Wrap of State Conventions
by T. C. Pinckney Vol. VII, No. 10, December 1994
This article summarizes the results of 35 state Baptist conventions, other than Virginia. Factual information is derived from Baptist Press releases and personal contact with individuals in those states. Analysis is my own.
Because the Cooperative Program is the focus of so much attention these days, we will start with actions on it. Ten conventions increased the percentage they give to the SBC ranging from a 0.02% increase in Arkansas to plus 1.0% in Montana and the District of Columbia. One state, Florida, reduced its percentage by 1.2% to 41%. Eleven states passed resolutions or took other actions affirming the CP. Georgia defeated by a wide margin on a hand vote a motion to decrease their CP giving from 45% to 30%. Missouri approved a study to determine "how the percentage given to the SBC can be increased on a yearly basis to the year 2000." Maryland messengers refused even to consider a two-track system somewhat akin to Virginia's three tracks. A resolution in Arkansas emphasized "firm support for the Cooperative Program as the exclusive means to fund our mission endeavors and express our resolve to oppose funding schemes and accounting methods by which funds to non-Cooperative Program entities are qualified as Cooperative Program giving." Thus the Arkansas resolution specifically rejects arrangements such as Virginia's WM2 and WM3 budget tracks.
Texas Baptists, in contrast, broadened the definition of CP giving to include "Texas only" gifts or church-directed gifts to non-Southern Baptist Convention worldwide causes such as the "Cooperative Baptist Fellowship" or Baptist World Alliance.
Officer elections demonstrated steady gains by conservatives but also that major struggles remain in certain states. The primary cliff-hanger was Georgia where the conservative, John Yarbrough, won with 2,566 votes compared to 2,532 over Jim Ramsey, who was endorsed by an organization of Georgia moderates. Conservatives won the first and fourth vice presidencies while moderates won second and third. With Yarbrough's election, conservatives will have held Georgia's presidency for six of the last eight years.
In South Carolina all the new state and pastor's conference officers are conservatives. That convention was low-key and peaceful with the item of highest interest being approval of charter revisions for the convention's seven institutions clarifying the relationship between the institutions and the state so that no repeat of the defection of Furman University can occur.
In Arkansas well known conservative Ronnie Rogers was re-elected president and both vice presidents and all pastor's conference officers are also conservatives. Oklahomans nominated only conservatives for both state and pastor's conference posts. The moderate Mississippi president who won last year by 130 votes was not opposed this year. Conservative candidates for first and second vice president were elected unopposed, and conservatives elected the pastor's conference president. Missouri presents interesting variety: the president is strongly conservative doctrinally but not a movement conservative; the 1VP is a moderate; and the 2VP heads the state conservative group. The MO pastor's conference president is strongly conservative.
North Carolina stands in stark contrast to South Carolina and Arkansas. In NC Alfred Ayscue, an active CBF-er, was re-elected over two opponents. He was the only officer opposed. Regarding the budget, NC messengers approved a three track system similar to Virginia's. Plan A is the traditional one in which the state retains 68% and 32% goes to the SBC. Plan B sends only ten percent to the SBC, and Plan C sends the 10% to the CBF.
Conservatives in Louisiana did not challenge the incumbent moderate president who was reelected without opposition. A moderate defeated a conservative for 1VP 61% to 39%. Frank Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was elected 2VP. Luter is the first black officer in state convention history. However, for the first time ever the slate proposed by the state committee on nominations was successfully challenged 55% to 45%. Also, a gag rule proposed by the state executive director was voted down 90% to 10%. Conservatives won all the pastor's conference offices with David Hankins elected president.
Florida appears to be solidly in the conservative fold having elected conservatives to all state and pastor conference offices. Alabama messengers elected a conservative president by a 145 vote margin, lost the 1VP to a moderate, and won 2VP with 52.77% of the vote. All the pastor's conference slots went to conservatives.
In Kentucky there were three presidential nominees. On the first ballot Bill Hancock, a well known conservative, received 809 ballots; Billy Compton, a moderate, garnered 646; and Bob DeFoor, a leading liberal got 606. In the runoff, with DeFoor out of the picture, Compton received 59.2% to Hancock's 40.8%. Obviously essentially all of DeFoor' s voters switched to Compton. 1VP went to a liberal layman, 2VP to a strong but not a movement conservative.
Tennessee is unique in that the state officers have no appointive powers; the committee on committees selects members of the committee on nominations which in turn selects members of the committee on committees. Thus the state president, while having a platform and able to attend all committee meetings, though usually without a vote, has no actual power. Tennessee messengers elected an in-between pastor president, a well-known missions oriented layman who is not politically active 1VP, and a conservative director of missions as 2VP.
Californians elected strong theological, though not movement, conservatives as president and vice president, eliminated the $200 budget item for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, voted to seat messengers from the church with a female senior pastor (last year they were denied seating), and asked the executive board to study the issue and report to the convention next year. They also passed a resolution stating the "California Southern Baptist Convention does not endorse women as senior pastors."
In Illinois Roger Ellsworth, well known conservative, was elected president by acclamation. The 1VP, a black pastor, is theologically conservative but moderate in his sympathies. West Virginia messengers elected a strong conservative as president. When nominations for 1VP were requested, at first there were none, but then a moderate who is not politically involved was nominated and elected without opposition. The 2VP is conservative. Conservatives swept the pastor's conference officers. In Indiana strong conservatives were elected to all state and pastor conference offices which was also true in Colorado.
In other actions, ten states passed resolutions opposing gambling (AR, IN, Kansas-Nebraska, LA, MS, NM, Penn-Jersey, SC, TX, & WY). Seven states passed anti-abortion and/or pro-life resolutions (AR, IN, K-N, LA, NW, OK, & WY). Texas Baptists rejected a motion to instruct their state Christian Life Commission to draft a more restrictive statement on abortion. The present statement claims to strongly affirm the sanctity of human life but allows for abortion in cases of rape, incest, severe fetal deformity incompatible with life, and threats to the life, health, or mental stability of the mother. [Any abortion of convenience could be justified under these wide provisos, especially the "mental stability of the mother."
The Indiana convention commended Southern Seminary's president Al Mohler for "a total commitment to the Word of God" and in recognition of his "visionary leadership."
In summary, considering the liberal conservative struggle in the state conventions, it appears that conservatives have won in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Conservatives seem to be ahead, but the issue remains in some doubt in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Mississippi. Liberals lead in Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. And finally, Louisiana seems to be too close to award leadership to either group at this juncture, and Tennessee is a special case because of its different constitutional provisions.