Wow! What a Convention!

by  T. C. Pinckney                                                                                                                                        Vol. X, No. 8, Sep/Oct 1997

Background: We Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (SBCV) met at Green Ridge Baptist Church, Roanoke, for our first annual meeting as a state convention on Monday, 29 September. Last September we had met in Richmond and declared ourselves a state convention. As you might expect, the intervening year has been busy, busy as our Executive Director Doyle Chauncey, the Transition Committee chaired by Pastor Kelly Burris of Kempsville Church, Virginia Beach, and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee chaired by Pastor Jess Jackson, Westwood Hill Baptist, Virginia Beach, led the effort to complete the many actions necessary to convert the SBCV from a fellowship to a state convention. And those actions had to be approved (or changed) at this year’s meeting.

Atmosphere: I cannot recall another meeting where there was a greater spirit of unity or more enthusiasm for evangelism and missions. The preaching was dynamic. The singing of praises to God raised the roof. And substantive issues with only one exception (discussed below) were decided unanimously or with only two or three negative votes at most. Pastor Mike Palmer of Green Ridge, his staff, and congregation made us feel right at home.

Church Affiliations: Because this was the first annual meeting, all those churches which had decided during the last twelve months to align with the SBCVirginia needed to be approved by the messengers. 108 churches were voted in uniquely ... that is, aligning only with the SBCV, and 49 were approved for dual alignment. (Dually aligned churches maintain relationships with and contribute to both the SBCV and the BGAV.) That makes a total of 157 churches aligned with the SBCV in one capacity or the other. Interestingly, there are approximately 1,570 Southern Baptist churches in the state, so exactly 10% are affiliated with the SBCV upon the completion of our first year. Interestingly, Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, pastored by Dr. Jerry Falwell, is one of the churches which applied and was approved for received unique alignment.

To qualify for affiliation a church had to have voted to do so, have submitted an application form, and have sent in a monetary contribution. There are additional churches which have completed one or more of these three steps but not yet all of them, and others which are moving to do so.

Financial Report: The growth of Cooperative Program giving to and through the SBCV has been spectacular.

        FY Ending                      # Churches               $ Given

           1993                                      10                         $32,142

           1994                                      52                           84,197

           1995                                      85                         151,681

           1996                                   115                          688,418

           1997                                   175*                     1,750,000

In addition, as of the end of August after 11 months of our fiscal year, $887,740 had been contributed to designated causes with $561,918 of that total going to the Lottie Moon offering and $238,873 to Annie Armstrong. We can only praise the Lord in awe at His showers of blessings.

All SBCVirginia churches are encouraged to contribute their Cooperative Program gifts undesignated. The funds so donated will be divided evenly with 50% sent to the SBC CP budget and 50% supporting the SBCVirginia budget. SBCVirginia is the only state convention to give that high a percentage to the SBC.

The 1997-98 Cooperative Program budget offered by the Budget Committee (chaired by Jim Pope, layman of Bedford) totals $1,660,000 with half or $830,000 going to the SBC CP budget. Within the SBCV state budget, $219,000 is specified for planting new mission churches in Virginia and strengthening existing churches; $36,500 will help churches to participate in strategic mission assignments in North America and an equal amount to help churches take part in similar assignments outside of North America; $15,000 is allocated to seminary scholarships; and $5,000 to help small churches acquire fax and/or E-mail capability. This last item is in accord with the goal of the SBCV to take advantage of technology to improve and speed communication between all SBCV churches and our state staff.

Transition Committee Report: Kelly Burris, chairman (and SBCV first vice president), brought the Transition Committee report.

      A. One of its recommendations was a revised purpose statement for our new convention. It reads: “As an autonomous state convention cooperating with the Southern Baptist Convention, the purpose of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia is to assist churches in Virginia and surrounding areas in effectively proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, starting new churches, and ministering to all people in the name of Christ.”

B. The Transition Committee recommended that messengers approve hiring support staff: a missions coordinator to interface with the North American Mission Board; an Education and Church Programs Coordinator to work with the Baptist Sunday School Board to coordinate and promote Bible study, discipleship, age-group ministries, and other church programs; an Evangelism Assistant to work with the Evangelism Coordinator; and an Administrative Assistant. To date the SBCVirginia has had only one professional person, our Executive Director/Treasurer, Doyle Chauncey. To be effective in missions we must have some more staff support.

