· Speaking at the sixth annual meeting of the Alliance of Baptists (1992), CBF moderator John Hewett (an Alliance member), stated that the Alliance has been “at the center of the [Cooperative Baptist] Fellowship from the very beginning.” (Baptist Press, March 9, 1992)

· “Despite the fact the CBF dwarfs the Alliance in size, [Alliance executive director Stan] Hastey asserted the Alliance has provided much of the leadership for the Fellowship.” (Baptist Press, March 9, 1992)

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Alliance Task Force On Human Sexuality

In 1992, the Alliance of Baptists formed a Task Force on Human Sexuality, primarily in response to two “pro-homosexuality” Alliance of Baptists churches from North Carolina - Binkley Memorial Baptist Church which licensed a homosexual divinity student to the Gospel ministry and Pullen Memorial Baptist Church which performed a “gay marriage.” (Baptist Press, June 11, 1992)

In support of “gay marriage,” the Task Force report states:

We encourage churches to welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation or marital status into the life of the congregation and to recognize that there probably are persons of a same-sex orientation already present and involved within the life of most congregations.

We encourage churches to lift up the ideal of covenant - that is, challenging persons, whether heterosexual or same-sex oriented, to express sexual intimacy within the covenant context of a committed, monogamous relationship. One example of that support could be a ritual of covenant-making between the couple, the couple and God, and the couple and the Christian community.(emphasis ours)

Writing in the October 13, 1994 issue of the CBF-funded Baptists Today in support of the Report of the Task Force on Human Sexuality, Alliance executive director Stan Hastey stated that “our position is clear” regarding “those whose sexual orientation is homosexual, bisexual or anything else.” He further states:

Some will now say that we are pro-gay. And while some Alliance people will object, I want you to know I won’t be among them… [I]n the Alliance, we have known of some of our gay constituency and have sought to create a welcoming atmosphere. My strongly held view has been and will remain that this fact of Alliance life is not something to hide or run away from but to welcome and celebrate. (emphasis ours)

In 1998, the Alliance of Baptists voted to hold its annual meeting at University Baptist Church, a congregation which was “kicked out” of the Baptist General Convention of Texas for ordaining a homosexual as a deacon. (ABP, March 17, 1998) In an article entitled “A Texas-Sized Mistake,” Alliance executive director Stan Hastey states: “Texas Baptists are making a big mistake… Let it be said plainly. Those who condemn unequivocally what is understood today as homosexuality by saying the Bible condemns it are on shaky ground.” Quoting Baptist theologian Paul Duke, a former CBF Coordinating Council member and a leading Baptist advocate for Biblical acceptance of homosexual behavior, Hastey quotes Duke:

Homosexuality is not a major concern of scripture. The Ten Commandments say nothing of it. The four Gospels say nothing of it. If Jesus ever said a word about it, there’s no record. All we have that even touches on our theme is a story from Genesis (and a similar one in the Book of Judges), a brief text from the laws of Leviticus, and three brief references from the New Testament epistles.” (Baptists Today, March 19, 1998, pg. 25)

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Oakhurst has ordained openly gay deacons, named a homosexual to the chairmanship of the deacons’ board, and last year ordained a gay minister.” (May 31, 1998, pg. A19) Oakhurst pastor Lanny Peters has led “breakout sessions” at CBF General Assemblies.

On November 15, 1998, Wake Forest Baptist Church voted to “allow its ministers to officiate at same-sex weddings.” Joe Foster and Susan Parker, co-sponsors of the original motion to affirm same-sex unions, “are both open homosexuals and members of the church’s deacon body.” (Baptist Press, November 16, 1998) Wake Forest pastor, Richard Groves is a former president of the Alliance of Baptists and member of the CBF Coordinating Council.

Alliance Grants Fund Pro-Gay Churches

According to Alliance of Baptists executive director Stan Hastey, all six churches receiving 1997 Alliance missions grants “have a pro-gay stance.” (ABP, March 26, 1997) Those churches are:

• Cross Creek Community Church, Dayton, Ohio

• Jeff Street Baptist Community at Liberty, Louisville, Kentucky

• Dolores Street Baptist Church, San Francisco, California

• Glade Baptist Church, Blacksburg, Virginia

• Providence Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas

• Virginia-Highland Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia