RAYTOWN – Missouri Baptists approved five resolutions during their annual meeting at Connection Point Church here, Oct. 24. Through their resolutions, they expressed appreciation for recent legislation protecting the unborn and supporting religious liberty, they called churches to support adoption and orphan care, and they marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
- “Appreciation for Legislation Preserving Free Exercise of Religion”: In this resolution, Missouri Baptists expressed appreciation to Missouri’s governer and General Assembly “for preserving and protecting our free exercise of religion” and encouraged them to continue doing so. They also called churches to “regularly pray for their elected officials to have wisdom as they uphold justice and legislate righteousness.” This resolution was submitted by the MBC’s Christian Life Commission.
- “In Support of and Appreciation for 2017 Pro-Life Legislation Passed in Missouri”: This resolution, also submitted by the CLC, expressed gratitude to the governor and General Assembly of Missouri for recently passing and signing into law “historic legislation protecting the health and safety of women across Missouri through the implementation of common sense regulations on abortion providers” in the state. It also encouraged churches, “with renewed zeal, to continue to support the efforts of local pregnancy resource centers and The Missouri Baptist Children’s Home (MBCH),” as well as other groups laboring to uphold the sanctity of human life.
- “On Adoption and Orphan Care”: This resolution was submitted by Nathan Eikenberry, a messenger from First Baptist, Millersville. It calls the MBC to pray for orphans and foster children in Missouri and across the world; urges churches to “meet the needs of those in our communities to prevent the separation of children from parents due to financial poverty”; encourages Baptist families to prayerfully consider their role in adoption or foster care; and calls upon pastors and churches to teach on orphan care and “promote orphan care ministries,” particularly the work of the MBCH.
- “On the Five Hundredth Anniversary of the Protestant Reformation”: In this resolution, submitted by the CLC, Missouri Baptists marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, which was officially celebrated on Oct. 31, 2017. In the resolution, they committed themselves “anew to the biblical convictions of the Reformation, calling all people everywhere to personal repentance and faith in Jesus Christ as taught by holy Scripture,” as well as to “promote the sufficiency of Scripture, the power of Christ’s grace, and the personal accountability of all humanity before God even as we advocate” for religious liberty. Finally, Missouri Baptists committed to “proclaim the priority and preeminence of Christ and His kingdom above all earthly powers to the glory of God alone.”