Georgia Baptists reaffirm stand against gambling and push tighter hemp limits

By HENRY DURAND, The Christian Index

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

ATLANTA — Messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention’s annual meeting reaffirmed their determination to oppose any expansion of gambling in Georgia and urged lawmakers to tighten access to marijuana and hemp-derived products.

Georgia Baptists have long fought the spread of predatory gambling, including sports betting and casinos. In 2025, the General Assembly debated five bills aimed at expanding gambling. Proponents pushed a plan to run sports wagering through the state lottery, a move critics said violated the intent of voters who approved the lottery in 1992. Another proposal sought to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to legalize gambling. Because Georgia operates on a two-year legislative cycle, all five bills remain alive for the 2026 session.

The gambling resolution, submitted by Chris Alexander, pastor of Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Grayson, calls on lawmakers to cease all efforts to expand legalized, state-sponsored gambling.

Another resolution asks legislators to support restrictions on the availability of marijuana and hemp-derived products. While Georgia Baptists have not taken a position on medical marijuana, concern has grown over the state’s booming hemp consumables market.

This week, the U.S. Senate included in a government funding measure a provision that would, for the first time since the 2018 Farm Bill, regulate the amount of delta-9 THC in hemp products. The bill now goes to the House. If enacted, it would recriminalize many intoxicating hemp products that proliferated after 2018.

Messengers also expressed appreciation to the General Assembly and Gov. Brian Kemp for enacting the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2025, a measure strongly supported by the GBC that provides additional protections for religious liberty in Georgia and aligns the state with federal standards and many other states.

What follows is the full text of the resolutions in the order they were presented on Tuesday:

2025 RESOLUTIONS REPORT

The 2025 Committee on Resolutions has received several communications. We acknowledge each proposal and convey our thanks and appreciation to those who have exercised their right to free and open communication by presenting their views to this convention. The committee has taken each of these proposed resolutions for prayerful consideration and has been unanimous in its deliberations. Al Wright, chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, presented the report.

 Resolution of Appreciation

Submitted By: The 2025 Committee on Resolutions                                                                   Members: Al Wright, Chris Alexander, Donnie Duncan, Kevin Cooke, Casey Matthews, and Tim Luke 

​WHEREAS, the 203rd Annual Session of the Georgia Baptist Convention met at First Baptist Church Atlanta, Georgia on November 10-11, 2025, in which the messengers representing Georgia Baptist Churches were greeted with Christian grace and warm Southern hospitality; and

WHEREAS, the pastors of FBC Atlanta, the church staff, church members and many volunteers have tirelessly served the needs of every messenger to the Georgia Baptist Convention in fellowship of the Lord: “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 CSB); and

WHEREAS, the musicians, choirs and worship leaders have provided thrilling praise and uplifting celebration in every convention session; and

WHEREAS, Jimmy Baughcum and the Atlanta Metro Baptist Association, has demonstrated second-mile cooperation, service, and hospitality in preparation for and during the meeting; and

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of the 203rd session of the Georgia Baptist Convention, offer sincere appreciation to the leaders and members of FBC Atlanta for their hospitality and service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of this session of the Georgia Baptist Convention, express our loving appreciation for and extend our heartfelt gratitude to Steve Browning, president of our beloved Convention; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of this session of the Georgia Baptist Convention, extend honor and thanksgiving to the officers and platform leaders for their guidance and service throughout this meeting; and we express gratitude to Mrs. Beth Browning and family for their loving support of our president and Convention during this past year; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we also express our sincere appreciation and gratitude to God for those who serve on the Georgia Baptist Executive Committee, as well as Georgia Baptist Mission Board staff who faithfully serve the causes of Christ here in Georgia and around the world; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we commend the Committee on Order of Business and Chris Guffey, Chairman, for the preparation of this inspirational program; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that we, the messengers of this Convention, join our President Steve Browning and Executive Director, Thomas Hammond, in continuing to emphasize and practice the challenging theme, Everyone EVERYWHERE Romans 10:13“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Resolution Commending the Passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Georgia

Submitted by Brad Hughes, Messenger from First Baptist Church, Blakely, GA

WHEREAS, this law is extremely important because it provides people of faith the same protection from state and local government actions that they have had from federal government actions; and

