Briefly noted
New guidelines for starting Southern Baptist churches ask members of new congregations to affirm biblical inerrancy and male-only deacons. The guidelines, adopted October 6 by trustees of the North American Mission Board, do not apply to existing Southern Baptist congregations but can be applied to the 1,500 new churches planted by NAMB each year. Though the guidelines could be used to exclude funding of new congregations that decline to adhere to its standards, officials of the Southern Baptist agency said the guidelines won’t be used for that purpose.