SBC appeals to churches to bypass
BGCT approved budget
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___The president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has made a direct appeal to Texas Baptist pastors to bypass funding changes adopted by the Baptist General Convention of Texas this year.
___In a letter dated Jan. 15, Morris Chapman calls the BGCT's amended budget "detrimental to the ongoing witness of the BGCT, the SBC and most of all the kingdom of God."
___The two-page letter is accompanied by a flier that illustrates Chapman's suggestions for how churches ought to fill out the BGCT's gift remittance form, the document that instructs the BGCT how to distribute Cooperative Program money received from churches.
___Through his illustrations, Chapman encourages churches to bypass the BGCT's adopted budget, which beginning this year provides only limited funding to the six SBC seminaries. The adopted BGCT budget also provides no funding for the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and only minimal funding for the Executive Committee, which Chapman heads.
___Chapman also encourages Texas churches to use the "other" option on the Texas remittance form to reduce funding for Texas Baptist ministries and send more directly to the SBC.
___The illustrations also promote giving through the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, a new state convention created by ultra-conservatives opposed to the BGCT.
___Texas Baptist churches should not be misled by Chapman's letter, warned Charles Wade, executive director of the BGCT.
___"While it is highly unusual for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee to try to instruct churches in how to give their Cooperative Program dollars, it is true that churches have choices," Wade said. "The Baptist General Convention of Texas honors the choices that churches make in giving. And we want churches to have all the information possible so that they can make the best possible choices.
___"If a church wants to make it possible for Texas students to attend Texas seminaries at a cost equitable to SBC seminaries, then the church should choose to give through the BGCT adopted budget. If a church wants to strengthen Hispanic Baptist Theological School as it prepares young men and women for ministry in Texas and among Spanish-speaking people around the world, it should choose to support the BGCT adopted budget. And if a church wants to support children's home ministries and adoption services, that church should choose to give through the BGCT adopted budget.
___"By the same token, if a church wants to continue giving as it has in the past, with 67 percent devoted to BGCT missions ministries and 33 percent to worldwide causes such as the Southern Baptist Convention, then that is what that church should do. The BGCT will direct those gifts according to the church's instructions.
___"If a church chooses to reduce the amount given to the BGCT, that means fewer dollars to 23 Texas Baptist institutional ministries and fewer dollars for River Ministry, church starting and other ministries," Wade added. "The SBC does not support children's homes, elder care facilities, hospitals or universities. That is the role of state conventions."
___Further, Wade noted, "The BGCT is the only convention that supports Buckner Baptist Benevolences, Baptist Child and Family Services, South Texas Children's Home and Texas Baptist Children's Home. The BGCT is the only convention supporting Baptist Student Ministries on Texas campuses. And the BGCT is the only convention supporting Baptist universities in Texas."
___BGCT Treasurer Roger Hall also explained that churches that no longer contribute to the BGCT's ministries cannot qualify for BGCT matching contributions to the Ministers' Protection Plan. These contributions "help to provide life insurance and disability insurance during working years and help build benefits for retirement years," he explained.
___Also, churches that disassociate from the BGCT no longer qualify for the convention's group tax-exempt status.
___"Instead of having to qualify for individual church tax-exempt status with the IRS, the BGCT has a group ruling for BGCT-affiliated churches and associations," Hall explained. "If a church is not participating with the BGCT, it would not qualify for that group exemption and would have to make other arrangements."
___With reporting by Ken Camp
The Baptist Standard
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