RESOLUTION NO. 1
ON COMMENDATION FOR PASSAGE OF THE HUMAN LIFE PROTECTION ACT

WHEREAS, Alabama Baptists have repeatedly affirmed the sanctity of human life, beginning at conception; and

WHEREAS, The Baptist Faith and Message, as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention and the Alabama Baptist State Convention, affirms the right to life of the unborn; and

WHEREAS, The Human Life Protection Act has been passed by the Alabama Legislature and signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey; and

WHEREAS, The Human Life Protection Act is widely recognized as the strongest legislation protecting the sanctity of life; and

WHEREAS, Alabama Baptists are hopeful that The Human Life Protection Act will help reverse the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court ruling of 1973; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama Baptist State Convention meeting in Daphne, Alabama, November 12-13, 2019, commend the Alabama Legislature and Governor Kay Ivey for enacting this landmark legislation that has established the State of Alabama as a leader in fighting for the lives of the unborn in our land.

RESOLUTION NO. 2
ON MAKING OUR CHURCHES SAFER PLACES

WHEREAS, Local churches are composed of individual believers who are called to reach out with the Gospel to those in their own local communities and beyond (1 Cor. 12:20, Acts 1:8); and

WHEREAS, Local church meeting places should be secure and safe for believers and others to gather for evangelism, discipleship, worship, prayer, ministry and fellowship; and

WHEREAS, All who attend local churches should be safe from all forms of abuse and harassment; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama Baptist State Convention meeting in Daphne, Alabama, November 12-13, 2019, encourage all our churches to become safer places for all who attend; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm the efforts of churches in “Reducing the Risk” including through the State Board of Missions’s partnership with MinistrySafe that is making resources available to help prevent child sexual abuse; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm the use of Cooperative Program funds allocated by the State Board of Missions to provide significant subsidy for each participating Alabama Baptist congregation’s access to many online MinistrySafe resources through 2020; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage “Responding to Victims” where abuse has occurred and affirm the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries/Pathways Professional Counseling as a vital and valued source for counselors trained in treating victims of trauma situations, including child sexual abuse; and be it further

RESOLVED, That when a suspected incident of child sexual abuse occurs in a local church, we acknowledge that Alabama law (section 26-14-6.1) makes it clear that responsibility for investigation lies solely with law enforcement and the Department of Human Resources (DHR); and be it further

RESOLVED, That if there is reason to suspect child sexual abuse, it should be reported immediately to the county’s DHR, law enforcement or the district attorney; and be it further

RESOLVED, That if an incident of sexual abuse occurs, or a suspected case, the first priority should be the well-being of the victim, ensuring the person is heard and taken seriously; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a local church should offer counseling services to the individual and family members at the church’s expense; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we affirm the importance of “Respecting Our Values” of autonomy at every level of Southern Baptist life, including local churches, which are entirely self-governing; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend the SBOM which, although not a governing body in relationship to our local churches, does provide helps and resources for our congregations, including from MinistrySafe; and be it further

RESOLVED, That churches be urged to contact the SBOM Office of LeaderCare & Church Health for resources related to best practices in “Helping Make Our Churches Safer Places”; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we encourage Alabama Baptists to pray for each other as we seek to become even better stewards of all that God has entrusted to us for the protection of others, for ministry to those who have been hurt and for the furtherance of the Gospel.

RESOLUTION NO. 3
ON APPRECIATION

WHEREAS, The messengers to the Alabama Baptist State Convention have enjoyed times of encouragement, worship, fellowship and Great Commission sharing; and

WHEREAS, We acknowledge the Lord’s provision of all these blessings and many more; and

WHEREAS, We express appreciation for the wonderful hospitality of the people of Daphne; and

WHEREAS, We appreciate the Baldwin Baptist Association, area churches and the leaders of those churches who have played a significant role in making this convention a success; and

WHEREAS, We especially thank the Eastern Shore Baptist Church for the use of their building as well as their service, kind hospitality and support; and

WHEREAS, We acknowledge the Lord worked through our President, Dr. Tim Cox, other officers, various committees, convention speakers, musicians and other platform personnel to guide the affairs of this convention with Kingdom stewardship and a Christlike spirit; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama Baptist State Convention meeting in Daphne, Alabama, November 12-13, 2019, express our gratitude to the Lord and to all those whom He used to bring about a convention characterized by worship, encouragement and concern for evangelism, missions, prayer, ministry and the Great Commission.