Hephzibah Baptist Church
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Hephzibah Baptist Church is a conservative Southern Baptist church located in Wendell, North Carolina. They are currently part of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.
[edit] Election Day
During November 14-15, 2006, their pastor of thirty years, Reverend William R. Sanderson, made the news and headlines by putting in a vote to favor the banning of gay-friendly churches that welcome practicing homosexuals from becoming part of the Baptist State Convention by his motion. Hephzibah Baptist Church are one of those to refuse gays to be able to either visit or become members of it. The Convention staff then developed a policy.
The change in the Articles of Incorporation says that among churches not in friendly cooperation with the Convention are churches which knowingly act to affirm, approve, condone, endorse, promote, support or bless homosexual behavior along with a change in the bylaws saying that an individual who is a member of a church which affirms, approves, condones, endorses, promotes, supports or blesses homosexual behavior is not eligible to serve as a trustee.
[edit] Views and stance
He stated one of his reasons by saying, "We've got to fight for our children's lives. When they start saying in school that a man and a man is just like a man and a woman, well no, it's not." Instead of looking at it as homophobic, he sees it as to protect his flock from sin altogether and his strength to defend the traditional morals and values. He is head of the Conservative Carolina Baptists, too. He also goes as far to criticize America for the way the country has become today. He upholds those teachings despite a lot of moderate and liberal ruling conventions. He tries to do what he can to stem the moral free-fall around him. Proposing to exclude churches that sanction gay sex is the first step to what he wants in his intention to amend the bylaws which has been criticized by others and churches who preach that homosexual practices are sinful but still allow those kind of people to come.
They are likened and similar to Westboro Baptist Church, another extremely conservative church led by the Reverend Fred Phelps.
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