WHEREAS, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) protections from federal law will also apply to religious-liberty questions arising under Georgia law; and

WHEREAS, now in Georgia, a claim brought under the “free exercise” clause of the First Amendment is treated as a full constitutional right which must be analyzed using the “strict scrutiny” legal standard; and  

WHEREAS, “strict scrutiny” means that the government may not substantially impact a citizen’s free exercise of their religious faith unless it demonstrates a truly “compelling interest” and that in doing so the government agency uses the “least restrictive means” to achieve its compelling interest; and

WHEREAS, with the enactment of RFRA, Georgia is brought into line with 40 other states that have taken action to restore a full level of legal protection for people of faith; and

WHEREAS, RFRA protects people of faith from government intrusion and being forced to violate their First Amendment right of conscience: and

WHEREAS, it restores the original intent of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which is an encouragement for churches to press on for evangelism and missions in the public square, in word and deed; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of the Georgia Baptist Convention meeting at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, November 10-11, 2025 pledge to defend the God-given and constitutionally recognized and guaranteed right of every American citizen to worship God freely in thought, word, and action, according to the dictates of his or her conscience, and to commend the passage of RFRA and other laws protecting religious freedom in our state; and       

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we must defend religious freedom now and in the future for the sake of advancing the gospel and protection for the next generation; and  

 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Georgia Baptists commend both the legislative and executive branch for the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act; and   

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to Georgia’s Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House and the sitting state senators and representatives who represent the people of Georgia.

Resolution on Rejecting All Gambling Expansion in Georgia

Submitted by Chris Alexander, Messenger from Chestnut Grove Baptist Church, Grayson, GA

WHEREAS, the Georgia Baptist Convention since 1963 has voiced its opposition at least 22 times to the gambling industry, and the devastating effects of gambling upon the moral and economic life of our state and nation; and

WHEREAS, we are living in a day when societal acceptance of gambling is beyond anything we would have thought possible in our times; and

WHEREAS, statistics reveal there are as many as 48 states in the U.S. that have some form of legalized gambling and of those states, 39 have some form of legal sports betting; and

WHEREAS, it has been reported that nearly 9 in 10 Americans have gambled at some point in their lifetime, and that more than 6 in 10 have gambled in the last year, which could amount to 102 million people; and 

​WHEREAS, we must acknowledge the fact that gambling is out of character with Biblical morality and therefore, gambling is immoral and contrary to establish Biblical moral principles; and  

WHEREAS, there are many Scriptures, including the Ten Commandments that talk about the supremacy of worshiping God (Ex. 20:3; Deut. 18:9-12; Matt. 6:33). Because gambling is basically more about “luck” and not skill, it encourages people to put their trust in “chance” and “superstition”; and

WHEREAS, the Bible also teaches that man is to work creatively and use his possessions for the good of others (Eph. 4:28); gambling fosters a something-for-nothing attitude. The Bible calls for careful stewardship, gambling calls for reckless abandon. The Bible condemns covetousness and materialism (Matt. 6:24-34); gambling has both at its heart. The Christian work ethic is damaged by gambling; and

WHEREAS, popular gambling of our day could be more accurately characterized as “predatory gambling”, which occurs when corporate gambling interests’ partner with the government to manipulate and exploit its citizens; and  

WHEREAS, the Scripture says in Galatians 5:17, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Gambling, however, encourages a compulsion to a behavior that once a person is “hooked”, it becomes uncontrollable. Anywhere predatory gambling is expanded; addiction exponentially skyrockets; and 

WHEREAS, when more gambling is legalized, it also violates the principle of governmental ministry (Romans 13:4) by permitting laws that encourage its citizens to participate in the deviant gambling industry; and

WHEREAS, we must understand that government-sanctioned gambling encourages that which is evil and perverts the purpose for which God intended government; and 

WHEREAS, state-sponsored gambling is based on the pretext that they are allowing and encouraging something evil, but it is being “sanctified” and “regulated” because it is supposedly being done for good (For example: raising tax revenue to help the children). This is not justification; and 

WHEREAS, we have already seen repeatedly, when it comes to legalizing social moral vices, that the theoretical benefits – economic and otherwise -- do not match the devastating negative impact that further availability of these kinds of things produces in our culture; and

