May 7, 2001

Text of the Missions Sending Agencies
Study Committee report to the Executive Board
___
May 22, 2001

Messengers to the 1999 annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas in El Paso authorized appointment of the Missions Sending Agencies Study Committee.

Nathan Porter, of Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, moved that the President of the BGCT and the newly-elected Chair of the BGCT
Executive Board appoint a study committee to examine financial resources, theological positions and missions strategy and philosophy of Southern Baptist mission sending agencies (SBC, IMB, NAMB and CBF) and report their findings to the BGCT Executive Board. Motion seconded. Adopted.

President Clyde Glazener, pastor of Gambrell Street Baptist Church, Fort Worth, and Executive Board Chair Rudy Sanchez, pastor of Primera Iglesia Bautista Mexicana, Dallas, appointed a 19-member committee:

Jim Denison, Dallas, chair; Betty Law, Fort Worth, vice chair; Al Burns, Dallas; Carol Carter, Deer Park; John Chavarria, El Paso; Bud Hudgens, Houston; Ophelia Humphrey, Amarillo; Doug Jackson, Corpus Christi; Ron Lyles, Pasadena; Bill Noble, Lubbock; Nathan Porter, Waco; Paul Powell, Tyler; Beth Pratt, Floydada; Mitch Randall, Bedford; Paul Saylors, Tyler; John Cash Smith, Orange; and Presnall Wood, Dallas.

Two members, Betty Andrade, Lubbock, and Andy Davis, Belton, resigned because of time concerns and family illness.

The committee and its subcommittees met numerous times to fulfill the instruction of the messengers. Chairman Jim Denison made interim reports to meetings of the Administrative Committee and Executive Board and to the 2000 annual session of the BGCT. The committee now reports to the May 22, 2001, meeting of the BGCT Executive Board.

The report is presented in three sections which relate to the mission sending agencies referenced in the motion: the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, North American Mission Board and Global Missions of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.

A general comment regarding missions activities of Texas Baptists.

As part of its research, the committee heard from staff members of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas and Texas Baptist Men regarding present channels available to Texas Baptists for direct involvement in missions. We were impressed with what we heard. Texas Baptists are active throughout the world, in cooperation with all three missions sending agencies. We are serving in the state, the nation and around the world.

Texas Baptists have always been involved in missions beyond Texas. Today 934 of 4,923 current International Mission Board missionaries (about one in five) claim Texas as home. No other state sends out even one-third as many missionaries for Southern Baptist work overseas. Many churches in Texas currently work in international missions projects in relationship with IMB. IMB is providing liaison for these churches in evangelistic, humanitarian and educational ministries. Texas Baptists also support 15 formal international partnerships with the IMB.

However, Texas Baptist missions involvement extends far beyond our 15 partnering locations. On any given week in the summer, Texas Baptists are working alongside IMB missionaries in more than 20 countries of the world.

The BGCT also has enjoyed a cooperative partnership in home missions. The North American Mission Board, formerly the Home Mission Board, partners with the BGCT as we seek to reach North America for Christ.

NAMB partners financially with Texas Baptists to support numerous ministries; Texas Baptists continue to participate with NAMB in work related to evangelism, chaplaincy, ethnic missions, human needs ministries, church starting and Mission Service Corps.

Of the 5,735 BGCT-affiliated churches, 303 have added Global Missions of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as partners. Of the 125 Global Missions personnel, 55 are either native Texans or were educated in Texas.

We would be remiss if we did not express our great appreciation for the Texas Baptists who day-in and day-out serve our Lord in ministries and missions literally in every part of the world. We were amazed and gratified at what Texas Baptists are doing in missions.

Every area of Texas Baptist life is involved in missions activities: individuals, groups, churches, associations, the state convention and all of the institutions affiliated with the BGCT. From small groups working in clothes closets and food pantries of local areas to larger groups participating in international efforts, state projects and inner-city work, this involvement truly is amazing. It is impossible to quantify the variety and vastness of these efforts because many Texas Baptist Christians live out their understanding of the Gospel quietly and unassumingly.

Our BGCT institutions are active in their involvement in missions. Hospitals, children’s homes, universities and seminaries are doing direct missions across the border in Mexico and literally around the world. Baptist Student Ministries have consistently been involved in missions for many years. Now BGCT educational institutions themselves are adopting missions ministries and projects with global focus.

