SBC Meeting: Personal Comments

by T. C. Pinckney                                                                                                                                  Vol. XXIII, No. 6, June/July 2010

The “SBC Wrapup” article is Baptist Press’s summary of the annual SBC meeting held 15-16 June in Orlando, FL. In this article I offer some comments from my personal perspective.

The Great Commission Resurgence Task Force (GCRTF) report was the main issue. Appointed by SBC President Johnny Hunt last year, the GCRTF released an interim report in February and its “draft final report” 3 May. The report provoked a lot of discussion and many differing views which you can see at sbc.net. The two recommendations that produced the most controversy were (1) the proposal to include Cooperative Program, Annie Armstrong, Lottie Moon, and other designated giving by a church to SBC, state convention, local association, and to other individual churches within a new category, Great Commission Giving, and (2) “Request the Executive Committee to revise the ministry assignment of the North American Mission Board to dissolve the cooperative agreements with the state conventions over the course of seven years and become more administratively direct in fulfilling its missional strategy.”

Regarding “Great Commission Giving,” many around the SBC felt this broader category would severely undercut the Cooperative Program, which has been the backbone and muscle of the SBC since 1925. Several amendments were offered to the wording.

The wording was changed by addition of the following approved by messengers, “... to continue to honor and affirm the Cooperative Program as the most effective means of mobilizing our churches and extending our outreach. We affirm that designated giving to special causes is to be given as a supplement to the Cooperative Program and not as a substitute for Cooperative Program giving.”

I pray that these changes eliminate the possibility of undercutting the CP.

Now, re the request that the SBC Executive Committee revise the ministry assignment of NAMB to dissolve cooperative agreements with state conventions: This strikes me as extremely ill-considered.. State conventions, especially new work states, depend greatly on the funds and other help the get from NAMB. In the months before the SBC meeting several state executive directors pointed out the serious results of abolishing such agreements and NAMB undertaking the work directly.

There may be a better way to do missions and church planting in North America, but the GCRTF recommendation doesn’t seem to fill the bill.

In June 2000 we settled the SBC theological issue by adopting the (then new) 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. In June 1925 messengers approved the Cooperative Program which over the last eighty-five years has been the organization-financial miracle that has enabled the SBC to win millions to Christ.

I have become concerned that in our leadership choices we have largely ignored the importance of demonstrated loyalty to the CP. Leaders are usually elected without regard to CP support given by their churches. I believe this oversight will eventually produce a serious, perhaps fatal, impact on the SBC. Therefore, I made the following motion in Orlando:

“I move that messengers amend the SBC constitution, Article V, “Officers”, by inserting an additional paragraph to read:

6. To be eligible for election to any office cited in this Article, an individual must be a member of a church which contributes at least ten percent of its undesignated receipts to the Cooperative Program.”

The officers cited in Article V are president, first and second vice president, recording secretary, registration secretary, and treasurer. These are very influential positions, and filling them with members of churches that have proven their strong commitment to the Cooperative Program can only benefit Southern Baptists.

Typically motions are referred to the appropriate SBC entity. In this case the motion was sent to the Executive Committee which will deal with it and report to next June’s annual meeting.

Note for future reference: The Pastors’ Conference is on Sunday and Monday, the convention on Tuesday and Wednesday. Wonderful preaching and music. Insights into actual issues and the working of the SBC. Well worth your time. Next year’s meeting is in Phoenix, AZ, 13-16 June 2011.