C. The Committee asked the Executive Director to begin immediately to enlist and train a network of volunteer regional coordinators, church consultants, and ministry assistants to help churches.

D. The Committee recommended that SBCV offices be moved from Virginia Beach to the Richmond area because it is more centrally located within the state.

Constitution and Bylaws Committee: Chaired by Jess Jackson, pastor of Westwood Hills Baptist, Virginia Beach, the Committee presented a revised constitution and bylaws as necessitated by our change from a fellowship to state convention. There were many changes, but only one was controversial. As a fellowship individuals as well as churches could be members, and some 41 people around the state had availed themselves of that possibility. A number of these stood strongly with the SBCV when it was small, weak, and unpopular, contributing money, time, and talent. The new constitution provides that no more individual affiliations will be accepted after 29 September 1997 and that existing individual affiliations will expire 1 October 2000.

An amendment was offered from the floor to delete the provision terminating those affiliations. If approved, that amendment would have permitted existing individual memberships to continue indefinitely except that they would automatically expire if the individual’s church joined the SBCV, if the person moved his membership to an SBCV church, if he moved out of state, or whenever the Lord called him home. Supporters of the amendment focussed on the unique situation conservative Virginia Baptists have been in, on the strong support these individuals have rendered, often at considerable personal cost, and on the small number of people involved. Opponents of the amendment argued that in the New Testament only churches took action and that it is long-standing Baptist practice that only churches belong to state conventions.

The vote was close with 235 opposing the amendment and 203 favoring it, but the amendment lost. Feelings were strong, but the debate was conducted in good spirit, and the vote decided the matter ... all in the best tradition of how Baptists settle differing views.

Officer Elections: Terry Harper, pastor of Colonial Heights Baptist Church, Colonial Heights, was re-elected to a second one-year term without opposition, as was Kelly Burris, pastor Kempsville Baptist, Virginia Beach, to a second one-year term as first vice president. In the “battle of the evangelists” Howard Baldwin nominated John Marks (pastor of Kingsland Baptist, Richmond) as second vice president, and Bob Davis nominated Ricky Ewing (pastor of Pleasant View Baptist, Lynchburg). A ballot vote was taken, and John Marks is the new 2VP. David Eppling, pastor of East End Baptist, Roanoke, is the new SBCVirginia secretary, elected without opposition.

Resolutions: Six resolutions were passed. Three expressed appreciation: one to Dr. B. Gray Allison who recently retired after 25 years as founding president of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, a seminary thoroughly Southern Baptist in orientation and which stands firmly on the inerrancy of Scripture, although it does not receive SBC CP funds; one to David Johnson, pastor of Rileyville Baptist Church, who has served most effectively as the first chairman of the SBCV Youth Committee; and a third to the pastor, staff, and congregation of Green Ridge Baptist, to the SBCV officers, committees, and platform personnel who guided us through this convention, and “to all those whose efforts have contributed to the loving spirit, evangelistic impact, and overall effectiveness of this annual meeting.”

There were also three issue-oriented resolutions. One dealt with the boycott of the Disney Company. Because it is brief, it is reprinted in full:

WHEREAS, The Disney Company has degenerated from a truly family-friendly entertainment enterprise presenting wholesome values in its products to a pitiable purveyor of the prurient for profit; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention at its June 1997 meeting in Dallas urged Southern Baptists to consider carefully their Christian responsibilities when deciding whether to buy Disney products or services; and

WHEREAS, The issue is not whether we change Disney but whether we allow them to change us and whether we financially support a company which pushes lewdness, homosexuality, and other anti-family values;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, We, the messengers from churches of the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, gathered in annual meeting at Roanoke, Virginia, September 29, 1997, unequivocally condemn the Disney Corporation for its policies herein summarized and urge every Southern Baptist to avoid purchasing any Disney product or service.

