SBCV Executive Committee Elects Executive Director, Approves Budget Recommendations

                                                                                                                                                                                   Vol. VII, No. 6, August 1994

In several July discussions the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia reached a number of significant decisions. Perhaps the most exciting was the report by Rev. Kelly Burris, Kempsville Baptist Church, Virginia Beach, chairman of the Executive Director Search Committee. The committee recommended an executive director job description which, after a few amendments, was approved. Then on behalf of the committee Kelly recommended Howard Baldwin as the new, part-time SBCV executive director. Baldwin spoke about his vision for the organization, stating that we are about missions, evangelism, and discipleship. Howard was elected unanimously.

    A draft budget for the 94-95 SBCV fiscal year was presented by Finance Committee Chairman, Jim Pope, for comment and approval by the Executive Committee prior to our annual meeting voting upon it on 15 September. The major changes are inclusion of anticipated costs for the Executive Director, his office, and his activities and the deletion of monthly funding for The Baptist Banner. Rather than the 93-94 monthly contribution of $1250 from the SBCV to The Banner, a lump sum gift of $12,000 is proposed.

    It was emphasized by all concerned that the elimination of the budget line item for The Banner should not be misinterpreted: Both the SBCV and The Banner have identical ends in view. Several Banner trustees sit on the SBCV Executive Committee and of course several SBCV EC members are also Banner trustees. The collective decision was simply that it is best in the long term for The Banner to move toward complete financial and editorial autonomy as well as the existing corporate autonomy. It should be stressed that while the functions of the two organizations differ, they are one in commitment to the inerrancy of Scripture, in support of the leadership and programs of the SBC, and in desire to increase and expand missions, evangelism, and discipleship within Virginia and around the world.

Bob Melvin, chairman of the Nominating Committee and pastor of Spotswood Church, Fredericksburg, nominated Austin Jones, Sr. of Blairs, VA, for chairman of the Publicity Committee and Rev. David Johnson, pastor of Rileyville Church, as chairman of the Ad Hoc Youth Committee. (It is expected that the 15 September annual SBCV meeting will vote to make the Youth Committee a standing committee.) Both nominees were enthusiastically elected.

Rev. Bob Davis, evangelist of Lynchburg, chairman of the Evangelism Committee, reported on the work of that committee. During discussion of the unsatisfactory results of our attempt last January to cooperate with the BGAV in the evangelism conference, a motion was made, discussed, and passed that henceforth the SBCV should have a separate evangelism conference.