State Wrap 2007

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                       Vol. XXI, No. 1, January 2008

Five Focus States:

Arkansas: Some of the problems in Arkansas are organizational rather than theological. The state Baptist bureaucracy is bloated and has little contact with or significance for local churches. The executive director tries to keep everyone happy and, as a result, probably satisfies only a few or none. In a different type of problem, the state paper editor is pro-CBF, circulation is waning, and conservatives look to the time a new communication tool can be started. The new president and 1VP are solid; 2VP is unknown. In accord with the previously adopted plan, the SBC share of the 2008 budget increased 0.2% to 41.97%, the first of five planned annual increases.

Louisiana: LA has grown more conservative due to the efforts of the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship and Executive Director David Hankins who arrived in January 2004. The very few CBF churches don’t participate in LBC matters.

There is one area of known disagreement. Reportedly some large-church pastors want to run things rather than work with the LIF. The bad news: This competition may produce resentment and open the way for compromising inroads. The good news: The large-church pastors also affirm inerrancy.

The three presidential officers are all solid conservatives. Next year’s budget up 0.8%.

Mississippi: The problems remain. All officers appear to be in the pocket of the Baptist building, although there is a variety of views among them. The president is theologically conservative but adverse to making waves. 1VP is somewhat more moderate than the president, and 2VP is not conservative. There are 65 CBF churches in the state though their numbers do not appear to be growing. The Baptist colleges have liberal professors. The ‘08 budget is up 3.24%.

North Carolina: The trend noted last year toward smaller annual meeting attendance continues, probably because conservatives have won, most liberals don’t come, and because liberals aren’t coming, many conservatives feel less need to attend. A number of liberal churches have left the BSCNC. The state president and 2VP are solid conservatives; 1VP is sympathetic to the moderates but does not push their agenda. There were several important developments this year:

1. WMU: Before the annual meeting WMU had voted on their own initiative to vacate the offices they had shared with the BSCNC staff since 1947 and give up CP-funded support of c. $400,000 annually. WMU leaders had earlier decided not to sponsor a special offering for WMU support. WMU has long been a major promoter of the North Carolina Missions Offering and also the largest recipient of NCMO-raised funds, in 2007 an estimated $865,000 of the $2.5 million goal. The state-proposed budget reduced the NCMO goal to $2 million with nothing for WMU. Messengers defeated a motion to increase the NCMO goal to $2.5 million with $500,000 for WMU.

2. Budget: NC continues to offer four budget plans. Plans A & D, which account for more than 80% of BSC income, will increase the portion going to the SBC by one-half percent a year for two years so that by 2009 the division will be BSCNC 66%, SBC 34%. Plan B decreases the SBC share one-half percent per year in favor of the BSCNC. Plan D increases funds to both the SBC and BSCNC by one-half percent per year and decreases special national and international projects by 1% per year.

3. Homosexuality: You may recall that at the 2006 state meeting messengers overwhelmingly adopted the “Sanderson Motion” which added to the convention’s articles of incorporation definition of a cooperating church: “Among churches not in friendly cooperation with the Convention are churches which knowingly act to affirm, endorse, promote, support, or bless homosexual behavior.”

During the past year BSCNC disfellowshipped Myers Park Baptist church which knowingly accepted active homosexuals into positions of leadership in the church. Myers Park appealed the decision. Messengers strongly rejected the appeal.

4. Schools: The five NC Baptist colleges had prepared to give up CP funding in return for electing their own trustees. Those opposing the proposal felt North Carolina Baptists were giving away millions of dollars in assets and feared the schools would no longer be committed to be Baptist with the attrition of convention-elected trustees. Those favoring the change assured messengers that being “Christian and Baptist is at the heart and core” of North Carolina schools. [If you believe this, give me a call. You will be interested in buying a bridge over the Hudson River. TCP] Messengers approved the first of two steps to release control of trustees for the four universities and one college.

