Joint Black Baptist Board Meeting Closes with Newfound Cooperation
The long-awaited joint board meeting of the four historic black Baptist churches successfully forged a new era of cooperation and conversation, according to the leaders of the multi-million member denominations, Friday, January 28, 2005.
"We believe, and the numbers show it, that we have the power in terms of black registered voters across the country to make an impact," said the Rev. Stephen J. Thurston of Chicago, president of the National Baptist Convention of America.
The four black Baptist churches, the National Baptist Convention USA, the Progressive National Baptist Convention, the National Baptist Convention of America and the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, said they now hope to “reclaim” their historic position as the leaders who push for social change and reform.
The meeting highlighted the war in Iraq, school vouchers and privatization of prisons, all of which the four groups agreed to oppose.
