JONESBORO, Ga. (ABP)—The Georgia Baptist Convention has decided to refuse gifts from a historic member church that last year called a woman as pastor.
Messengers to the annual meeting approved a policy change authorizing convention leaders not to accept funds from churches “not in cooperation and harmony with the approved work and purpose†of the convention.
A report of an administrative committee recommending the change said it was proposed “as a result of questions raised regarding First Baptist Church of Decatur, who has a woman as senior pastor.â€
The Georgia Baptist Convention defines membership as “messengers from cooperating Baptist churches.†A cooperating church is one that is in “harmony and cooperation with the work and purpose†of the convention.