WHEREAS, Children are the blessed promise of our next generation, and we are obligated to secure their education (Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-7; Proverbs 17:6); and
WHEREAS, The loss of even one generation of children can adversely affect the spiritual dynamic of our nation (Deuteronomy 4:9; Proverbs 22:6); and
WHEREAS, In December 2005, a federal judge ruled in favor of government schools indoctrinating children with dogmatic Darwinism (Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District), which radically influences their view of origins; and
WHEREAS, Public schools continue to adopt and implement curricula and policies teaching that the homosexual lifestyle is acceptable; and
WHEREAS, A humanistic and secular orientation pervades much of the public school system; and
WHEREAS, Children are our most important mission field, and the overwhelming majority of Christians have made the government school system their children’s teacher; and
WHEREAS, All citizens have the right and responsibility to participate in local, state, and national elections and to use their influence to effect change; and
WHEREAS, According to the 2005 Southern Baptist Convention Statistical Summary, there are 16,270,315 Southern Baptists vested in the membership of 43,699 congregations located across the face of our nation; and
WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message, adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in June 2000, contains “Article XII. Education,” which states “All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage…Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches”; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, June 13-14, 2006, encourage Southern Baptists to heed our Lord’s admonition to be salt and light in our society; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we affirm the hundreds of thousands of Christian men and women who teach in our public schools, and we encourage our young people who are seriously considering the teaching profession as a possible calling of God to pursue that calling; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we encourage all Southern Baptist churches to solicit individuals from their membership to engage the culture of our public school systems nationwide by running for election to their local school boards and exerting their godly influence upon these school systems.