Officer Elections; Lessons Learned

by T.C. Pinckney                                                                                       Vol. IV, No. 9, December 1991

The BGAV constitution stipulates that officer elections occur Wednesday afternoon, so on Wednesday, 13 November, at 2:45 p.m. Pastor David Johnson nominated Evangelist Howard Baldwin, and Pastor Jerry Holcomb was also nominated. When the ballots were counted, Holcomb had received 1,741 votes (66.15%) and Baldwin 891 (33.85%). The 33.85% was, frankly, less than conservatives had hoped but nevertheless 7.2% above 1990 and 20.85% ahead of 1989.

Once ballots were counted and announced for president, the vote was held for first vice president. Rev. Richard Harrell nominated conservative Robert C. Jackson, Director of Missions, New River Association, but Jackson lost by a vote of 1,601 (68.4%) to 739 (31.6%).

For second vice president Rev. Clayton Riggs nominated conservative Pastor Bob Sherrill of Peck's Baptist Church, Strawberry Association. Sherrill's opponent won by 1,271 (71%) to 520 (29%).

We did not expect to win this year. That will come in the Lord's timing. It is important that we remember our role is to do the Lord's will for His purposes (not our own), to rely upon His timing, to be faithful and not grow weary in well-doing in every circumstance, and not get discouraged just because we don't win a particular vote.

From that standpoint we did not do well this year.

Between the votes for president and 1VP 292 messengers left. But only 8% of the moderate voters went home while 17% of those who voted for Howard Baldwin departed. Between the 1VP and 2VP votes another 549 messengers left, 20.6% of the moderates, 29.6% of conservatives. Overall from president to 2VP 27.0% of the moderate-voting messengers went home but 41.6% of the conservatives! WE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER.

Let's look at what might have been. Had all those who voted for Howard Baldwin stayed to vote for Jackson and Sherrill (only about another hour and twenty minutes'), the results would have been:

Baldwin 33.85%

Jackson 35.8%

Sherrill 41.2%

Still none of them would have been elected. True. But the immediate election is not our only consideration. We conservatives are not in this effort for the short term, but rather for the very long term ... until the Lord returns. Our concern is not any one election but to turn our beloved state back to the inerrancy of God's perfect Word so that more souls may be won to His kingdom.

In short, we are building toward the future. We are laying a foundation block by block, year by year. We must see the big picture, not just the immediate issue or election. If you are building for the future, which would you prefer as a jumping off point, our actual percentages of 29.0% to 33.85% or what we could easily have had 33.85% to 41.2%?

During this coming year we need to plan, work, and encourage each other looking toward next November. As you talk about the issues, encourage others to come as messengers and educate them about the importance of remaining until all the voting is over. We probably won't win the elections next November but that is not the point. If we are faithful in enlisting more messengers to come and if all conservative messengers stay for all the voting, we can lay a larger and more solid block in the foundation of ultimate victory. And sooner or later we will begin to win. The victory is the Lord's.