BY DR. JOHN SULLIVAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-TREASURER
FLORIDA BAPTIST CONVENTION

The Problem with “Ethyl”

I have been surprised by the attention given to my recent statements about the use of alcoholic beverages. Being a “tee-totaler” has been my conviction--not convenience--since August 1955 when I was saved. After salvation, it never entered my mind that “social” or “moderate” drinking was acceptable to the Heavenly Father. I never considered discussing it as a possibility. Now some would say that is closed-mindedness. They would be right—there is no debate for me.

The nature of this article is not to discuss what the Bible says about the use of alcohol; or that some great theologians who have been used of God were social/moderate drinkers. My study of scripture convinces me that total abstinence is biblical. Who has done it in the past has no impact on whether I should or should not. As I said before, my mind is made up on the subject.

The subject resurfaced at the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro when an amendment was made to a proposed resolution on alcoholism that trustees of our national entities should abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages. I thought it was a good amendment (in fact, I helped write it) to an already good resolution. We spent approximately 30 minutes of valuable time debating the amendment and then spent more time debating the resolution. For the resolution to receive that much discussion proved to me it was a new day.

When we returned home I realized abstinence of alcohol is not a part of the trustee requirements within the Florida Baptist State Convention. It became my intent to propose the matter to the State Board of Missions in January 2007.

During the 2006 Florida Baptist State Convention meeting in Fort Myers, the subject again surfaced. In a new element of the meeting, the Convention President and the Committee on Order of Business gave time on the program to surface issues or ministries which would be addressed during the next year by the Convention staff and State Board of Missions. Days before the meeting, I shared by telephone Dr. Hayes Wicker four matters I would address:

• Trustees and the use of alcohol
• Theological education in Haiti
• The Marriage Amendment
• Cooperative Program

Prior to my allotted time on the program, the subject of alcohol use surfaced through one of our speakers. Some thought my remarks on the issue were a reaction to the speaker’s comments. They were not and had been planned weeks ahead.

Since that time, Baptist Press ran a story highlighting my comments during the Convention. As a result, I have received a great deal of mail--not all of which was positive! One person from Tennessee called me “arrogant and narrow-minded.”

Please understand I am not taking a poll on this matter. It is my candid opinion that as the executive director-treasurer of this convention, I must do everything possible to protect our integrity and witness. This new attitude on “moderate” use of alcohol poses a problem for me and many other Florida Baptists. A proposal will be made to the State Board of Missions through the proper channels that the trustees of the entities of the Florida Baptist State Convention will abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages.

This is the first of three two articles on this subject. My desire of this article is to inform members of our churches of my intention.

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You may contact Dr. John Sullivan at 1-800-226-8584, ext. 3015, or by e-mail.