The Conservative Baptist Network (CBN), launched on February 14th, rejected unbiblical ideologies affecting the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and is working to prove the sufficiency of the Bible, the Church leaders reported on the same day.
The CBN said that contrary to the trend of theological progress within the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, it was formed by cooperation between Southern Baptist pastors and laypeople and the network is essentially calling for a new conservative resurgence.
Thus, the CBN said in press releases and social media, "This group can re-enforce the SBC with efforts to achieve the Great Commission declared by Jesus and have cultural influence, and all generations can gain courage and strength, and bring positive and Bible solutions."
Brad Jurkovich, a CBN spokesman and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana, said CBN is concerned about the current path of this denomination, which is distorting God's word on things like human sex, biblical racial reconciliation, and socialistic justice.
There are three options for Southern Baptist churches and pastors, Jurkovich said. "Do nothing and wait and see this denomination drift and fall into oblivion." The second is "a departure from the SBC and many false sources that will lead to inappropriate ideologies."
Finally, the third is "making a change and take a stand," the CBN said, "I believe most people want to resist," saying that the CBN is "trying to overcome the current downturn and experience another spiritual revival."
Jurkovich also expressed hope, "It may be another time of Conservative Resurgence that started 40 years ago at the SBC."
The CBN quoted Adrian Rogers, former SBC president, as saying in 1988: "Denominational cooperation through compromise is neither Baptist nor biblical. And Baptists must beware of the leaven of liberalism."
Referring to the "insolence and disrespect" shown by the attendees who left their seats the day Vice President Mike Pence address during the 2018 Annual-Convention, Jurkovich said, "As Southern Baptists, can't we love both Jesus and the United States? Is it no longer okay to be a pastor and a patriot?"
Another concern is the Resolution Nine (what passed last year) and the social-justice concepts of Critical Race Theory and Interoperability (CRT/I), according to the Church Leaders.
While other leaders of the SBC have called these concepts "analytic tool" that encourages diversity, the CBN argues they are "an ideology rooted in the Neo-Marxist, postmodern worldview."
The redefining of the gender role of the Bible, which the CBN is concerned about, refers to the debate about commonerianism, concept being investigated after the church's sexual abuse scandals.
The new conservative network reaffirms the long-standing Baptist faith as expressed in "Baptist Faith and Message 2000," it said on its website. The CBN also stressed that "it's not a new denomination, blog or social media page, it's not just a competitor who exists to complain, has a department that has a different sense of intent, or a group that has an exclusive soteriological view."
Tom Ascol, president of Founders Ministries, tweeted: "I'm happy to have a new network today."
An increasing number of Southern Baptists are trying to resist the godless ideology that undermines the authority and sufficiency of the Bible. Ken Ham, the founder of "Answers in Genesis," tweeted: "I'm glad to see the leaders of the SBC openly challenging the church to follow God's word in every field. Culture changes, but God's words do not change! The church needs to reflect on this," he said.
The CBN said that it was excited to have more than 800 people join in the first five hours of the year until noon, prompting many supporters to stand up to the so-called #WokeChurch movement.
On the other hand, an official CBN launch event is planned for June 8 prior to the annual SBC conference in Orlando, Florida, U.S.
