The Other Cheek has reported on a conservative church (Sunnybank Uniting) being dissolved, and a pastor (Hedley Fihaki) being removed from a church with progressive views. Following a meeting last weekend at which the NSW/ACT Baptists strengthened their stand for traditional man-women marriage, progressive pastors and churches say they will be forced to leave the Baptist Association. The Other Cheek gave space to Hedley Fihaki to explain his situation. Today, The Other Cheek interviews Will Small a Baptist church planter for his perspective on the NSW ACT Baptist move. This interview sets out the effects of last weekend’s decision.
Will, you lead a church, affirming of LGBTQIA people. Will the NSW/ACT Baptist votes mean you and your church both have to leave?
In a nutshell – yes. I am not an accredited minister, so I won’t lose my ordination (like some of my friends will), but I’ve been pastoring in Baptist churches for 7 years and pursuing accreditation would have been a logical future road that I can not walk now. I’ve also served our denomination in many other capacities as a poet and creative over the years. All those doors are now closed. The church I planted around 2.5 years ago is part of a key vision the movement has had to plant “‘”1000 healthy churches in a generation.” We will need to now find a home elsewhere. And I would say that vision has just been effectively discarded.
Are there many others in the same situation?
Certainly not an insignificant number. But it’s important to recognise this doesn’t just impact pastors who affirm same-sex marriage theologically. Any pastor who doesn’t want to sign a statement every five years basically agreeing their theology won’t change around this will also lose their accreditation. This goes against what it means to be Baptist, and I know a great many conservative pastors who do not feel they will be able to sign such a document in principle Additionally, issues of LGBTQIA inclusion are fundamentally different for my generation and below. Many prospective church planters will share my views or at the very least acknowledge that being genuinely ‘missional’ in our time and age requires flexibility, sensitivity and more nuance than this black-and-white thinking. So, there goes the next generation of pastors and church planters. I don’t think those who got this ball rolling have truly counted the cost — it will be substantial.
Possibly tongue in cheek you wrote “I never gave a shite about being Baptist until someone decides I could not be” but you care a lot don’t you?
This phrase partly alludes to the experience I imagine many queer people have growing up in church, and then being exiled from their community for coming out. When you belong somewhere it feels normal – you don’t even think about it. Until it’s made clear you don’t belong, and you suddenly realise the significance of what you’re about to lose, through no real choice of your own.
My experience isn’t the same as theirs – however, I was flippant about being a Baptist for most of my life despite basically being born into this context. It’s just always been home in some sense. But I’m realising to not having to think about your identity is a sign of privilege. For example, people who don’t want to grapple with what it means to be white don’t realise that for a black person experiencing systemic racism, you literally don’t have a choice but to “give a shite” about it.
Wouldn’t it be a relief to not have to explain that churches in your denomination are not affirming to your church? And maybe some conservatives will feel similar things)
I have no doubt the churches who started this are congratulating themselves, as this is exactly what they wanted.
It’s not what I wanted though. My heart has always been to witness in two directions. Despite what people may think, I actually love the Church. And I feel deeply drawn to people who want nothing to do with church, maybe even hate it. I feel like at my best, I can bring a little healing between these two, helping churches to think more consciously of the one sheep Jesus left the 99 to pursue, and helping people with church wounds gently re-engage and heal some of their church-related trauma.
This decision is distressing on both fronts. Some of my closest friends and fellow pastors in ministry have different theological views to me. And yet we support each other in our common desire to help people encounter the love of God. Sure, in some sense it’s relieving to only be in relationship with people who think like you. But is that actually what our world needs right now? I have actually believed that amidst the polarisation we frequently bemoan, Baptists have genuinely had a shot at uniting around some common agreement, while acknowledging and bearing with one another through disagreement.
I do also believe I’ve come to more beautiful theological views that are faithful to the God revealed in Jesus, and the “evangelical” impulse in me wants to share that good news with pastors who are willing to listen. I’ve had many of those conversations in this space and I believe they are fruitful for all of us. At this point the major thing I am “relieved” by is the abundance of people I am talking to who seem to be able to differentiate the love of Jesus from these institutional actions of exclusion. Those are not one and the same.