5. Baptist Retirement Homes: Similar to the schools, BRH had proposed to choose its own leadership and so would no longer be a ministry of the Convention. In summary, the BRH proposal was approved with the proviso that BRH follow the severance process outlined in BSCNC bylaws.

NC summary: The relationship changes with WMU, schools, and BRH while emotionally regrettable, may free substantial funds which can be used in church planting and support, in other words for more vibrant evangelism.

Tennessee: TN continues to improve, though not as speedily as conservatives would like. There are only 34 known CBF churches out of 3,150 total in the state. Conservative strength on state boards is growing, though liberals have been more active ... perhaps because they see conservatives making progress.

The new state president and 1VP were nominated by Concerned Tennessee Baptists (the conservative group) and elected respectively by 59% and 57% of the votes over liberal-supported nominees. The new 2VP, a conservative though nominated by the liberals, defeated the young pastor proposed by CTB.

A significant development is that messengers applauded an Executive Board-approved settlement with Belmont University. In November ‘05 Belmont trustees voted to change their charter and become a self-perpetuating board, replacing the former arrangement under which the TBC selected trustees. TBC challenged Belmont’s unilateral move.

In 1951 TBC had given property to the just-organized Belmont, and the two signed a contract saying that if Belmont ever passed from Baptist control, its property would revert to the TBC executive board. Also, TBC has donated $51 million to Belmont over the years.

Under the new agreement Belmont will return $1 million to TBC followed by annual amounts of $250,000 for the next 40 years. The funds will be added to an endowment TBC will use to support Tennessee ministries. Messengers received the report with applause. The agreement ends the convention’s 56 year relationship with Belmont.

Last year messengers voted to ask all nominees for state boards and committees whether they “affirm your belief in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000?” and to inform messengers of each nominee’s answer.

A motion offered in the opening session proposed to change the question to whether the nominee affirms the Bible ... obviously an effort to distance the state from the specifics of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. After discussion a ballot vote showed that the diluting motion failed 62% to 38%.

The next afternoon another attempt was made to water down the BFM 2000 stance by asking nominees whether they would affirm any of the three BFM versions, 1925, 1963, or 2000. After discussion the motion failed on a ballot vote, 407 t0 400.

State Budgets:

Thirty-one states increased their budgets for 2008 compared to 28 last year. Eight states increased budgets by 5% or more: AK 5%, IA 5%, NV 6%, NM 6.67%, OH 5%, TX-SBTC 7.27%, UT-ID 5.38%, and VA-SBCV 6.9%. Six states deceased budgets, the same number as last year: CA -3%, DC -1%, FL -0.03%, MI -1.3%, MN-WS -1.25%, TX-BGCT -1%.

Regarding contributions to the SBC, 22 states made no change, none decreased, and 15 increased: AZ +0.5%, AR 0.2%, CA +1%, CO +0.008%, DK +0.5%, IL +0.75%, IN +1.5%, KY +0.34%, MO +0.25%, NV +0.25%, NE +0.25%, NY +0.25%, NW +0.25%, PA-SJ +0.1%, SC +0.35%.

States giving 40% or more to the SBC are: AL 42.3%, AR 41.97%, FL 40%, IL 43% and planning to move to 50%, MD-DE 41% with an interesting wrinkle: of any receipts above budget 75% go to the SBC, SC 40.35%, TN 40%, TX-SBTC 54%, and VA-SBCV 50%. OK gives 40% but only after a 1% preferred item is taken off the top.

NC has four giving plans, VA-BGAV three so it is difficult to say the exact percentage sent to the SBC. However, in both cases it is well below 40%. TX-BGCT sends a form to churches on which the church can choose to send 21% of undesignated offerings to the SBC, CBF, BGCT missions, or other causes the church specifies.

Resolution Roundup:

Here is a summary of resolutions passed by at least three state conventions, starting with those topics addressed most often.