We discovered Texas Baptists truly are Acts 1:8 people: empowered by Jesus Christ to be His witnesses in our Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias and uttermost parts of the world.

The first part of our report is an acknowledgement of this vast and impressive array of Texas Baptist mission work going on everywhere. Texas Baptists are truly following in the footsteps of our forebears who organized their first associations and conventions in order to be more effective in carrying out the mission mandate of Jesus to take the Gospel to every part of the globe.

We say a heartfelt "Thank You" to Texas Baptists for all you are doing to go, give and pray for missions.

Our committee would like to encourage individual Christians, congregations, associations and the state convention to increase their efforts to spread the Gospel to every tongue and nation and to minister in Jesus’ name wherever and whenever there is human need.

We urge dramatic and significant new efforts to engage Texas Baptists in volunteer mission efforts throughout the world. The BGCT has increased the staff of Texas Partnerships to meet the growing invitations for assistance and training from mission fields and local churches. The Texas Baptist Mission Service Corps has increased its staff in the last five years because Texas now contributes 47 percent of all MSC volunteers within the Southern Baptist Convention.

We encourage the Texas Partnerships Resource Center to develop more partnerships in our state, nation, hemisphere and world. We encourage the River Ministry Office to continue to reach out to the millions who live on both sides of the borderland. We encourage the work of Mission Service Corps in recruiting, training and placing people in volunteer positions. We encourage the World Hunger Offering in its work in alleviating suffering at home and around the world. We encourage Woman’s Missionary Union and Texas Baptist Men in their ministries and educational endeavors. We also encourage the wonderful work of ministry and missions involvement by institutions affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

Texas Baptists are engaged in an amazing volume and variety of ministries and missions efforts around the world and we encourage enhancement and increase in all of these areas. To this end, we would encourage a continuing communication effort to expand the awareness of Texas Baptists regarding what is being done in missions and ministries beyond Texas and the continuing needs that cry out for our response.

We also pray for and ask God to bless other Christian groups working to help people around the world. There are so many lost people that every person who will partner in sharing the Good News and ministering to hurting people is vitally needed.

RECOMMENDATION ONE:

We believe that the missions efforts of the BGCT should be strengthened, focusing on connecting Texas Baptists with Baptist groups around the world. We recommend that new strategies be developed to enhance significantly the participation of Texas Baptists in volunteer mission efforts throughout the world.

Findings and recommendations regarding the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention

The subcommittee to study the International Mission Board is chaired by Ron Lyles. Members are Carol Carter, Paul Powell, Paul Saylors and John Cash Smith.

The subcommittee affirms Texas Baptists for their passionate desire to be part of the worldwide mission enterprise. Texas Baptists have been full partners in the cooperative effort to extend the Gospel message to the ends of the earth. We also affirm the incredible men and women who respond to God’s call to cross cultural and language barriers and to serve Him in difficult places around the world. We celebrate their courage and faith.

Texas Baptists believe it is our privilege to pray for missionaries and their work. We believe it is our responsibility to support our missionaries financially, and have done so faithfully and generously. We also believe it is our opportunity and responsibility to bolster the efforts of our missionaries by going wherever and whenever we can to assist them.

The subcommittee met with IMB leadership: Jerry Rankin, president; Don Kammerdiener, executive vice president; Lloyd Atkinson, vice president, Office of Mission Personnel; Avery Willis, Jr., senior vice president for Overseas Operations; Carl Johnson, treasurer and vice president for finance; and Wendy Norvelle, associate vice president for public relations. We appreciate their willingness to come to Dallas and to dialogue with us for two days concerning the work of the IMB.

The meeting was very cordial and constructive. The subcommittee found the IMB leadership to be cooperative and helpful in every way in providing material for its study.

The subcommittee also communicated with current and former IMB missionaries and administrative staff. Although much of the information received by this committee was from these communications, we have not identified specific individuals. We respect the confidentiality of those with whom we spoke and do not wish to compromise or jeopardize present and future ministries.

The subcommittee also completed a detailed study of the financial resources of the IMB. According to the board’s Annual Report, in 1999 IMB received $83 million through the Cooperative Program and $105 million through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. The 1999 budget was $230 million, of which $33 million was spent stateside; $146 million on missionary support; $35 million in overseas operating expenses and $16 million in capital expenses. On Dec. 31, 1999, the board showed total investments of $387 million. This figure does not represent total assets of IMB, which include very significant property and other holdings around the world.

