Baptist church homophobic documents.
I am going to just list the links. They have all been saved in the Internet Archive as have been all the links in this post.
I suppose in the Middle Ages they would want a faith based exemption from laws on arson and murder to burn each other and witches at the stake.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/article/legislature-says-i-do-to-pastor-protection-act
Texas General Online Presence.
Besides the earlier links, there are these links and social media they have.
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/churches
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/history
https://www.texasbaptists.org/about/beliefs
https://www.facebook.com/texasbaptists/
https://www.instagram.com/texasbaptists/
https://www.youtube.com/user/BGCTexas
https://www.linkedin.com/company/baptist-general-convention-of-texas/
https://sprout.link/texasbaptists