Oppose gambling expansion, state lottery, and/or expansion of Indian gambling 9: AL, AR, KY, MD-DE, MO, NM, SC, KY, AR.

Oppose child abuse and urge churches to take precautions 6: AL, IL, IN, KY, LA, OH.

Oppose abortion and/or embryonic stem cell research 5: LA, MD-DE, MO, NM, OH.

Oppose hate crimes legislation/support free speech 5: AL, IN, LA, NE, OH.

Pro-biblical marriage 4: CO, IN, NM, TX-SBTC.

Homosexuality 4: AL, LA, OK, SC.

Prayer for troops & families 3: AK,, NW, WV.

State Roster:

In the discussions below, remember that the terms “conservative”, “moderate”, and “liberal” refer to the individual’s denominational stance, not necessarily his theology. A theological conservative may cooperate organizationally with liberals and vice versa, though it is rare indeed for someone with liberal theology to cooperate with conservatives organizationally.

AL: As noted last year, the state staff supports the SBC. CBF has almost no presence in the state. The colleges have improved noticeably over the last year. The heartbeat of the state board is ministry. Most state convention employees work in conjunction with Southern Baptist agencies and must affirm the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

AK: No change. State convention attendance continues to grow, total this year was 171 compared to 156 last year.

AZ: The state is working on new housing for state offices including space for an extension center of Golden Gate Baptist Seminary. No known CBF. A new day in the state, everything very positive.

CA: A state with nascent problems. Some associations try to take over local church property. Six conservative churches have formed their own association which handles their budget gifts. This could be the seed of a second CA state convention.

CO: Four new churches affiliated. Reduced size of Executive Board to save $ & convention officers now serve as officers of the board. This was the big issue, though not a conservative-liberal issue. No known CBF activity.

DK: The two-state convention has been reorganized into a three region decentralized entity with staff disbursed across North and South Dakotas in order to serve the churches more effectively. Four churches which had left the convention some years ago have returned. During the nominating committee’s report messengers voted to remove the name of one person up for re-election because his church had voted to significantly decrease giving to the Cooperative program.

DC: DCBC aligned with 3 national bodies: American Baptist Churches, Progressive National Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Throughout the Conservative Resurgence DCBC has opposed the conservative theological shift. NAMB stopped supporting DCBC a year or so ago. About all one hears of the DCBC is from time to time their attendance at liberal meetings.

FL: Overall a sound conservative state. Approved a bylaw revision requiring all trustee nominees to "agree to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages and using any other recreational drugs." The bylaw revision on alcohol abstention – proposed by the Florida State Board of Missions and which passed with few dissenting votes – amended an existing bylaw stipulating that nominees must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, be a member in a Cooperative Program-giving church for at least one year, demonstrate good stewardship, and support the Baptist Faith and Message. Persons nominated for leadership roles are required to sign a document stating their support of the statement.

GA: A solidly conservative state. Messengers welcomed 62 new churches and missions. Messengers unanimously adopted a recommended division of funds previously going to Mercer University between Brewton-Parker College, Shorter College and Truett-McConnell College and that the remaining $1 million be divided between the State Mission Budget and the Empowering Kingdom Growth Challenge Budget for New State Missions Ministry Projects. Convention attorney Tom Duvall, reporting on the work of the Task Force on the status of GBC institutions, indicated that the committee had received full cooperation from all entities in the effort to secure sole membership and that their task should be completed in the near future.

HW: 91 churches and 24 missions. President tends to go along to get along. The two VPs are conservative.

IL: Illinois has about 979 churches. The new president and VP are definitely conservative. No known CBF churches or liberal activity. In 2008 IL has budgeted 43% for SBC and plans to keep moving toward 50%. Nine churches’ affiliations approved at this annual meeting.

IN: 433 churches (up 5 this year) with 96,236 members. All new officers are conservative. No known CBF activity or churches. Some American Baptist Convention, GARB, etc. churches have joined the IL convention and SBC. The state is re-organizing as result of many retirements of associational missionaries in last two years. Now moving to regional organ. This will require fewer paid staff and place more emphasis on evangelism & church planting.