According to figures provided by the Office of the BGCT Treasurer, the congregations of the BGCT gave $26 million through the SBC Cooperative Program in 1999, of which 50 percent -- $13 million -- went to the IMB. In addition, in 1999, the churches of the BGCT gave $13.8 million though the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Total BGCT gifts to IMB in 1999 amounted to $26.8 million.

The subcommittee studied in depth the materials distributed by the IMB senior administrative staff at our meeting and publications, news releases and articles from IMB. The subcommittee discovered differences between the information from the IMB and the personal experiences of some current and former missionaries; these differences form some of the concerns listed below. In our study and conversations with the IMB staff, we found areas of agreement as well as crucial concerns regarding the present work and direction of the IMB. We list the most significant areas of concern.

One: Our first concern is strategic and deals with the core task of mission work. Texas Baptists, along with other Baptists, have declared consistently that announcing the Good News of Jesus involves meeting the total needs of humanity. We have been insistent upon meeting spiritual needs but have found that meeting physical, medical or educational needs often provides the doorway into a culture to allow us to meet spiritual needs.

Three years ago, current leadership of the IMB implemented "New Directions," a reorganization of overseas structure. This reorganization gives the highest priority to a Church Planting Movement, emphasizing the rapid multiplication of indigenous churches. The "New Directions" emphasizes team structures, focuses on people groups and population segments and the goal is "to do whatever it takes to begin and nurture a church-planting movement among the people."

We affirm all efforts to plant churches and believe everyone should have the opportunity to hear, understand and respond to the Gospel in each person’s own language. The BGCT has been engaged for many years in planting and starting churches to reach all people. However, we are concerned that missionaries who trained and have served as doctors or administrators or teachers are being required to redirect their work into church starting at the expense of their training and calling.

This redirection means that the IMB is withdrawing personnel and financial support on an accelerated basis from institutions: hospitals, schools, seminaries and retreat centers. Leaders of national conventions have told our committee that this withdrawal is occurring before they have had time to make necessary arrangements to assume full responsibility for these ministries. For example, when missionary administrators, doctors or teachers are withdrawn quickly, there is often no national replacement available. These ministry facilities often were made possible by Lottie Moon Christmas Offering funds. They have been used of God across the years in a marvelous way. Losing these relationships at institutions through a sudden shift in funding and personnel assignment concerns our committee, especially if these ministries could become part of a future strategy for expanding the work.

This abrupt change in strategy, when applied, also becomes frustrating to career missionaries who prepared to work in specific ministries (such as medical missions, theological education or agricultural missions) as their primary assignment and are now being told such work is no longer strategic and will not be funded. Missionaries have told our committee that their alternatives are to accept assignment to a ministry to which they do not feel called by God, or resign. The BGCT, along with other state conventions, has been providing counseling and other resources for some of these missionaries. We appeal to the IMB to work more closely with state conventions in helping to support and relocate these returning missionaries. While we believe that New Directions does have positive qualities, we have significant concerns about repercussions from the implementation of this strategy.

"New Directions" focuses on "the Last Frontier" or "World A," the 25 percent the world's population which has never had opportunity to hear the Gospel. This focus has served to open new fields, but may tend to ignore the harvest in some countries and the relationship with Baptist partners in those countries with whom we have a long history of cooperation. This focus also may disregard the efforts of years of intensive missionary cultivation which are now bearing fruit and from which national missions sending agencies are developing.

Two: We are concerned with the decrease in the number of persons who are appointed to careers as international missionaries. We rejoice in the dramatic increase in the total number of IMB-related missionaries, but at the same time lament that the number of career missionaries has not grown for some years. Statistics provided to the subcommittee by the IMB show there were 3,365 career missionaries in 1990, but only 3,323 in 1999.

There has been an increase in the number of IMB missionaries, but much of the increase has come among the two-year category of service (International Service Corps, Journeymen, Apprentice and Masters). The IMB delineates between career and other categories of service in their Annual Report. We believe the same should be done whenever the missionary count is published, lest misunderstandings occur.

We recognize the importance of each type of missionary in the extension of the Gospel and are grateful for the many types of ministry of Texas Baptists in international missions. However, we want to affirm the career missionary who has the language skills, understands the culture, has built the relationships for future growth and provides the foundation upon which the other types of service are based. We urge sensitivity to them and efforts to replenish their ranks.

