February 9, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement by GuideStone President, O.S. Hawkins, on Forced Abortion Drug Coverage and
Religious Freedom Encroachment in Obamacare
By O.S. Hawkins
DALLAS – “GuideStone Financial Resources, as the benefits board of the Southern Baptist
Convention, is fully committed to upholding Biblical convictions that we as Southern Baptists hold dear. For decades GuideStone has maintained a comprehensive prohibition on medical coverage of elective abortions. Since the outset of healthcare reform GuideStone has been actively engaged in pursuing legislative and other avenues that will fully protect church plans from any requirements that would violate our conscience on the issue of the sanctity of life, and we will continue to do so vigilantly. GuideStone along with our friends at the Ethics and
Religious Liberty Commission will continue to monitor the ongoing public debate concerning healthcare reform, and will respond in a manner that is consistent with our shared Biblical values. GuideStone does not and will not provide abortive contraceptives.
We stand with Dr. Richard Land and Dr. Albert Mohler and others within Southern Baptist life, opposing the Obama Administration's recent action requiring coverage of abortive contraceptives. This encroachment on religious freedom is blatant and outrageous and should be taken seriously by those of us who are part of the body of believers, as well as by others who respect and regard this nation's history and constitutional foundation.
For many decades, we at GuideStone have been privileged to provide healthcare coverage to ministers and others serving churches and church-related organizations all across our convention.
GuideStone's health plans are specifically designed to reflect Southern Baptist polity and to provide benefits in a manner consistent with Southern Baptist convictions especially related to the sanctity of life and marriage as well as the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
GuideStone's plans take into account the unique needs of pastors and others involved in ministry and Christian service.
The healthcare reform law (often referred to as Obamacare) presents the greatest ongoing challenge ever confronted by denominational church health plans. GuideStone was active in its advocacy for church health plans and their participants prior to the enactment of Obamacare.
However, since that time, GuideStone has devoted significant additional efforts seeking to prevent church health plans and their participants from being adversely affected. GuideStone is in the forefront of those calling for a full repeal of Obamacare specifically due to its adverse effect on church plans. GuideStone has presently joined with a coalition of other church plans to

seek legislative and regulatory relief from various aspects of Obamacare that could threaten the ability of church health plans to serve their participants.
We greatly regret that we must struggle with this Administration to protect the freedoms given to us in the U.S. Constitution, but doing so has become a daily necessity for us. We are advocating for our position in many arenas, including the efforts to establish a conscience clause so that the convictions so important to us as believers are not shredded in the name of healthcare reform.
GuideStone continues to be active in addressing issues involving sanctity of life, and also is adamant about other issues of vital interest to the evangelical community that could conceivably impact health plans in future years. For example, GuideStone could never concede to extend coverage to same sex spouses or cover questionable stem cell treatments. GuideStone continues to seek avenues of obtaining a conscience clause to protect and preserve these foundational convictions.
The enactment of healthcare reform has confronted GuideStone and other church pension plans with the need to engage the issue on many different fronts. We are honored to join with our friends at The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and all of our other Southern Baptist
Convention entities to advocate on behalf of those organizations and individuals we are so privileged to serve. We will remain vigilant and diligent in these efforts with our long held
Biblical convictions and our participants’ needs uppermost in our mind.”
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O.S. Hawkins is president and chief executive officer for GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern
Baptist Convention.
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Media Contact — Timothy Head, Executive Officer for Denominational and Public Relations,
GuideStone Financial Resources, SBC. Contact Mr. Head via email, Tim.Head@GuideStone.org
, or telephone at (214) 720-4706.