IA: 100 churches with 13,650 members. President and 1VP conservative; 2VP unknown. Two churches with CBF ties.

KN-NE: President is nice guy but not strong. VP is an inerrantist. One CBF-giving church. No visible liberal activity. No fighting in the state.

KY: The liberals may have given up. Whereas last year they ran candidates for president and 1VP (who were beaten roughly two to one), this year the conservative nominees faced no opposition. This withdrawal may also be reflected in lower numbers of messengers: ‘05 1,815; ‘06 1,428; ‘07 942. Georgetown College has left, but Campbellsville and Cumberland have hired several conservative faculty members and are doing well. No motions or resolutions were offered from the floor which is unprecedented and speaks of an absence of disagreement.

LA: See Focus States.

MD-DE: All three conservative officers re-elected by acclamation. The state has an Evangelistic goal of sponsoring 150 outreach events and starting 38 new churches in 2008.

MI: Conservative president and 1VP re-elected by acclamation. 2VP unknown. Passed two constitutional amendments. One stated: "Among churches not in cooperation with the Convention are churches which act to affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior." The other revised the qualifying parameters for the number of messengers a church may send to an annual meeting. Whereas the constitution formerly stated "Messengers will be seated only from churches which give evidence of denominational loyalty by regular financial contributions" to the convention, the word "loyalty" was changed to "cooperation."

MN-WS: President & 1VP are conservatives. 2VP unknown. Messengers soundly defeated a constitutional amendment that had been approved on first reading the year before. The amendment would have barred pastors of churches receiving MWBC financial assistance from serving as convention officers or executive board members. The amendment had been proposed by the administrative committee in an effort to avoid possible future conflict of interest in such situations. The problem was that in such a new work state most pastors receive financial help. The amendment would have strictly limited those available to serve. After the amendment was defeated, a motion was approved that the executive board be instructed to include in its guidelines a policy regarding voting on matters that represent a conflict of interest.

MO: A dramatic development: A new group of reputed conservatives formed called “Save Our Convention” (SOC) who are unhappy with what they see as undue harshness and control by other conservatives. All of the winning candidates were supported by "Save Our Convention". David Sheppard, pastor of First Baptist Church in St. Charles, is coordinator of SOC. Sheppard said in May that SOC's goal was to enlist 1,100 messengers "to turn our convention around and move it back from legalism to the center where it needs to be." We need to watch carefully to understand whether SOC is truly just a reaction from what they see as legalism or a group willing to avoid taking a firm stand, to compromise biblical principles in order to have peace at any cost.

MS: See Focus States.

MT: It has been a difficult year without an executive director. New man under consideration and may be on board by February ‘08. Budget receipts are down, and NAMB has helped.

NV: President & 2VP are conservative. 1VP unknown. Next budget up 6%.

NE: President is a solid conservative. 1VP also okay. More discussion this year of evangelism and missions, a healthy sign. Only a couple of CBF churches.

NM: A very unified & conservative state convention. 310 churches & 21 missions. All officers are solid conservatives and were re-elected by acclamation. A few individual liberals, but no activity.

NY: All officers were re-elected by acclamation. President and 1VP are solid conservatives. 2VP’s position is unknown. 428 total churches. A couple of CBF churches but no discernible activity.

NC: See Focus States.

NW: President and 1VP are conservatives. 2VP unknown. Attendance at the state meeting has grown from 341 in ‘05 to over 600 this year. The new executive director is Dr. Bill Crews, former president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, a very positive sign.

OH: All officers are conservative. Over 700 churches & missions. The state has set a goal of 2020 churches & missions by the year 2020. Messengers considered a constitutional amendment to be voted on at their 2008 annual meeting to add a sentence to the SCBO constitution, article III, section 2, on constituency, stating: "Among churches not in cooperation with the Convention are churches which act to affirm, approve or endorse homosexual behavior, and churches which have female senior pastors."

