BGAV Budget Moves Away from the SBC Yet Again

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                      Vol. XVII, No. 9, Nov/Dec 2004

The Religious Herald of 21 October ‘04 carried a lot of information designed to help those planning to attend the annual BGAV meeting 9-10 November. One of the major pieces was an outline of the proposed 1995 BGAV budget.

Whereas the 2004 BGAV budget was $14,300,000, the suggested 2005 budget is $14,400,000 ... an increase of 0.7%. More revealing is the committee-proposed allocation of “World Mission” dollars in the WM2 giving track.

Remember that in the WM1 track all the money going to World Mission Causes (as distinct from “Virginia Missions and Ministries”) goes to the SBC for allocation in the SBC budget in percentages set by the Southern Baptist Convention. Similarly, in WM3 all the money that goes out of state goes to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and is apportioned according to the ministries and percentages established in the CBF budget. Churches may choose to participate in WM1, WM3, or design their own giving plan; if they do any one of these, their giving is their own decision.

However, note that WM2 is the “default” track. That is, if a church does not vote to go with WM1, WM2, or a self-designed track, it is automatically placed in WM2. Therefore, WM2 is as close as you can get to an “official” BGAV preferred budget.

So, are there any meaningful changes in the proposed 2005 WM2 World Mission Causes allocations? Yes, several.

First the cuts: The SBC International Mission Board percentage is cut from 20.43% of the money going out of state in 2004 to 17.43% next year. Next, the WMU Northeast Missions Innovator received 1% in 2004 but is eliminated in 2005. Lastly, the 2004 2% for Gateway Ministries to Unreached People Groups – Paris was also cut out.

Now the increases. The very liberal Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond will be raised from 10% to 11%. (By comparison, all six SBC seminaries together get only 1.08%.) “Ministering to Ministers” is doubled from 1% to 2%. And the Baptist World Alliance is raised two-thirds from 6% to 10%.

Remember that the SBC has stopped funding the BWA due to its determinedly anti-SBC, liberal stance. The BGAV has expressed a desire to become a full member of the BWA.

Conclusion: The BGAV continues to distance itself from the SBC as fast as it dares. Its leaders know that, if they move too rapidly, large numbers of conservative churches still aligned with the BGAV will leave and join the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (which gives 50% of undesignated gifts to the SBC). Yet the BGAV’s liberal leadership cannot abide national SBC leaders who adhere to and are committed to the full authority, the inerrancy of the Bible.

Questions: We now have at thirteen years of declining WM2 percentages going to the SBC. Is it reasonable to expect any change in the sad trend? Can anyone really believe the BGAV will reverse course and return to the Southern Baptist fold?

Recommendation: If you and your church really believe the Bible is God’s Word (theo-pneustos), if you believe the Southern Baptist Convention is being used by God to reach North America and the world for Christ, if you see no practical hope of changing the BGAV departure from Southern Baptist commitment, come on and join the SBCV. Be a vigorous part of the Virginia state convention which is devoted to an inerrant Bible, to the SBC Cooperative Program (the most efficient and effective giving plan yet devised), and to loving more and more people into the Kingdom.