WHEREAS, The Scriptures charge the Church to “walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3); and
WHEREAS, The Scriptures likewise command the church to “be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8); and
WHEREAS, Our utmost devotion and supreme allegiance—including, but not limited to, political, cultural, ethical, and societal allegiance— should be to the kingdom of God and not the kingdoms of men (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 6:24, 33); and
WHEREAS, The Church’s mission, as defined by the Great Commission, is to spread the gospel and make disciples of all nations, language groups, and ethnicities (Matthew 28:18–20); and
WHEREAS, The Christian’s public witness is of utmost importance for the sake of Christ and His gospel (1 Timothy 3:2, 4:12; Titus 1:5-7); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 15–16, 2021, pursue holiness, act with the aim of love, engage others with charity, and consider one another in how we represent ourselves, our churches, our Convention, and, above all, the gospel of Jesus Christ in our speech and conduct at all times and in all places; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we will not permit our personal, social, theological, or political interests to supersede the urgency of evangelism and distract us from the task of the gospel’s advancement through the whole world; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we exhibit Christ-honoring patience and kindness upon those with whom we disagree; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we protect the witness of Jesus Christ before a watching world by wise use of all forms of communication, whether in verbal speech, written word, or social media, so that others may see Christ in us and desire to know Him personally.