Conservatives Make Slow Progress in State Conventions

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                                                Vol. IX, No. 1, January 1996

While there is wide variation from state to state, in the 1995 state Baptist conventions conservatives continued to show progress. The most startling conservative advance came in North Carolina officer elections where conservative Greg Mathis defeated Dewey Hobbs by 96 votes, 2488 to 2392, for president; for 1VP very liberal Ann Smith won over Eugene Ridley by just 10 votes; and conservative Kenneth Ridings won 2VP by 42 votes. (These figures should convince everyone of the vital importance of every possible messenger being present.) Liberals were shocked by the conservative election victories, but NC messengers also dealt conservatives a defeat by approving three separate budget tracks; under one 32% of a church's gifts go to the SBC; under the second only 10% goes to the SBC; under the third 10% goes to the CBF. Odds are that the November 1996 NC convention will be a real donnybrook. Conservatives will be buoyed by this year's success. Liberals will be determined to reverse the conservative tide. NC saw 5100 messengers register this year. Next year should be even bigger.

Texas was the other big news with the 6256 messengers electing to top offices three liberals backed by Texas Baptists Committed, the liberal political organization, approving a budget that cuts Cooperative Program gifts to the SBC by 2.5% to 33%, and with the convention's refusing to take a stand on homosexuality. Texas conservatives actually registered fewer messengers than last year, fewer in both absolute numbers and in percentage of votes. The convention, following the liberal mantras of "diversity" and "inclusiveness," would not even directly vote on a motion to amend the BGCT constitution "to not allow churches that have practicing homosexuals as deacons or pastors to be seated as messengers." Instead, they referred the motion to the general board. Similarly, they voted against instructing Texas Baptist hospitals to embrace pro-life policies. Texas conservatives are now examining alternatives and planning for next fall's convention.

There are 37 "state" Baptist conventions, although several cover more than one political state (such as MD-DL, UT-ID, & Northwest which includes OR & WA). In quite a few of the new work areas moderate-conservative issues do not play, but in about 20 states these are major issues. In ten states (up from nine last year) conservatives appear to have won or at least be solidly in the lead: CA, CO, FL, HW, IL, IN, OK, SC, GA, & WV. In four others conservatives are a bit ahead: AL, AR, MD-DL, & now NC. In four states liberals lead: KY, MO, TX, & VA. (In Virginia the liberal leadership has amended the constitution in such a way that conservatives have no real chance of changing the state through the voting process, so conservatives are contemplating forming their own, separate state convention.) Two states, IA & MS, seem to be teetering. TN is a special case because under its constitution the president has no real appointive powers. The committee on nominations appoints the committee on committees, and the committee on committees appoints the committee on nominations. As a result CBF supporters were reelected to the executive board. Just for the record, though, TN elected a moderate supported state denominational loyalist as president, the conservative nominee for president, Carl Scarlett, was then elected first VP, and another conservative was elected 2VP. In Mississippi the conservative nominee, Clark Stewart, lost by only 45 votes compared to last year when the conservative lost by 137, a distinct improvement. On the other hand, conservatives offered two motions (to increase the SBC percentage of the budget by 1.0% per year for the next three years, and an expression of objection to the state paper using CBF news that promotes CBF) which were referred to committees. These referrals were defeats for conservatives.

The extent to which new work areas are not politicized is interestingly illustrated by Utah-Idaho's convention this year. When time came for nominations for president, at first NO ONE stood to nominate anybody.

Kentucky illustrates those states which have not yet been decided, though in its case Kentucky liberals are in the lead. The new state president, Bill Tichenor, is a state denominational loyalist. For 1VP the conservative lost to a moderate-liberal. But for 2VP the conservative nominee, Ronnie Sivells, won. Conservatives won the pastors' conference offices. Other actions were also divided. A resolution sponsored by liberals supporting the WMU passed, but another moved by conservatives supporting the Cooperative Program also received a majority. A third resolution passed opposing casino gambling; usually both conservatives and liberals agree on this. The state executive director and executive board (predominately moderate to liberal) suffered a major defeat when their recommendation to make the state camp a separate entity with a separate board of directors was defeated 700+ to 200+. Finally, a conservative motion to defund the very liberal state Baptist paper, The Western Recorder, was turned down about three to two.

