2020 Resolutions

WHEREAS, It is estimated that over sixty-one million unborn children have been aborted since the legalization of abortion in 1973 (Roe v. Wade), and
WHEREAS, The Bible clearly and consistently declares that human life is a special and unique creation of God, the only creatures made in His image, and is of the utmost value to God and therefore worthy of honor and dignity (Genesis 1:27, 9:6; James 3:9); and
WHEREAS, The Bible declares that God has established the life of every person from before conception and follows each life through until death (Job 10:8, 14:5; Psalm 139:15-16, 116:15), and
WHEREAS, Both medical science and biblical references indicate the human life begins at conception, and
WHEREAS, Abortion is a serious moral and spiritual problem that has led to the overall devaluation and marginalization of human life at all stages of development, as well as all physical and mental states, and
WHEREAS, The abortion industry has intentionally and disproportionately targeted minorities, as well as the most vulnerable members of our communities, and
WHEREAS, Abortion has included the ongoing assault on human life through the harvesting of human embryos for the purpose of medical experimentation, and
WHEREAS, The 1973 Supreme Court decision (Roe v. Wade) denied the right of the citizens and legislators of the United States, as well as the Congress of the United States, to protect the unborn by law, and
WHEREAS, Current Kentucky law provides no guarantee of the protection of pre-born persons or those who endure an unsuccessful abortion attempt, and
WHEREAS, Tax dollars are deceptively funneled into the abortion industry despite existing laws that prohibit this action (KRS 311.715; Hyde Amendment), and
WHEREAS, The defense of the most vulnerable humans among us is a value that defines both the character and soul of any people (Proverbs 24:11-12), and
WHEREAS, Abortion has left in its wake long-term mental and emotional devastation in the lives and families of those who have undergone the procedure, and
WHEREAS, Christians are called on to be committed to the redemptive ministry of Christ by embracing and supporting those who have experienced abortion, and 
WHEREAS, Southern Baptists as a denomination, and Kentucky Baptists as a convention, have consistently stood firm in their support for the authority of the Word of God and as our guide for all matters of life, death, and faith, and
WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 affirms that we should “speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death” (Article XV), and
WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 also affirms that “Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love” (Article XV);
Therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the messengers of the Kentucky Baptist Convention meeting in Owensboro, Kentucky, November 10, 2020, express our commitment to join ourselves together, in accordance with the revealed will of God through His Word, to focus our efforts to become a friend to the unborn with the ultimate goal of abolishing abortion in Kentucky, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit to building awareness among Kentucky Baptists about the practice of abortion, what is not abortion, and alternatives to abortion, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to efforts to build awareness among Kentucky Baptists about the details of the abortion industry in Kentucky and both how and who is being targeted, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit ourselves to provide resources to Kentucky Baptist churches so that they will be fully prepared to support and defend the reality that all human life is created in the image of God, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit to building awareness among Kentucky Baptists about the social and emotional impacts of abortion and how it devastates individuals and families, so that they are prepared to provide hope and support to all those who have experienced the effects of abortion, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we commit to supporting both local and state political leaders who will be a friend of life and as they remain consistent to that conviction, and be it further
RESOLVED, That we will pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on Kentucky Baptist congregations such that we might one day soon see an end to the scourge of legalized abortion in our state and our nation.

WHEREAS, The messengers to the 183rd session of the Kentucky Baptist Convention are a deliberative assembly who are drawn together for the propagation of the gospel; and
WHEREAS, We acknowledge God’s sovereignty and providence in this sacred task; and
WHEREAS, We also acknowledge the kind hospitality of the people of Bellevue Baptist Church, Owensboro, Kentucky; and
WHEREAS, We also express our gratitude to Mayor Tom Watson and the members of the Owensboro Board of Commissioners, Judge Executive Al Mattingly and the Daviess County Commissioners, as well as the citizens of Owensboro, Kentucky for their gracious welcome; and
WHEREAS, We especially acknowledge the Lord’s grace in enabling our Kentucky Baptist Convention president, officers, various committees, musicians, and other platform personnel to conduct the affairs of this convention with dignity and a Christlike spirit; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Kentucky Baptist Convention meeting in Owensboro, Kentucky, November 10, 2020, express our profound gratitude to the Lord and to all those through whom He is working to bring about an annual meeting characterized by prayer, grace, humility, evangelism, worship, encouragement, unity, and purpose.

WHEREAS, God has instituted government for the good of all people (Romans 13:1, 4); and
WHEREAS, God has called all people to be subject to appropriate governing authorities (Romans 13:1); and
WHEREAS, God has given governing authorities the responsibility of protecting citizens and promoting good conduct (Romans 13:3); and
WHEREAS, God has given governing authorities the responsibility of bringing His wrath against the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4); and
WHEREAS, Scripture teaches that citizens should support appropriate government activity through paying their taxes (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:6-7); and
WHEREAS, Kentucky Baptists believe “every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love” (The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Article XV); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptists pledge to submit to and pray for governing authorities who are promoting good, protecting citizens, and punishing wrongdoers (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:13; 1 Timothy 2:1-2); and be it further
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptists pay their taxes so an appropriate amount may be used for the support of appropriate law enforcement agencies; and be it further
RESOLVED, Governing authorities should recruit, hire, and provide on-going training of law enforcement officers; and be it further
RESOLVED, Appropriate governing authorities should regularly review policies pertaining to law enforcement and policing; and be it further
RESOLVED, Governing authorities should hold law enforcement officers accountable for their actions to the point of dismissal and prosecution when appropriate.

WHEREAS, The call of the pastor is to shepherd the flock of God and bring healing and counsel through the proclamation of God’s Word to the sheep (1 Peter 5:2); and
WHEREAS, The sufficiency of Scripture is an essential pillar upon which the pastor stands to proclaim and counsel God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:12); and
WHEREAS, Debate persists even among Bible-believing Christians as to the merits of what is commonly known as “Reparative Therapy” or “Conversion Therapy,” a counseling paradigm that seeks to bring someone’s sexual desires and gender identity into alignment with God’s pattern for sexuality and biological sex by appealing to the insights of secular psychology; and
WHEREAS, National efforts have been undertaken to ban “conversion therapy;” and
WHEREAS, In September 2020, the city of Louisville passed a resolution banning “conversion therapy;” and
WHEREAS, Conversion therapy may be wrongly associated with pastoral counseling, and thus conversion therapy bans can or may impede upon a pastor’s right to administer biblical counsel to those with same-sex sexual desires or gender confusion, thus endangering their constitutional and God-given right to religious freedom; and
WHEREAS, Conversion therapy bans have the impact of leaving those with unwanted same-sex sexual desires or gender confusion with no therapeutic recourse; and
WHEREAS, Secular therapies are often grounded upon principles that deny any normative pattern for human sexuality or gender expression, thus denying human nature exists, is stable, or directive to any particular end; and
WHEREAS, Secular therapies are grounded upon conflicting, contradictory foundations that communicate to individuals that gender is malleable while sexual desire is not; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers of the Kentucky Baptist Convention meeting in Owensboro, Kentucky, November 10, 2020, oppose conversion therapy bans whether in local, state, or federal legislation; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the churches of the Kentucky Baptist Convention resolutely assert the constitutional protections of churches to administer scriptural counsel on matters of sexuality and gender to those who seek pastoral counsel; and be further
RESOLVED, That this resolution is not to be interpreted as an unqualified endorsement of conversion therapy; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the churches of the Kentucky Baptist Convention deny, in any way, that God’s design for sexuality and gender pose any harm or risk to an individual’s flourishing, but their blessing, flourishing, and holiness; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That the gospel of Jesus Christ empowers those with sinful sexual desires and confused gender identifies to live lives of holiness unto God’s glory (1 Corinthians 6:12-20).

