There’s a sleepy little church in Pike County Kentucky, that has voted to ban interracial couples from joining its flock, pitting members against each other in an argument over race. So as a result, members of the Gulnare Free Will Baptist Church voted Sunday on the resolution, which says the church “does not condone interracial marriage.” Member Melvin Thompson wrote the resolution but said Wednesday that he is not racist.
The church secretary, Dean Harville, disagrees. The resolution followed a visit to the church by Harville’s daughter, who is white, and her African boyfriend. “I am not racist. I will tell you that. I am not prejudiced against any race of people, have never in my lifetime spoke evil about a race,” said Thompson, the church’s former pastor who stepped down earlier this year. “That’s what this is being portrayed as, but it is not.” Fox News
The National Association of Free Will Baptists in Antioch, Tenn., has no official position on interracial marriage, said its executive secretary, Keith Burden. Stella Harville, and Ticha Chikuni — now her fiance — visited the church in June and Chikuni sang a song for the congregation. The two had visited the church before. But the church’s secretary, Dean Harville said he was counting the church offering after a service in early August when he was approached by Thompson, who told him Harville’s daughter and her boyfriend were no longer allowed to sing at the church.
Harbville’s 24 year old daughter Stella is a graduate student at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana, called the vote “hurtful.” “I think part of me is still in shock and trying to process what’s been going on the past few days,” she said. “I really hope they overturn this.” Fox News
The vote by members on Sunday was 9-6, and was taken after the Sunday service. Many of the people left or declined to vote. The resolution says anyone is welcome to attend services, but interracial couples could not become members or be “used in worship services or other church functions.” Stella Harville met Chikuni at Georgetown College, where he is a student advisor. Dean Harville said Chikuni’s parents live in southern Africa, and he has not seen them in over a decade.
tobeforgiven
/ 11/30/2011Why is this news? Yup, its pretty dumb, but look at the size of that vote. 9 to 6. I doubt we will be hearing much from this church, as I would imagine there aren’t to many couples comming into this church!
What has happened to the church?
Janet
/ 11/30/2011The whole world has gone crazy…..so members now can write rules? I thought it was up to church elders to make policies?
tobeforgiven
/ 11/30/2011Oh, no, no. While the rules come usually out of congregational meetings (in most churches) after the elders call one. The spirit of those rules comes from scriptures, and must be tested by scripture.
I believe this is what is missing.
Janet
/ 11/30/2011Nine fools……and the sensible ones walked out…..
Janet
/ 12/02/2011Church ban on mixed-race couples may end
A Kentucky pastor says he expects a vote by his congregation to ban the membership of interracial couples to be overturned by the denomination.
Upi
frank carter
/ 12/03/2011The silent majority of this country is still a bunch of red necks, hiding beneath the blankets