Report - Committee to Investigate New Convention

                                                                                                                                          Vol. VIII, No. 2, February 1995

The SBCV Committee investigating the particulars of forming a new state convention met for five hours on February 2, 1995 in Richmond to pray and dialogue. Individual committee members, asked earlier to study particular questions regarding the proposed new body, made their reports to the full committee.

Committee members bringing reports dealt with relations to the Home and Foreign Mission Boards, the Annuity Board, and, perhaps most importantly, the Executive Committee of the SBC. Significant questions relating to the constitutional status of a second convention and the status of present elected representatives on SBC boards and agencies were determined not to have been answered definitively at present

During the meeting, some discussion centered on how to reconcile the aversion most conservatives have to large bureaucratic organizations with the numbers of staff persons and other requirements deemed necessary to adequately maintain a state convention office. In addition, the amount of funding needed to run an office was briefly discussed in relation to the expressed desires of many to see a sizable percentage of income received sent on to support SBC causes.

At various times in the dialogue, a number of committee members reported on conversations with pastors and church leaders from around Virginia as well as on letters received dealing with the idea of a new convention.

The committee concluded its business by voting to request additional information from the Executive Committee of the SBC and by agreeing to meet again in mid-March.