Southern Baptist Convention Expels Raleigh White Church for racist practices

Holy 2018!  The Raleigh White Baptist Church has been expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention for racist policies and a pattern of racially discriminatory practices.

According to the Christian Index, the newspaper of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, The Raleigh White Baptist Church merged with the majority black New Seasons Church in June 2015.  Raleigh White is the name of a former Baptist pastor.”

The plan was for Raleigh White to transfer its facility to New Seasons after the two congregations spent 6 months together in the same building and an orderly transition could be made.  The area around the church was changing and becoming increasingly black.  Raleigh White’s membership had declined from more than 250 to about 20.

Raleigh White was worshipping in an early service and New Seasons worshipped after they left.  But they interacted during the service transition and at other times during the week.

Then Raleigh White leadership– and attitudes– changed.  Raleigh White members began complaining about the black congregation using church facilities, like the gym, fellowship hall, classrooms and parking lot. New Season members complained of openly hostile looks from Raleigh White members and people refusing to speak.

In March, members of New Seasons stopped by Raleigh White Baptist to attend its annual Homecoming service, and according to the Tennessean the 9-year-old daughter of a New Seasons member was forced to use the restroom at a nearby convenience store.

The plan fell apart.

The Mallary Baptist Association tried to mediate the churches’ disagreement, but according to the Washington Post, Raleigh White refused to budge.  When Raleigh White informed New Seasons it would have to postpone its services to accommodate a longer Raleigh White service, it was clear they were being forced out of the facility.  The Mallary Baptist Association then expelled Raleigh White from the association, saying in a prepared statement :