Ga. Baptist Conv. Refuses Funds from Female-Led Churches

At a time when state Baptist conventions are running in the red, the Georgia Baptist Convention – also short of projected revenue this year – has made an unequivocal statement about women in the pulpit: the organization will not accept funds from churches with female pastors.

Citing the declaration in the Southern Baptist Convention’s “Baptist Faith and Messages” that says women shouldn’t serve in the pulpit, the Georgia Convention voted at their recent statewide meeting to turn back funds from churches not adhering to the SBC’s doctrine. Churches from both the SBC and the more moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship compose the membership of the Georgia Baptist Convention.

So far, the decision has only affected First Baptist Church of Decatur, Ga., which called a female pastor last year: the Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell. FBC-Decatur has been a supporter of the Georgia Baptist Convention for 146 years.

According to the church’s annual profile compiled by LifeWay Research, in 2007, FBC-Decatur received donations of $1,207,765 and gave $10,444 to the state convention through the cooperative program.

Source:

The Christian Post: Baptist Body Rejects Fund over Woman Pastor

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