The ERLC’s actions speak louder than their words.

The ERLC is a public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. Over the years, trust between the ERLC and the SBC has eroded, and there have been attempts at the annual meetings to trash can the ERLC entity in its entirety. As a result, on February 2nd 2026, the ERLC’s Board of Trustees released a guiding statement for the future of the ERLC, and specified what criteria they would use in the selection of their next President (who was later announced to be Evan Lenow.) The full guiding statement is linked below. Their third item was “We commit to representing Southern Baptists well in the public square.” It says this: “We will provide effective advocacy in Washington, D.C. by focusing on issues where Southern Baptists have strong consensus. We primarily use the Bible, the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (amended 2023) and recent SBC resolutions to identify these issues. We will also be available to assist Southern Baptists at the state and local levels on matters of public policy, working closely with state conventions and local associations.” This is a wise commitment, especially since their entire structure is made possible by SBC leadership and the messengers that vote on resolutions to keep the ERLC running. However, unless they amend their statement, this means that the ERLC should be promoting abortion abolition, not incremental laws that broadly protect abortion access. In the SBC Annual Meeting of 2021 in Nashville TN, messengers overwhelming approved the resolution titled “On Abortion Abolition”. Here is an excerpt from the text (the full text will also be linked below:) RESOLVED, that the messengers of the SBC meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, June 15-16, 2021, do state unequivocally that abortion is murder, and we reject any position that allows for any exceptions to the legal protection of our preborn neighbors, compromises God’s holy standard of justice, or promotes any God-hating partiality (Psa 94:6; Isa 10:1-2; Prov 24:11; Psa 82:1-4), and be it further (...) we humbly confess and lament any complicity in recognizing exceptions that legitimize or regulate abortion, and of any apathy, in not laboring with the power and influence we have to abolish abortion (...) we will engage, with God’s help, in establishing equal justice and protection for the preborn according to the authority of God’s Word as well as local and federal law, and call upon pastors and leaders to use their God-given gifts of preaching, teaching, and leading with one unified, principled, prophetic voice to abolish abortion (...) because abolishing abortion is a Great Commission issue, we must call upon governing authorities at all levels to repent and “obey everything that [Christ] has commanded,” exhorting them to bear fruit in keeping with repentance by faithfully executing their responsibilities as God’s servants of justice, and working with all urgency to enact legislation using the full weight of their office to interpose on behalf of the preborn, abolishing abortion immediately, without exception or compromise (Mark 6:18; Matt 28:18-20; Rom 13:4, 6).” Little but a year later, the ERLC signed the atrocious NRLC Letter. Clearly, the ERLC has continued to remain out of step with its constituents. Need I remind them, this came from the floor and was passed, not from a politically motivated committee, but by a redeemed people who believe in the value of life. Despite weaker amendments in recent years, not one of them revokes or corrects the abolition resolution of 2021. Additionally, none of the pro life resolutions hold a candle to the biblical language and scriptural support of this resolution. It is effectively the clearest and most defining resolution Southern Baptists have regarding abortion. The ERLC has said many words, but they have failed to fulfill their pledge. Not only should the ERLC revoke their signature, but they should be promoting abolition of abortion without delay, to the glory of God. https://erlc.com/press/the-erlcs-commitment-to-southern-baptists/ https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/on-abolishing-abortion/