• May 5, 2008
• April 1, 2008
• March 18, 2008
• March 5, 2008
• February 12, 2008
• January 10, 2008
• December 12, 2007
• November 5, 2007
• October 18, 2007
• September 13, 2007
• September 7, 2007
• August 31, 2007
• August 21, 2007
• August 8, 2007
• July 24, 2007
• June 25, 2007
• June 5, 2007
• May 22, 2007
• March 15, 2007
• January 20, 2007

2006-2009

Dan Frank

Stacey McClain

Phil Perry

Paul Pierce
Geoff Williams

2007-2010

Jerry Cudney
Donn Mogford
Joe Parkinson
Tom Ruhlman
John Stroupe

2008-2011

Tim Baker
Dave Lunsford
Jim Mailloux
Mike Roberts
Mark Suko

A new name and purpose statement were adopted by our constituency at our Annual Meeting, which took place in Reno, NV.

The new name of the association and the new purpose statement are as follows:

BAPTIST NETWORK NORTHWEST exists to advance the cause of Christ in the northwest through supporting and establishing Bible believing Baptist churches and by partnering with like minded ministries.

At the Annual Meeting held in Ferndale, WA, the Council of Fifteen proposed that we change the name of our Association to: 

Baptist Network Northwest

The following draft purpose statement was attached:  “Baptist Network Northwest exists to advance the cause of Christ in the northwest through supporting and establishing Bible believing Baptist churches and by partnering with like minded ministries.”

Our national association has recently grappled with this issue and has not yet come to a conclusion.  In coming to this decision, we believe the current name is too long, and “Regular” takes constant explaining. This proposal advertises our Baptist heritage, is clear, contemporary and short.  We are, in fact, a true network of churches.  We have the freedom to establish working partnerships with ministries of like faith. As stated, this is a draft for consideration.  It will be discussed at the Pastors and Wives retreat in September, 2005.  Questions may be addressed to any of the leaders — particularly those on the Council this past year.  At the annual meeting in 2006, the final draft will be voted upon by the messengers.  According to our constitution, notice will be sent to all churches at least thirty days prior to that meeting.

A West Coast Fellowship meeting will be held next year combining our Spring Conference with that of the California Association.

The meeting will be planned jointly by the two councils.  It will be held in Reno/Tahoe, Nevada on April 19-20, 2006.  This has been “in the works” since the national conference in Riverside, CA in 2003.  Dave Wilcox, California Representative, has done a good deal of “legwork” on this idea, which has been unanimously accepted by both councils last week. 

Reno/Tahoe is central to our region and has inexpensive flights and accommodations.  Appropriate meeting facilities are available, and many family recreational opportunities exist in the area.  Excellent speakers are planned for the full two-day event.  This is an extra special event.  Pastors will want to get key leaders to attend. The plan is to invite other western states to come as well.

In their meeting prior to the 2003 Pastors & Wives Retreat at Cannon Beach, the NARBC Council of Fifteen approved a statement on the recent decision of the GARBC Council of Eighteen to cease partnering with Cedarville University.  Since the issue is postponed for further review by the association, it seemed appropriate to make such a statement.  There was such great interest in the issue, a special session was held on Wednesday morning for discussion.  All those present voted unanimously to concur with the statement of the NARBC Council and ask the GARBC Council revisit the Partnering Agreement.  The text to the statement is as follows:

Statement of NARBC Council of Fifteen on the decision of the GARBC Council of Eighteen to deny partnership status to Cedarville University.

We, the NARBC Council of Fifteen, strongly urge the Council of 18 to reconsider its decision to deny partnership status to Cedarville University.  We offer the following reasons for our position.

• We believe that the council’s decision to sever relationships with Cedarville University runs contrary to the historic position of the GARBC on ecclesiastical separation.  Robert T. Ketcham enunciated the position of the GARBC with respect to ecclesiastical separation in Literature Item 6, “The Position of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches On Separation.”  He encouraged pastors and churches affiliated with the GARBC to reach out to pastors and churches who belonged to denominations that tolerated theological liberalism but who agreed with the doctrinal position of the GARBC.  Thus, the GARBC should do all it can do to encourage relationships with Southern Baptists in Ohio who have opposed doctrinal error in their convention and who long to train their young people at Cedarville University.

• We believe that the Council’s decision to end the partnering agreement with Cedarville University exposes an attitude about ministry that is contrary to the attitude modeled by Jesus and Paul (e.g., Luke 9:49, 50; Phil. 1:12-18).  Doctrinally sound Southern Baptists in Ohio have chosen to partner with Cedarville University for the furtherance of the Gospel ministry.  To oppose either them or Cedarville University in that ministry is to oppose the work of the Gospel. 

• We believe that the practice of secondary separation may be necessary at times to ensure doctrinal purity.  However, we do not believe that the present endorsement of Cedarville University by the Ohio State Southern Baptists necessarily places the university in a position in which its own doctrinal position is compromised.  Cedarville retains full control of its curriculum and its doctrinal position.  In cases such as this, where compromise of doctrine is not an issue, separation is unnecessary and therefore unwise.

• We believe that the decision of the Council of 18 fails to make proper distinctions among parties within the Southern Baptist Convention.  In recent years God has blessed the efforts of doctrinally conservative leaders within the convention to confront and defeat liberalism in its midst.  We rejoice that the Southern Baptist Convention is an exception to the rule that once a denomination heads down the path of liberalism, it will continue its downward slide into theological liberalism.  The Council of 18 should therefore reverse its decision and seek rather to encourage fellowship and cooperation with believers within the convention who have risked much to defend sound doctrine. 

• We respectfully ask the Council of Eighteen to revisit the partnering policy so as to reflect the intent of the association when replacing the approval system.

Subsequent to the adoption of this statement at the Council meeting held on September 8, all pastors, missionaries and agency personnel present at the Pastors and wives retreat at Cannon Beach, Oregon, unanimously approved the statement as well. Approximately 80 men were in attendance for the discussion.