Integrity, Says Chapman, Calls CBF to Separate from SBC

by   Art Toalston and Al Mohler                                                                                                                  Vol. VI, No. 1, January 1993

As a matter of integrity, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship should separate itself from the Southern Baptist Convention, said SBC Executive Committee President Morris H. Chapman November 11. "Their greatest integrity," Chapman said, "would be openly declaring they are no longer cooperating Southern Baptists, rather than claiming to be Southern Baptists and trying to draw funds from good-hearted, grass-roots Southern Baptists." "Every indication points to the fact they are a denomination in the making," he said.

Chapman's comments followed a 6 Nov. Baptist Press article in which he voiced concern over the CBF's promotion of its "Global Missions Offering" seeking a $2 million goal in competition with the SBC Lottie Moon offering.

In a 13 Nov. statement to Baptist Press Chapman said, "It must be understood there is a difference between being a moderate and being a member of the CBF. Not all moderates in the SBC are members of the CBF. In fact many moderates are loyal to the Southern Baptist Convention and are strong supporters of the Cooperative program. The CBF is a different story," Chapman asserted. "The CBF is competing against our missions organizations for gifts and manpower while claiming to be loyal Southern Baptists."

Chapman continued, "The CBF often refers to its diversity. The truth is that much more diversity exists in the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC encompasses conservatives and moderates in more than 38,000 churches; we worship in 101 languages each Sunday. You will find – and continue to find – a wide range of perspectives among those who work for our seminaries, agencies, and Baptist Press network."

Separately Herschel H. Hobbs, oft quoted former president of the SBC, said Morris Chapman was "taking a realistic look" when he called for the CBF to separate from the SBC as a matter of integrity. "When you take their organization in place," Hobbs said, "they have a denomination in embryo. All they need to do is vote 'We are a denomination.'”

Hobbs said the CBF "keeps coming in trying to get financial support from churches. I can't see it any other way but that when they get sufficient financial support they will get out." "I wish they would either get in or get out and let us get on with the work," Hobbs stated. The SBC, he said, should "throw its shoulders to the wheel." As for the CBF, "I don't want it, but we would do well to face reality and get together or go our separate ways."