Initial State Convention Reports

                                                                                                                    Vol. VI, No. 9, December 1993

Baptist Press has begun to report on the various state convention meetings. Those reports received to date are summarized below in alphabetical order by state.

Arkansas: For the first time conservatives won! Conservatives were elected to all Pastor's Conference officer positions and all state officers.

Iowa: Increased the SBC CP percentage from 1993's 20% to 21%. Unanimously set in motion the process for the Iowa Southern Baptist Fellowship to constitute as a state convention at the 1995 annual meeting.

Missouri: Resolutions affirmed the "True Love Waits" campaign, opposition to homosexuality, support of the SBC, and retaining the mention of "God" in the Girl Scout promise. The SBC support resolution encouraged MBC agencies and related personnel "to maintain support of the Cooperative Program" and to avoid conflict of interest in any situation "which would compromise support of the Cooperative Program." Messengers approved a motion opposing new federal health care plans if they "mandate access to and payment for abortions." They also voted to prohibit the Missouri chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State from exhibiting at the annual meeting.

Montana: Welcomed five newly constituted churches, the first time in four years growth has exceeded four churches in one year. Also heard progress reports on plans to double the fellowship's size by the turn of the century.

Texas: Elected Jerold McBride, pastor of FBC, San Angelo, president by a vote of 3,142 to 1,539. One may judge McBride's orientation within the SBC by the fact that his church in 1992 gave $82,599 to the General Convention of Texas, $10,543 to the SBC Cooperative Program, and $47,786 to the CBF. McBride and the 1VP and 2VP winners had been endorsed by the Baylor alumni organization and by the moderate Texas Baptists Committed group. Messengers overwhelmingly defeated a motion to reduce Baylor's funding by about two-thirds and another to delete the allocation to the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs.