Breaking News in the Pacific Southwest

Some breaking news items:

1. Four liberal ABCPSW churches have announced that they are forming the Association of American Baptists in the Pacific Southwest, with the intent of coming under the umbrella of the ABC of Los Angeles. Four churches. Wow. They have set up a website with an address very similiar to that of the PSW: www.abpsw.org (the region's address is www.abcpsw.com.)

2. Bill Nicoson was approved for ordination by the ordination council of ABCPSW. While Bill has served as a pastor in an ABC church in Colorado, he'd never been ordained. He is a member of and sponsored by the FBC of Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley.

3. The Cornerstone Network Group, responding to some criticism, has changed its name to the Cornerstone Church Network. The "vision architects" are meeting again in Chicago tomorrow and Wednesday; look for some more news there.

4. I heard some discussion that there is a (FALSE, FALSE, FALSE!) rumor floating around that the PSW separation is "all about a personal dispute between Dale Salico and Aisand Wright-Riggins." This rumor seems to be in circulation due to whispers circulated by the national leadership of the ABC Black Caucus.

5. "The biggest surprise to me has been the rigidity of the (national leadership) of the ABC regarding the covenant of relationships," mused Dale Salico today. He recounted that as early as Spring of 2005, he sought to head off a break with ABCUSA by inquiring about an affilate status for PSW (as opposed to a cooperating/covenant status). He was told is was "all or nothing"--even though the District of Columbia Baptist Convention is an affliated region. Why wasn't this offered to PSW? This whole disaster has been moved forward by the rigidity of the Valley Forge politburo.