WHEREAS, there is no amount of taxation, regulation and economic gain that would justify the harm that more legalized gambling would have on government, businesses, individuals, marriages, families, and children; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of the Georgia Baptist Convention meeting at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, November 10-11, 2025, urge all the members of the Georgia Legislature to stop all efforts to expand state-sponsored predatory gambling in the State of Georgia; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that legislature understands that we live in a representative republic where the people have given them the responsibility to allow issues to be voted on only if the lawmakers believe it is in the best interest of the people they represent; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that our legislators do not fail in fulfilling their responsibility of making laws by saying, “We'll just let the people decide.” Legislators should not abdicate their duty to determine if something is or is not good for the people of our state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the legislature needs to evaluate the benefits, and the detriments, of increasing state-sponsored predatory gambling and prove that it is not in the best interests of our citizens to put it on the ballot and allow the citizens to be misled about its benefits; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we pray for and lend our aid and support to our Public Affairs Ministry as we confront this menacing issue at the Capitol and that our churches and pastors educate and speak out against this evil industry in our communities; and  

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this Resolution be forwarded to Georgia’s Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House and the sitting state senators and representatives who represent the people of Georgia.

 Resolution on Restricting Marijuana and Hemp Products

Submitted by Virginia Galloway, Messenger from Church at the Ridge, Hiram, GA

WHEREAS, Georgia is witnessing the fastest shift in marijuana availability in its history; and

WHEREAS, unregulated high potency hemp derivatives expose Georgians -including children- to highly potent, psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and even regulated hemp consumables with THC under 0.3% are intoxicating with health and safety ramifications; and

WHEREAS, increased access to THC contributes to the growing ease with which individuals -especially youth- can develop cannabis use disorder, a form of addiction marked by impaired functioning and susceptibility to dependence; and

WHEREAS, rapid expansion of medical access to marijuana is outpacing FDA review, medical association support, and traditional doctor-patient safeguards; and

WHEREAS, commercial legalization of recreational marijuana has not eliminated the illicit market and has introduced new public health burdens; and

WHEREAS, current social normalization of marijuana makes high-potency THC products easily accessible to minors despite well documented harm to youth brain development and IQ; and

WHEREAS, marijuana impairs critical driving skills, while Georgia lacks adequate testing and reporting to deter and track drug-impaired driving; and

WHEREAS, hemp derived high THC products can lead to traffic deaths, addiction, violence, and psychotic episodes; and

WHEREAS, marijuana use undermines labor-force reliability and increases employers’ legal exposure in safety-sensitive industries; and 

WHEREAS, THC readily crosses the placenta and into breast milk, yet retail staff without medical training routinely recommend marijuana for pregnant mothers dealing with morning sickness; and

WHEREAS, replacing misdemeanor penalties for minor possession with civil fines removes the legal leverage courts can use to steer individuals into underutilized education and treatment programs - missing a critical opportunity for early intervention; and

WHEREAS, the ripple effects of marijuana misuse do not fall only on the user, but disrupt the family system — weakening marriages, reducing parental capacity, and placing children at elevated risk of harm and instability; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the messengers of the Georgia Baptist Convention meeting at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia, November 10-11, 2025, urge the members of the Georgia General Assembly to always be in favor of imposing greater restrictions on the use of all marijuana and hemp products in the State of Georgia; and 

BE IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that it be known that one of the greatest evidences of loving God and loving your neighbor is caring about the public health and safety of all our citizens; and

 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Georgia laws should limit the total amount of THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids — including intoxicating hemp products (e.g. gummies, vapes) — to levels that will not get people high; and  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Georgia should close the loophole in our law that allows products with dangerously high levels of hemp derived THC (such as delta 8) to be sold or given to anyone of any age; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we educate our churches and all Georgians about the lack of responsible regulations on these types of marijuana and hemp products can result in a de facto form of recreational marijuana in our state; and 

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be forwarded to the Georgia's Governor and the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House and the sitting state senators and representatives who represent the people of Georgia.

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Video of the sessions and presentations during the annual meeting is avail

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Caption: Messengers to the Georgia Baptist Convention's annual meeting at First Baptist Atlanta vote on resolutions Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (Index/Henry Durand)