By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press
CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Miss. (BP) – The inability of an African American couple to wed at predominantly white First Baptist Church in Crystal Springs, Miss., is not indicative of Southern Baptists, denominational leaders said.
The pastor’s decision to change the wedding venue, after a few members’ reaction because of the couple’s race, is an unfortunate, isolated incident from which pastors can learn, Southern Baptist Convention President Fred Luter said.
“We just have to be aware that the enemy will use anything he can to come against our churches and our ministries with something like this. And so we’ve always got to be aware that the enemy is out to kill, steal and destroy,” said Luter, the first African American elected as SBC president. “It’s unfortunate that it happened, but we’ve got to learn from it, and be able to go on and do what God has called us to do.
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