Three: Career missionaries with whom we spoke feel they have a less meaningful voice in strategy planning and determining how to do their work. The "New Directions" strategy was intended to decentralize decision making. However, in the opinion of missionaries with whom we spoke, this strategy has resulted in a centralized decision-making process by IMB executives in Richmond. Career missionaries told the subcommittee they feel they have a less meaningful role in strategic decision making and how they do their work than they have had in the past.

Some IMB missionaries told us they feel the IMB sees them differently than their ministries were understood previously. Some believe they formerly were seen as God-called missionaries who carry out the Great Commission, but now they feel there is a corporate mentality in which they are considered employees of the IMB, the institution which has the mission assignment. Rather than carry out the call of God, the missionaries feel they are being required to carry out the tasks identified by the organization.

Four: We are concerned about the role of women in IMB leadership. Women have always played a major role in the missions emphasis and missions support of Southern Baptist life, but we see a neglect of the leadership gifts of women in the IMB. No woman serves as part of the senior administration, nor does a woman serve as one of the 14 regional leaders. Only two women have served in top administrative leadership in the board's history; our committee feels that the IMB should find ways to affirm and include women in leadership.

Texas Baptists will continue to encourage women who are called to missions, whether married or single, and will urge them to continue doing the work of God. We will pray for and hold up the hands of all who follow the example of Lottie Moon, who served God by starting churches, witnessing for Christ and seeing people come to salvation.

Five: For more than a century, WMU of Texas has played an integral role in the growth of mission work around the world. God continues to use WMU of Texas to lead Texas Baptists to greater mission awareness and involvement. The WMU -- both national and Texas -- traditionally has been our primary vehicle for involvement by women, teens, children and preschoolers in missions education, mission action and mission support. We encourage the IMB to value and to strengthen its relationship with these necessary and vital organizations.

Six: We have concerns about adherence to the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.

News accounts of the January 2001 board meeting reported that IMB trustees affirmed "the agency’s missionaries and stateside staff members, saying their beliefs already have been adequately screened and that nothing more should be required of them."

The IMB’s publication, The Commission, reported in its April 2001 issue that "new missionaries and key stateside staff members will be asked to commit themselves to carry out their responsibilities ‘in accordance with and not contrary to’ the (2000) confession of faith."

IMB administrators said in a recent publication: "The BF&M is not imposed upon anyone, but we seek those missionary candidates who share these convictions and join in voluntary affirmation of our confession of faith. Missionary candidates are asked to express in written form their own personal doctrinal statements in the appointment process and affirm they will carry out their responsibilities ‘in accordance with and not contrary to’ the (2000 revision of) BF&M."

For the first time, the Southern Baptist international missions agency is examining candidates with reference to a specific theological document with which many Texas Baptists disagree and which the BGCT has chosen not to endorse. Based upon dialogue with IMB leadership, the committee understands that a candidate who does not agree in totality with the new BF&M would experience greater scrutiny.

We call upon those who screen missionary candidates from Texas and other states to hear carefully their biblical convictions regarding the missional task of evangelism and ministry and to measure them by Scripture alone.

We make the following recommendation regarding the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention:

RECOMMENDATION TWO:

We recommend that there be no change in the current budgetary relationship of the BGCT to the International Mission Board. We hope there will be improvement in the documented areas of concern and we will continue to work with and encourage the IMB to address the areas identified.


Findings and recommendations regarding the
North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention

The subcommittee to study the North American Mission Board is chaired by Ophelia Humphrey. Members are Al Burns, Bud Hudgens, Doug Jackson, Bill Noble and Presnall Wood.

Subcommittee members received input from NAMB missionaries, church members, vocational ministers and BGCT staff. The subcommittee also met with leadership of the North American Mission Board: Bob Reccord, president; Randy Singer, executive vice president; Nate Adams, vice president of mobilization and mission education; Mike Day, vice president for strategy and business services; Carlos Ferrer, chief financial officer; Richard Harris, vice president of church planting; Harry Lewis, lead strategy coordinator for the Midwest and Canada; Phil Roberts, director of the interfaith witness evangelism team; and John Yarborough, vice president for evangelization.

There was intent to be cooperative by both parties. The subcommittee raised issues and concerns about the relationship between the BGCT and NAMB and examined ways NAMB and BGCT can work together.