OK: President and 1VP conservative. 2VP unknown. This year the state conducted an Across Oklahoma” campaign which reached more than 600,000 homes door to door. In 2008 they intend to reach those missed this year. Five point Calvinism a growing problem. Not many such pastors but very vocal.

PA-S Jersey: President is conservative, 1VP & 2VP are unknowns. The Baptist Resource Network (a regionalization which replaces local associations) is being implemented in Philadelphia. Keystone Association is the most conservative, oldest, and largest local association and intends to keep its local association. They do not object to BRN over the rest of the state.

SC: All new officers are conservatives. CBF is not an issue. Jim Austin, former pastor of First Baptist, Roanoke, VA, gave his initial report. Messengers adopted a budget plan which increases the percentage going to the SBC each year that the state convention increases its budget with a goal of reaching a 50/50 distribution. Also, messengers decided that any budget gifts that exceed the EKG budget requirements will be distributed at 55% for the International Mission Board, 25% for the North American Mission Board and 20% for scholarships for South Carolina participants in mission trips.

TN: See Focus States.

TX-BGCT: Elected (900-840) their first female president. All three elected presidential and VP nominees were endorsed by Texas Baptists Committed, a very liberal Texas Baptist political group. Approved a ‘08 budget of $50.1 million, down 1%, $500,000. One report says the budget cut will require elimination of 30 state staff positions. Executive Director Charles Wade is resigning effective 31 January 2008. Investigation continues into the flagrant embezzlement of church planting funds in the Rio Grand valley. BGCT churches continue to depart and join the conservative Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. The BGCT appears to be imploding.

TX-SBTC: 1,968 member churches. For six years the SBTC has averaged a church joining every 2 or 3 days. They should reach 2,000 in February. The SBTC is planting & funding c. 4 churches each month. The ‘08 budget is $21,539,132 +$1.46 million or 7.27%. Messengers approved a change in the SBTC bylaws concerning the term "drunkenness," as it appears in several instances, to "the use of alcohol as a beverage." The change stipulates that drinking is unacceptable for SBTC staff and members elected to the SBTC executive board, committees, and offices. They also rejected a proposal to permit affiliation by Southern Baptist churches outside the state of Texas. "Our rationale in thinking through this is that we want to be co-laborers and good partners with the SBC and other state conventions, but to accept churches outside of Texas would endanger that goodwill relationship," executive board chairman Joe Stewart of Littlefield said.

UT-ID: 154 total churches. President is a solid conservative, 1VP unknown, 2VP conservative. The October 23-24 meeting convened just weeks after the resignation of executive director Tim Clark, who led the way in developing strategies in church planting, evangelism, and church health.

VA-SBCV: See the November/December 2007 Baptist Banner.

VA-BGAV: Messengers elected a slate of officers who ran unopposed – continuing two decades of wins by candidates endorsed by the very liberal advocacy group Virginia Baptists Committed or the loose-knit organization of moderates that preceded it. The elections continued the BGAV practice of alternating its one-year, non-renewable presidency between ministers and laypersons, and of elevating the sitting first vice president to the top office. An amendment was approved replacing the term "Cooperative Program" with the term "Cooperative Missions." The new term has been in general use for some years, though until now the change was not official. A phrase added to the constitution notes, "Cooperative Missions is Virginia Baptists' long-standing commitment to the Cooperative Program."

WV: Attendance: 132 messengers and, 57 guests. Only 1 pastor leans CBF. 208 churches, most growth from church plants, some ABC churches joining. This year the annual meeting was followed by an 8-day prayer conference. All officers are conservatives.

WY: All officers theological conservatives. Church planting continues. The $1,474,576 ‘08 budget is an increase of 11%.

[Note: Much of the above is drawn from Baptist Press releases about the various state meetings.]