Regarding the Cooperative Program, eight states increased the percentage going to the SBC, two states decreased it. Of the latter, by far the most significant is Texas. Its 2.5% decrease will reduce funds flowing to the SBC by approximately $1,500,000 per year assuming conservative churches do not take offsetting actions. Actually, some conservative churches have already begun to send less money to the BGCT and a corresponding amount directly to Nashville. How this will play out is yet to be seen, but it may be that in the long run the SBC will receive more dollars and Texas less than if this decision had not been taken. Surprisingly, Oklahoma was the other CP reducing state, cutting the SBC CP portion from 42% to 40%. Oklahoma is considered one of the most conservative state conventions, so the implications of this action may be significant; however, all officers elected are conservatives with one, Wade Burleson, the new 1VP, being a movement conservative.

The eight states which increased CP percentages are all smaller conventions, mostly new work areas: CA +0.15% to 29%, Dakota +0.5%, District of Columbia +2.0% to 29%, Iowa +0.5%, NY +0.5%, NY +0.25%, Pa-S Jersey +0.25%, and WV +0.25%. In addition, WV voted with no opposition to raise the SBC percentage in the 1997 budget by 5.5% (!) to 35%.

Missouri barely voted 384 to 377 NOT to raise the SBC Cooperative Program percent until impact of the SBC restructuring plan is clear. The church of the pastor who offered the motion contributes only enough to cover staff annuity plan participation and so gives nothing at all to the SBC Cooperative Program. Tennessee made no change in the CP this year but approved a motion to the executive board to bring back next fall a 1997 budget increasing the SBC portion by 0.5% to 38%.

Resolutions are another area through which we can track state attitudes. In 1994 ten states passed resolutions opposing gambling; this year 14 did. Last year seven states passed pro-life resolutions; in 1995 eight did. Four states passed resolutions affirming racial reconciliation, with Arkansas and California specifically praising the SBC resolution of last June. Four resolutions opposed unrepentant homosexuality. Arkansas messengers opposed the use of alcohol, whereas here in Virginia only the "abuse" of alcohol was opposed. AL opposed all use of tobacco. AR opposed pornography. CA opposed women pastors. HW affirmed heterosexual marriage and also expressed appreciation for SBC agencies. FL opposed recent Disney Company decisions.

Inerrancy: In Louisiana the state executive board submitted a constitutional amendment stating, "This convention shall do its work in accordance with the principle that the Bible is the Word of God and is truth without mixture of error in every area of which it speaks." The amendment fell just seven votes short of the two-third majority it needed to pass.

Other items of interest: Also in LA, a pastor acting on his own proposed another amendment stating, "Membership on all [state] boards and committees collectively shall in all cases be limited to no more than two members from any church at one time." The amendment was moved because for the second year in a row one church had 20 (!) people proposed for various boards and committees. This amendment passed. In Alabama Samford University has been attempting a "Baylor sneak" unilaterally abrogating its contract with the state so that its trustees could select their own successors. Two motions related to this subject: First, messengers defeated 876 to 694 the report of the Samford study committee recommending that the university be allowed to select its own trustees and that all other state entities also be allowed to do so. This was a conservative victory. Second, the convention defeated 737 to 582 a motion to defund Samford and sue Samford trustees because they unilaterally changed the SU charter. This was a liberal victory. SC had a quiet convention. All new officers are known conservatives and faced no opposing nominees. In GA the president and first three VPs were supported by conservatives; the 4VP was recommended by moderates but is personally conservative. Three conservative nominees from the Committee on Nominations were challenged; one challenge succeeded. In TN David Dockery, a movement conservative and previously dean at Southern Seminary, has been elected president of Union. This is undoubtedly a harbinger of the school becoming conservative, which should have a long-term beneficial effect in TN. FL voted without debate to sever the relationship with Stetson University due to official university permission for alcohol on campus.