September 17, 2001
Administrative Committee simplifies
church giving form to 2 categories
___By Marv Knox
___Editor
___Churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas will use a new "simplified and clarified" form next year when they send their missions and ministry gifts to the state convention.
___The BGCT Administrative Committee approved an updated Cooperative Program remittance form at its fall meeting Sept. 6-7.
___Church treasurers complete the form each month when they send their congregations' Cooperative Program budget contributions to the state convention.
___The current form provides three categories for distributing Cooperative Program gifts: The BGCT Adopted Budget allocates 72.32 percent to BGCT causes and 27.68 percent to selected worldwide missions and ministries. The second category directs 67 percent to the BGCT and 33 percent to worldwide causes, which may include the Southern Baptist Convention, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship or other Baptist entities. The third category allows churches to write their own distribution formulas, providing an almost-infinite array of allocation options.
___The new form emphasizes the BGCT Adopted Budget, retaining it as the first giving category. An explanation of this category states: "This includes Texas Adopted Missions Budget and Worldwide causes as approved by the BGCT. Assumes funds to be allocated this way unless church directs otherwise."
___The 2002 form omits the 67/33 category, but reflects its influence in an open-allocation category labeled "Other." An explanatory note printed with this category states: "We suggest a minimal contribution of 67 percent to the BGCT."
___However, this "Other" category continues the trend of providing churches with multiple options for directing their contributions. It includes blanks for specifying the percentage and dollar amount directed to the BGCT. Then it includes the worldwide allocation, with multiple blanks for recipients.
___The new form provides BGCT-affiliated churches a clear, simple and fair mechanism for channeling their Cooperative Program funds, said Howard Batson, the Administrative Committee member who proposed the form.
___"This form is fair," said Batson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Amarillo. "It gives the same options to all Texas Baptists."
___Although the new form is shorter than the 2001 form, it does not limit churches' giving options, he added. "A church can still do as it wishes," he said. For example, a church that still wishes to exercise the 67 percent BGCT/33 percent worldwide option can do so "by writing in two lines," he noted.
___The new form also responds to some Texas Baptists' requests for simplicity, he said. "It clears up confusion. For years, we've wanted a simpler form."
___Those forms grew in complexity in 1995, just after the BGCT voted to allow churches an array of options for Cooperative Program giving.
___Then last fall, messengers to the BGCT annual session overwhelmingly ratified a new BGCT Adopted Budget, which took into account strained and changing relationships between the BGCT and the Southern Baptist Convention. The Adopted Budget continues support for ongoing BGCT causes and increases support for BGCT theological education, Hispanic ministry, benevolence ministry and moral concerns. It decreases support for the six SBC seminaries and the SBC Executive Committee and eliminates support for the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
___But those changes apply only to contributions channeled through the BGCT Adopted Budget. Churches that choose the 67/33 category continue to contribute to the state and national conventions as before.
___That adds to the confusion, Batson noted, citing messengers' rejection of an amendment proposed to the BGCT Adopted Budget last year.
___L.A. Murr, a member of First Baptist Church in Sunnyvale, proposed the giving form include an option that "would allow churches to continue their giving patterns to the BGCT and support the SBC seminaries without the need for designated gifts; all monies would be allocated as they were in the 2000 budget."
___Murr's motion was defeated. So, many Texas Baptists were surprised when the 2001 Cooperative Program remittance form included its second category, which does exactly as Murr proposed, Batson said.
___The new form "reflects the defeat of the Murr amendment," he added.
___Opponents of the new form, proposed by Batson, expressed concern that it eliminates the 67/33 category. That option accounts for 46.5 percent of funds given to the 2001 BGCT Cooperative Program. That compares to 21.0 percent given through the Adopted Budget and 32.5 percent given through the current wide-open option.
___They also stressed the omitted 67/33 option has given churches a way to ignore denominational turmoil by simply checking the "traditional" Cooperative Program formula.
___However, the new form for 2002 is "clear, fair, simple and does not show favoritism," Batson responded.
___The Administrative Committee deliberated extensively and sought to respect the churches and act in the best interest of the state convention, said Stephen G. Hatfield, committee chairman and pastor of First Baptist Church in Lewisville.
___"In past years, the giving form was simply a means of communication between the convention office and a church's treasurer, to ensure a church's funds were directed as they desired," Hatfield said.
___"Our committee's goal, along with the BGCT staff, is for every church to direct their gifts as they so choose. We believe this simpler form will help accomplish this goal."
___The Administrative Committee sought to strike the appropriate balance for Texas Baptists, added BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade.
___"The Administrative Committee responded to concerns that the giving form may not have communicated clearly enough that the BGCT Adopted Budget represents our best efforts to meet the needs of our Texas mission field while at the same time funding Southern Baptist missions," Wade said.
___The new form will respond to BGCT messengers' concerns while continuing to enable churches to support all the causes they hold dear, he predicted.
___"We hope the revised form highlights clearly the Texas missions challenge and helps churches respond accordingly, while continuing to protect the right of each church to give in a way that represents the wishes of the congregation," he said.
___"We urgently need to help support students in Texas seminaries and at the same time enhance Hispanic Baptist Theological School."
___Texas Baptists remain faithful to undergird the cause of Christ, he said.
___"I am grateful for the widespread, generous support of BGCT missions and ministries that lead people to Christ, serve children and families, start new churches, teach young people, train ministers, care for the sick and put our Texas Baptist family in touch with the needs of the world."
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