Only Teetotalers Allowed as FLA Baptist

Wow. Now FLA Baptists have excluded all people who drink at all or do not sign a pledge saying they won't drink. Of course, that pledge also says they agree with the SBC doctrinal statement.

Hmmmm. I have some questions.

Would Christ & all of the disciples be excluded from FLA Baptist Life?

Is there any Baptist that agrees with every provision of the Baptist Faith & Message? One of the basics of being Baptistic is that we hold no creed & allow for diversity after the fundamentals of the faith. Guess they don't do that in FLA.

Jesus drank wine. The disciples & apostles did too. So did Paul. Every Christian in history drank, including the Puritans that came over on the Mayflower. In fact, every Baptist church used real wine until Dr. Welch invented grape juice in 1879. Wonder if this pledge includes Nyquil & cough syrup?

What about the Christians in the rest of the world (outside the South) that see no problem with drinking but do condemn drunkenness. Are those people excluded from being Baptist?

Here's the link to the Associated Baptist Press article.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (ABP) -- Only teetotalers will be allowed to serve as trustees of the Florida Baptist Convention’s agencies and boards, as a result of a vote at the convention's annual meeting.

With no discussion and less than half a dozen opposing votes, messengers approved a bylaw revision that requires all nominees for the role of trustee to “agree to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages and using any other recreational drugs.” The bylaw already requires nominees sign a pledge in support of the Southern Baptist Convention's doctrinal statement, which, like alcohol, has been an issue in other states recently.

The new measure was approved easily by the 1,258 messengers attended the annual convention meeting, held Nov. 12-13 in Daytona Beach.

The abstinence provision resulted from a pledge announced by John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, at the state’s 2006 annual meeting. Reacting to a prolonged debate at the 2006 SBC annual meeting over the use of beverage alcohol, Sullivan said he was “embarrassed” by the protracted discussion and wanted to clarify Florida Baptists’ position on the issue.

The bylaw amendment, which came as a recommendation from the convention's State Board of Missions, was added to an existing bylaw that stipulates nominees must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, be a member of a church that contributes to the convention's budget, demonstrate good stewardship, and support the "Baptist Faith and Message." Persons nominated for leadership roles are required to sign a document stating their support of the statement.