SBC’s official news service, Baptist Press, reports that the SBC Executive Committee approved a motion on Feb. 20 giving the DCBC until May 20 to end its affiliation with churches “that have demonstrated a faith or practice affirming, approving or endorsing homosexual behavior.”

The District of Columbia Baptist Convention has been given 90 days to remove a church with lesbian co-pastors from fellowship or risk severing ties with the Southern Baptist Convention.

SBC’s official news service, Baptist Press, reports that the SBC Executive Committee approved a motion on Feb. 20 giving the DCBC until May 20 to end its affiliation with churches “that have demonstrated a faith or practice affirming, approving or endorsing homosexual behavior.”

The motion effectively gives DCBC the option to either sever its ties with the 155-year-old Calvary Baptist Church or help lead the church to “repentance.”

In January 2017, Calvary Baptist hired lesbian couple Maria Swearingen and Sally Sarratt to be the new co-pastors. Although Calvary officially severed its ties with the SBC in 2012, DCBC gives its churches the choice of affiliation.

“If none of those scenarios materializes, the DCBC will lose immediately its authorization to receive and disburse Cooperative Program (CP) funds,” Baptist Press states. DCBC also risks losing other SBC contributions.

Robert Cochran, executive director of the D.C. convention, told media that DCBC “has not affirmed, approved or endorsed homosexual behavior in any way at any time” and “respects the official statements” on homosexuality by both American and Southern Baptists.”

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