West Virginia: The Center is Not Happy, Not One Bit

Breaking News from West Virginia....

From the ABE online message board:

Fellow West Virginian here...

Long two days...

Had two votes today:

the first, as proposed by the BBT (Baptists for Biblical Truth) failed.

the second, proposed by an ABC supporting church to reaffirm our relationship with ABC-USA also failed but by a wider margin.

For the record, I realize that Dr. Carrico [WV Exec] is trying to say the right things, but he is also trying to do the right things. There is a working task force that will report on our relationship with ABC at our meeting next year. The proposed path will no doubt be determined by the events of the General Board next month and to follow.

There are a few churches that will always be ABC-USA no matter what happens, but I would say that the WVBC is united in everything but practice. It was a very Spirit-filled meeting. Those on opposite sides were embracing after the vote. But be sure that few are happy with the current direction of ABC-USA.

OK, here's the key thing:

The CENTER of the ABC in WV as well as across most regions are dissatisfied with "the current direction of the ABC-USA." Valley Forge will no doubt spin this as a great victory. BIG MISTAKE. Jay Wolfe of WVBBT is a friend, but he's positioned himself as the "hard right". The evangelical CENTER of the denomination is what Valley Forge has to be worried about, not a "right-wing fringe."

And my advice to VF? Be afraid. Be very afraid...