WHEREAS, The year 2020 has been a time of profound cultural tumult on matters of race and racial justice in America; and
WHEREAS, America’s sordid history with slavery, segregation, and racial supremacy was an enormous evil inflicted upon African Americans and has left a bitter legacy in our nation; and
WHEREAS, Christians of goodwill can and should continue to debate the ongoing effects of America’s racial sins; and
WHEREAS, All persons are made in God’s image and thereby possess incalculable dignity and worth (Genesis 1:26-27); and
WHEREAS, Christians are called to “love your neighbor as yourself” and show concern, love, and compassion to all (Mark 12:31; Luke 10:25-37); and
WHEREAS, The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ consists of persons from “every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Revelation 7:9); and
WHEREAS, Integral to the gospel of Jesus Christ is the tearing down of ethnic hostility and the formation of “one body through the cross” (Ephesians 2:14-16); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers of the Kentucky Baptist Convention meeting in Owensboro, Kentucky, November 10, 2020, commit to continue to work toward racial unity guided by and with utmost fidelity to the gospel of Jesus Christ as disclosed in Holy Scripture; and be it further
RESOLVED, Churches of the Lord Jesus Christ must renounce, condemn, and expel any spirit of racism, ethnic or racial supremacy, or partiality, and must call to repentance any person or movement in which this spirit of anti-Christ unambiguously manifests (James 2:9); and be it further
RESOLVED, That the churches of the Kentucky Baptist Convention make it critical to their mission to “do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8); and be it further
RESOLVED, That we reject worldly ideologies that intentionally or unintentionally seek to nullify, divide, subvert, and confuse godly efforts to seek unity in the body around racial unity efforts (Romans 12:2; Jude 1:19); and be it further
RESOLVED That it is the gospel of Jesus Christ only that is capable to bring about lasting personal and social change, to crucify racial sin, and to bring reconciliation (Romans 3:21-26); and be it further
RESOLVED, That the churches of the Kentucky Baptist Convention affirm the full sufficiency of Scripture to address, diagnose, and resolve all traces of racial or ethnic supremacy and partiality (2 Timothy 3:16); and be it finally
RESOLVED, That Kentucky Baptists extend heart-felt empathy and gentleness to one another as we seek to better understand, explore, and resolve tensions related to ongoing racial strife (Proverbs 15:1; Galatians 5:22-23; James 3:17).

WHEREAS, Jesus Christ has given His disciples the Great Commission to make disciples of all people (Matthew 28:16-20); and
WHEREAS, Jesus Christ has instructed His disciples to love others by going to those who are far from God (John 20:21); and
WHEREAS, “It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ” (The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Article XI); and
WHEREAS, Only 13% of Kentuckians identify as regularly attending religious worship services according to the 2016 “As Far as the East is from the West” analysis by Jason Lowe; and
WHEREAS, God promises to forgive those who will turn to Him through Jesus Christ in repentance and faith (Luke 5:32; Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 1:9); and
WHEREAS, Reaching the vast lostness found in Kentucky will only be accomplished as we partner together; and
WHEREAS, Jesus Christ said He would return to Earth soon (Revelation 22:7); now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Kentucky Baptists will be obedient to the Great Commission; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Kentucky Baptists will be faithful to love their neighbor by sharing with them the good news of the forgiveness and grace found in Jesus Christ; and be it further
RESOLVED, That Christians must take the gospel to the ends of the earth, but must also make disciples in their own communities; and be it further
RESOLVED, that Kentucky Baptists will be found faithful in making disciples when Jesus Christ returns to Earth; and be it further
RESOLVED, that Kentucky Baptists will work together to reach the 1,728,681 households in Kentucky with the gospel of Jesus Christ by the 2021 Annual Meeting of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

WHEREAS, God has historically called leaders among His people for the sake of shepherding them and caring for their needs (Exodus 28:1, 40:12-15); and
WHEREAS, Jesus Christ called out specific disciples to lead His followers, and Paul recognized pastoral gifts in Timothy and Titus and exhorted them to use those gifts for the good of the local church (Matthew 4:18-22; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6); and
WHEREAS, God has gifted His church with “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12); and
WHEREAS, One of the two scriptural offices of the local church is pastor (The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Article VI); and
WHEREAS, God has blessed Kentucky Baptists with some of the most biblically sound and faithful ministry training in the world; and
WHEREAS, There is a great need for godly and biblical pastors across Kentucky; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptists will pray for God to call pastors to serve His churches; and be it further
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptists will preach and teach on the high calling of pastor in the local church; and be it further
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptist preachers will call on those called by God to the role of pastor to respond obediently to this calling; and be it further
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptist pastors, associational mission strategists and other leaders will train and equip newly called pastors to serve the local church; and be it further
RESOLVED, Kentucky Baptists will support pastors in their God-given work.