The second “issue” resolution addresses religious persecution. It expresses strong opposition to religious persecution, urges “our government officials to greatly elevate religious liberty concerns within American foreign policy”, also urges all Americans “to refrain from international trade with or purchasing the products of nations that practice religious persecution”, encourages the media to bring these issues to the attention of the public; and urges “believers to pray fervently for our persecuted fellow Christians worldwide”.

The final substantive resolution dealt with the ordination and role of women in Ministry. Although this resolution is longer, due to the high interest in the subject and frequent confusion among Christians on the subject, it is reproduced in full below:

WHEREAS, We, the messengers to the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia meeting in Roanoke, September 29, 1997, recognize the complete authority and inerrancy of Scripture in all matters of faith and practice, including the autonomy of each level of Southern Baptist polity; and

WHEREAS, The community of New Testament churches recognized God's ordination of some believers for special ministries (e.g., I Timothy 2:7; Titus 1:5) and in consequence of their demonstrated loyalty to the gospel, conferred public blessing and engaged in public dedicatory prayer setting them apart for service; and

WHEREAS, The New Testament does not mandate that all who are divinely called to ministry be ordained; and

WHEREAS, The New Testament emphasizes the equal dignity of men and women (Gal. 3:28) and that the Holy Spirit was at Pentecost divinely outpoured on men and women alike (Acts 2:17); and

WHEREAS, The Scriptures attest to God's delegated order of authority (God the head of Christ, Christ the head of man, man the head of woman, man and woman dependent one upon the other to the glory of God) distinguishing the roles of men and women in public prayer and prophecy (I Cor. 11:2-5); and

WHEREAS, While Paul commends women and men alike in other roles of ministry and service (Titus 2:110), he excludes women from pastoral leadership (I Tim. 2:12); and the Scriptures teach that women are not in public worship to assume a role of authority over men lest confusion reign in the local church (I Cor. 14:3335); and

WHEREAS, These Scriptures are not intended to stifle the creative contribution of men and women as coworkers in many roles of church service, on both distant and domestic ministry fields, but clearly demonstrate that men and women are nonetheless divinely gifted for distinctive areas of evangelical engagement; and

WHEREAS, Women are to be held in high honor for their unique and significant contributions to the advancement of Christ's kingdom, and the building of godly homes should be esteemed for its vital contribution to developing personal Christian character and Christlike concern for others;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, We must not decide concerns of Christian doctrine and practice by current cultural, sociological, and ecclesiastical trends or emotion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, We remind ourselves of and endeavor always to observe the dearly bought Baptist principle of the final authority of Scripture in matters of faith and conduct; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT, While we encourage the service of women in all aspects of church life and work other than pastoral functions and leadership roles entailing ordination, we hold it is unscriptural for women to serve as pastors or deacons.

Every speaker at the convention and at the Virginia Baptist Bible Conference the following day was absolutely outstanding. The VBBC theme was “Reaching People for Jesus”, and a more important topic is hard, perhaps impossible to imagine. Speakers included our president, Terry Harper, who brought the president’s address; Dr. Danny Akin, VP for Academic Administration, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville; Dr. Darrell Robinson, VP for Evangelism, NAMB; Dr. Danny Lovett, Dean, Liberty Theological Seminary; Dr. Kelly Burris, senior pastor Kempsville Baptist; and Dr. Dan Gregg, senior pastor, Wayne Hills Baptist, Waynesboro. Each speaker addressed the theme from a different perspective, but all the sermons wove together and formed a complete and homogeneous whole.

Music during the convention was led by Scott Perkins, music minister at Colonial Heights Baptist, to the voices of the Seeker Singers and band from Colonial Heights Church, and by the Celebration Choir and orchestra of Colonial Heights. VBBC music was led by Jeff Redding of Gloucester with vocals by the Tapestry Trio of ladies from Ebenezer Baptist, Gloucester, and by the Sounds of Liberty, from Liberty Theological Seminary. The biblical, heart-stirring music, including the congregational singing was wonderful.

In summary, the convention was a wonderful experience for the Christ-honoring decisions which were made, for the spirit in which the entire two days were conducted, for the edifying messages brought, for the beautiful music enjoyed, and for the sacrifices of praise we laid before Jesus’ throne. If you didn’t make it this year, plan now to come next year in Virginia Beach.