It’s rare that a call for division in the Church is biblically necessary. The Bible calls for unity among the brethren, to be of one mind and of one accord. The Bible calls us to be united around the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ — which is the most important message in the world. We are to be salt and light in a world overwhelmed with darkness. However, there are certain things where a division in the Church actually becomes a defining of the Church.

Paul commands Churches and Christians to separate from false teachers — those who hold to and promote aberrant doctrines and teachings. He also commands us to purge those who persist in unrepentant sin from the ranks of our churches. There are at least three issues brewing in the Southern Baptist Convention that, if dealt with biblically, should ultimately lead to a separation and purge.

Feminism

One of the brewing controversies in the Southern Baptist Convention is the issue of feminism — namely, Egalitarianism. This is the doctrine that defies the biblical commandment for women to remain silent in the Church, not drawing attention to themselves, and not teaching or holding authority over men (1 Corinthians 14:34, 2 Timothy 2:12, etc). Several outspoken leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention are now advocating for female preachers and women in leadership roles, defying God’s design for genders. Beth Moore is the primary example of this, but there are others. You can read about these issues here.

• Beth Moore Launches Tirade Against Biblical Womanhood
• As Beth Moore Mocks God’s Commandments, Southern Baptists Cheer For Women Preachers
• Beth Moore Asks: “Did God Really Say…?” Gay-Affirming Lady Preacher Calls Her a “Prophet”
• Founders Ministry: The Pastor Allowing Beth Moore to Preach Needs to Be Rebuked
• Prominent Evangelicals Who Support Beth Moore’s Pulpit Preaching Rebellion

Homosexuality

Another serious issue brewing in the Southern Baptist Convention is the issue of homosexuality — labeled by the Evangelical elites, “same-sex attraction.” The controversy is over the sin of same-sex attraction, and whether or not homosexuals should be counted as members in good standing, or even hold leadership roles in our churches. The issue has been brought to light by prominent outlets — namely the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission — who have promoted this notion through “gay Christian” ministries such as Living Out.

The crux is that many of these progressive leaders now believe that Christians should “soften” their stance against homosexuality and in many cases, fully accept them among the ranks of Churches. You can read about these issues here.

• Sam Allberry’s Unbiblical View of Singleness
• First, TGC Pushes Gay Singleness, Now, Single-Parent Adoption
• Podcast: The Gay Christian Church Audit at Living Out
• The Gay Christian Ministry Changing the Face of the Evangelical Church
• Southern Baptists Promoting Ministry That Believes It’s Natural For a Man to Desire to “Become One” With Another Man
• The Slow Drift Toward LGBTQ Inclusion in Evangelical Churches

Social Justice

Finally, the longest standing and most notable issue facing the Southern Baptist Convention is that of the social justice movement. The idea is that it is the mission and focus of the Church to right the wrongs of social and economic inequality. Primarily, the movement advocates for an unbiblical view of man and sin and instead looks to secular ideology, such as Critical Theory (Marxism), for guidance.

Many of the advocates of this movement in the Southern Baptist Convention seek to impute guilt among entire people groups — in this case, white people — for ancestral sins. Further, they advocate for restitution based not on individual guilt and/or need, but based solely on the color of their skin. This, too, should be opposed as it does not seek biblical reconciliation among believers, but only seeks to cause division and tear down society. You can read more about these issues here.

• Evangelical Leaders Hi-jacking the Pro-Life Movement for Social Justice
• Social Justice is Not the Gospel, It’s Heresy
• Former SEBTS Student Addresses Social Justice Issues Plaguing Southern Baptist Seminaries
• Voddie Baucham Explains Why Christians Should Be Ashamed to Use the Term ‘Social Justice’
• Matt Chandler To Speak At “Woke Church” Social Justice Conference
• Justice in All Its Parts: Responding to Thabiti Anyabwile
• Justice in All Its Parts: Responding to Thabiti Anyabwile – Part 2