The subcommittee commends NAMB leadership for answering questions and providing information regarding its work. While not all of the questions of the subcommittee could be answered at the meeting, the NAMB staff responded to unanswered questions later in writing.

There was a significant difference of opinion regarding the identity of NAMB. The study committee regards NAMB as a continuation of the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board, with which the BGCT related for many years. NAMB leaders repeatedly identified themselves as part of "a three-year-old organization." This identification is repeated in Annie Armstrong Easter Offering promotional materials, which identify NAMB as an organization "formed in 1997 with more than a 150 year tradition."

This question of identity and continuity is significant when the matter of the Cooperative Agreement -- the contract between the two entities -- is considered.

NAMB is financially strong, with no long-term note maturities. In 1999, the only debt, other than "accounts payable and accrued expenses," is "accrued postretirement benefits" of $51 million. The net asset position is strong enough that NAMB is able to carry the entire loan portfolio of $127,369,000 without external borrowing.

In 1999, revenues amounted to $119.2 million, including $38.7 million through the Cooperative Program and $43.5 million through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Total 1999 expenses amounted to $119.9 million.

Figures provided by the Office of the BGCT Treasurer showed that in 1999, the churches of the BGCT gave $26 million through the SBC Cooperative Program, of which 22.79 percent -- $5.9 million -- went to NAMB. In addition, the churches of the state convention contributed $5.9 million through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Thus, BGCT congregations contributed $11.8 million to NAMB in 1999.

Several concerns arose from our meetings with missionaries, leaders from NAMB, BGCT staff who relate to NAMB, and others.

One: We are concerned about the status of our Cooperative Agreement relationship with the North American Mission Board. Mission work within Texas historically has been the joint responsibility of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. In order to avoid confusion and duplication, a Cooperative Agreement was adopted by the two entities and was designed to define the responsibilities of each in mission projects in Texas as the two bodies developed strategic mission plans on a cooperative basis.

Since the last Cooperative Agreement was negotiated between BGCT and the HMB – in 1991 – the population of Texas has increased greatly, and the state now is the second most populous state in the nation, with more than 10 million unchurched people (more than the total populations of each of 44 other states). From 1990 to 2000, the Texas population increased 3.8 million, approximately equal to the entire populations of Kentucky, South Carolina or Oklahoma. In addition, ethnic populations have increased rapidly and there are more than 100 languages being spoken in our state. Texas truly is an enormous and challenging mission field.

Many Texas Baptists are not familiar with the Cooperative Agreement, its provisions or the philosophical/theological basis of the historic covenant of agreement between separate, but equal and autonomous, entities. And so we wish to clarify the importance of this agreement for the relationship between NAMB and Texas Baptists.

The 1991 version of the Cooperative Agreement between and BGCT and the HMB reads (in part) as follows:

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

1. This agreement is between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, and has been adopted by the Boards of the two entities. The purpose of this agreement is to define the responsibilities of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Home Mission Board in areas in which the two entities develop and administrate a strategic mission plan on a cooperative basis.

2. The strategic mission plan shall be cooperatively developed by appropriate staff representatives of the two entities and according to the policies of each entity. However, in the final negotiation of the strategic mission plan and in its funding, the Home Mission Board will be represented by the regional coordinator and the Baptist General Convention of Texas by the executive director or his representative(s). If negotiation cannot be completed satisfactorily, concerns may then be referred to the Vice President, Home Mission Board, Planning Section, and if necessary to the Executive Office.

3. Financial support for the strategic mission plan shall be provided by the two entities on an agreed-upon ratio of participation in an annual conference.

4. General administration and promotion of the strategic mission plan shall be by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

5. Adjustment to the strategic mission plan and its funding may be requested by either entity. However, changes shall not be implemented until both entities have approved.

6. All Home Mission Board funding shall be paid through the Baptist General Convention of Texas upon receipt of agreed-upon documentation.

In keeping with Principles 3 and 6, NAMB contributes to the BGCT about 45 percent of the costs agreed upon for projects, while the BGCT provides the additional 55 percent or more when necessary. The 2001 cooperative budget calls for $2,826,972 of joint support, with NAMB assuming $1,279,872 and the BGCT assuming $1,547,100.

The documentation which NAMB requires in order to forward agreed upon funding is sometimes tedious and time consuming. Funding for Texas missions projects must fit NAMB strategic priorities or it cannot be considered. Because funding is sometimes delayed in order to get the prerequisite paperwork approved, the BGCT has on occasion advanced funds to missions projects while NAMB processed requests.

