IMPLEMENTATION TASK FORCE MEETS

by   Art Toalston                                                                                                                                           Vol. IX, No. 1, January 1996

The Implementation Task Force assigned to coordinate the Southern Baptist Convention's restructuring held its first working meeting Nov. 15-16 (1995) at the SBC Building in Nashville, TN. Chairman Bob Reccord, pastor of First Baptist, Norfolk, in a Nov. 17 statement, noted, "The Task Force is moving forward to carry out its responsibilities in concert and harmony with the wishes of the SBC," which last June approved a sharpened denominational structure for the 21st century. Reccord noted three key steps taken thus far:

"1) Like the PSSC (Program and Structure Study Committee) which preceded us, the Task Force is spending significant time in focussed prayer asking for God's wisdom and guidance for all parties concerned in each step of the implementation.

"2) Each affected agency president has been requested to submit his suggestions and perspectives regarding the transition so that they may be given due consideration by the Task Force. In turn, each agency has graciously responded.

"3) Key studies are being initiated and information gathered to clarify numerous issues in this significant undertaking. The Task Force will be working with SBC agencies in order to fully understand the unique needs and issues of each entity in the implementation process." Reccord, noted he also plans to interact with state Baptist convention executive directors in their annual meeting, Feb. 13-16.

Said Reccord: "If everyone will work together with a focus of carrying out the Convention's desires and directions, it can be a wonderful 'win-win' outcome for our Convention and our world which we have been commanded to reach.

"By implementing the plan, we will renew our vitality, strategically position our resources, streamline and strengthen our structure, serve our people, maximize our mission and ministry dollars, and show the world that Baptists can walk arm-in-arm into the new century."

The SBC Executive Committee gave unanimous approval Sept. 18 to the creation of the 10-member Implementation Task Force to carry out a sweeping restructuring of the SBC, titled "Covenant for a New Century," approved by a 9,590-to-5,357 ballot vote during the convention's sesquicentennial in Atlanta. The restructuring faces a required second bylaw vote during the 1996 SBC annual meeting and then will be enacted by the end of the 1997 annual meeting.

The Executive Committee’s assignment to the task force is to “analyze, study, and take actions necessary ... to facilitate the orderly and timely transitions” stemming from SBC adoption of the Covenant for a New Century. The Transitions include:

– reducing the number of SBC entities from 19 to 12, eliminating the Historical, Stewardship, and Education commissions and assigning much of their work to other entities.

– creating a new North American Mission Board, encompassing the work of the current Home Mission Board, Radio and Television Commission, and Brotherhood Commission.

Reccord, in his statement, said the task force’s work will center around the mission statement at the heart of the Covenant for a New Century: “The Southern Baptist Convention exists to facilitate, extend. and enlarge the Great Commission ministries of Southern Baptist churches , under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, upon the authority of Holy Scripture, and by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.”

The covenant document and recommendations were drafted by a seven-member Program and Structure Study committee, created by the Executive Committee in 1993 in response to a motion for an SBC structure and program study referred from the SBC annual meeting that year I Houston.

The Implementation Task Force has seven areas of responsibility, according to the Executive Committee:

– Legal issues “necessary for timely implementation,” such as the dissolution or revision of various entities charters.

– Financial issues, such as cost analysis for relocating functions, including various personnel, of the RTVC, in Fort Worth, Texas, and Brotherhood Commission, in Memphis, TN, to the North American Mission Board, to be based in Atlanta.

– Physical assets, with the task force to “develop and propose for consideration by elected trustees a transition plan for the physical assets, including land, buildings, furnishings, and fixtures” of the SBC entities being discontinued.

– Financial assets, entailing task force recommendations to trustees for handling discontinued entities’ operating capital, endowment funds, investments, and accounts receivable and payable.

– Personnel issues, with the task force to recommend “a compensation plan for employees with long tenure whose positions are discontinued;” a plan “for paying insurance premiums for retirees of entities being discontinued;” and “career transition support for employees whose jobs are being terminated.”

– Ministry assignments, with the task force to monitor the “implementation of ministry assignments according to the Covenant for a New Century” and review any needed changes in ministry assignment wording or responsibilities not clearly assigned in the study committee report.

The task force consists of four members of the Executive Committee and six at-large members. In addition to Reccord, others named from the Executive Committee are T. C. Pinckney, a retired Air Force general from Alexandria, VA; John O. Yarborough, senior pastor, First Baptist church, Perry, GA, and president of the Georgia Baptist Convention; and Joe H. Reynolds, a Houston attorney.

At-large members of the task force are Ted Warren, of Nashville, executive vice president and chief operating office, Baptist Sunday School Board; C. B. “Bill” Hogue, retired executive director-treasurer, California Southern Baptist Convention, Fresno, who made a motion during the 1993 SBC annual meeting that prompted the Executive Committee’s restructuring study; Rudy A. Hernandez, of Grand prairie, Texas, president of the Southern Baptist Hispanic Ministers’ Conference; Sarah Maddox, of Nashville, a homemaker, conference speaker, and women’s ministry consultant; Michael Hamlet, pastor, North Spartanburg (S.C.) First Baptist Church; and Don Wills, a Dallas businessman. [BP]