Virginia Convention Results

                                                                                                                                                                   Vol. III, No. 8, December 1990

The BGAV Convention in Richmond 13-14 November shattered all records with 4,739 registered messengers. A previous record was set in 1988 with 2,659 messengers and another again last year with 2,691. The high interest this year apparently sprang from the crushing June defeat of moderate candidate Dan Vestal in New Orleans, the July dismissal of Schackleford and Martin, the August moderate-liberal meeting in Atlanta, and the two-track Virginia budget proposal.

This is the second year conservatives have held their Virginia Baptist Bible Conference on Monday, expanded this year to both an afternoon and evening session. In the afternoon we were blessed by the preaching of our own David Johnson and Dr. Adrian Rogers. In a brief business session Bob Melvin was elected VBBC President for the next year, Lewis Garst first vice, and David Johnson secretary/treasurer. Our afternoon attendance was approximately 600 compared to an estimated 100 at the Pastor's Conference.

After dinner the combined choirs of Grove Avenue, London Bridge, and Colonial Heights Churches blessed us with beautiful, stirring presentations as did several great soloists, a trio, and several quartets. The Colonial Heights and Grove Avenue instrumentalists combined to treat us as an orchestra. The music was coordinated by Ural Clayton of Grove Avenue assisted by Dick Branson of London Bridge and Scott Perkins of Colonial Heights. Congregational singing was vigorous, heartfelt, and enjoyed by everyone. We owe a debt of appreciation to each person who gave of his time to serve us in this wonderful way, especially Ural Clayton who carried the primary responsibility.

Evening speakers were, first, Rick Via, Rainbow Forest Church; second, Tommy Taylor, London Bridge Church; and third, our keynote speaker, Adrian Rogers. Dr. Rogers' topic was "Detours, Dead Ends, and Dry Holes."

Dr. Rogers drew from Exodus 13-16 and the history of the Israelites to point out that God knows when we are not ready for a task, and He may detour us for our own good. When we come to a dead end as the Israelites did at the Red Sea with Pharaoh's army approaching, we become desperate, so desperate that we are forced to call on Him. When we face a dead end but are sure we are led by the Lord, we are to fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

The disappointment of dry holes is to show us the Lord is sufficient; Jesus is not only necessary, He is enough. We are deeply grateful to Dr. Rogers for coming to be with us at our Bible Conference. He is anointed of God and anointed us through preaching the Word.

We are also deeply grateful to the committee who worked all year to arrange the Second Annual VBBC. John Marks, Swift Creek Church in Richmond, as chairman carried the major share of the load and provided the leadership. Paul Brown, First Church, Woodbridge, served ably as secretary/treasurer. Other members, each of whom contributed valuable counsel, talents, and time have been Vander Warner, Grove Avenue Church; Randy Driggers, Exmore Church; and Tommy Taylor, London Bridge Church.

On Tuesday the BGAV Convention began, and business got started right away. There was a motion by Rev. Charles Waller to add Sanctity of Human Life Sunday to the state calendar. After debate the motion failed by the narrow margin of 1,041 to 1,094. There is a lesson here: if we had had a mere 54 more messengers in the hall we would have won that vote! There is also an encouraging comparison. In 1985 a pro-life resolution only had nine votes in support. We have made a lot of progress: not enough, but nevertheless a lot.

The 1991 state budget was, of course, the crucial issue on Tuesday. Pastor Ken Hemphill, First Church, Virginia Beach, moved to make the Virginia Plan a voluntary option rather than the automatic recipient of all donations unless the church specifically selects another choice. After much debate a messenger called for the question. Understanding that the vote was only to end debate on the Hemphill motion, conservatives voted to suspend debate, and the question was approved almost unanimously. Only then did Pastor Ray Spence announce that the vote closed debate on the whole budget, not just the Hemphill amendment. Only God looks into the heart, and it is impossible for one to know whether we were intentionally cozened, but the result is the same.

There had earlier been one minor budgetary change: it was moved and approved to combine two designated items in the Virginia Plan (the theological reserve fund and the contingency fund) into one amount to be divided among SBC seminaries in proportion to the number of Virginia students at each. This is a slight improvement from the conservative perspective.

Regarding the final budget, unless a church instructs the state treasurer otherwise, all its contributions will be distributed according to the Virginia Plan under which only 17.03% will go to the SBC undesignated; 82.97% will be under the control of the BGAV. See a separate article in this Banner about how your church can deal with this situation.

Wednesday afternoon state officers for the next year were elected. Pastor Bynum Orr, Fontaine Church, nominated Dr. Fred B. Caffey of Martinsville, a strong conservative. Pastor W. L. Lumpkin, Craddock Church, nominated Dr. Michael Oblinger. Caffey received 873 votes for 26.64%; Oblinger 2,405 for 73.36%. For first vice president Pastor Vander Warner nominated conservative Rev. Terry Harper of Colonial Heights Church, and Rev. Ernest J. Boyd nominated Rev. Ronald C. Crawford, Lakeside Church. Crawford received 1,849 ballots or 69.97%; Harper 805 or 31.33%. For second vice president Rev. Robert C. Jackson nominated Pastor Malcolm Cadd, Westview Church, and Rev. Robert C. McKinley nominated Pastor John E. Houghton, Kilmarnock Church. Houghton received 1,230 votes for 71.35%, Cadd 493 for 28.65%.