The amount to be funded is a portion of the Cooperative Program dollars provided to NAMB by the churches of the BGCT. The remainder of NAMB’s portion of CP contributions from the churches goes to reach the rest of North America with the Gospel.

Because of frustration with the process, the Mississippi Baptist Convention is retaining Cooperative Program funds in amounts commensurate with the amount which would be returned to the state by NAMB. This convention forwards the remainder of their CP contributions to the SBC Executive Committee.

Two: Another facet of concern regarding the Cooperative Agreement relates to selection, qualification, supervision and remuneration of personnel. Salaried personnel involved in Texas missions projects who are jointly funded by the two entities are covered by NAMB insurance, an amount currently estimated at just under $150,000.

Since restructuring of the Southern Baptist Convention -- and specifically since the adoption of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message -- a conflict has been created for candidates who do not agree with the changes made in the new doctrinal statement. As of this study, the 2000 BF&M is applied to all missionaries processed, although the executive vice president of NAMB said in a letter to the subcommittee that candidates are not required to sign the document.

Randy Singer, executive vice president of the North American Mission Board, has written: "We will therefore continue to seek and deploy those who can agree to minister and lead consistent with and not contrary to the current BF&M."

As with the IMB, for the first time, NAMB is examining candidates with reference to a specific theological document with which many Texas Baptists disagree and which the BGCT has chosen not to endorse.

Despite the difference, in his letter to the subcommittee, Randy Singer said, "The fact that NAMB uses the current BF&M as a guide for clarifying any doctrinal issues, whereby the BGCT does not, should not mean cooperation between the two entities is impossible."

The Cooperative Agreement [II.1 (2)] includes the following provision: "Selection of jointly supported personnel shall conform with the procedures and requirements of both entities. The Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Home Mission Board shall concur on jointly supported personnel before election, appointment/approval, and/or placement by the other entity. Each entity will consult with the other before major changes are implemented." NAMB has violated this agreement by unilaterally requiring affirmation of the 2000 BF&M by prospective BGCT employees who would be eligible to receive NAMB support.

Chaplains endorsed by NAMB also must affirm the new statement. Chaplains who do not agree with the new BF&M face loss of ecclesiastical endorsement which would entail an end to their employment. Many of these chaplains must be endorsed annually and are now required to affirm theological positions with which they do not agree.

Three: The Cooperative Agreement specifies that one entity may not unilaterally change the document. Historically, the HMB (now NAMB) agreed it would not unilaterally sponsor projects in the state or assign personnel except through the BGCT. NAMB’s present support of projects and personnel through another state convention in Texas therefore violates Section VI.2 of the most recent Cooperative Agreement.

Four: The ratio of funds to be returned to our state was established before Texas began growing much more quickly than most other states. This ratio should now be adjusted in light of the growing mission needs in our state. For example, in 1999 NAMB spent almost $27 million on church planting. Texas had approximately 20 percent of the church starts in the nation. NAMB supported Texas church starting with less than $1 million. So, with 20 percent of the church starts, Texas was funded less than 4 percent of the total spent by NAMB.

The BGCT consistently has made major efforts to determine the growing state mission needs and how best to meet those needs. The subcommittee specifically studied two significant reports adopted by the convention, the report by the 1995 BGCT/HMB Study Committee and the 1997 Effectiveness/Efficiency Committee report. Both speak directly to the need for a better working relationship between the BGCT and NAMB (HMB). The 1995 report examined ways the Home Mission Board could assist Texas Baptists in reaching the unchurched in Texas.

The fact that our committee must revisit the same issues discussed in 1995 and 1997 underscores the problems created by the lack of a functioning Cooperative Agreement with NAMB.

Five: Another area of concern relates to missionary personnel classification, count and funding, a matter of much confusion among Texas Baptists. The subcommittee requested NAMB to give the number of fully funded missionaries. Previous studies have reported that there are only about 40 fully funded missionaries directly related to NAMB and its strategy.

To the question of how many missionaries NAMB solely fully funds, Randy Singer, executive vice president of NAMB, wrote to the subcommittee on February 9, 2001, and said that in 2000, "for the first time, the SBC’s two mission boards agreed on a common definition of what constitutes a ‘missionary’." Singer said the definition is:

"A person who, in response to God’s call and gifting, leaves his/her comfort zone and crosses cultural, geographic or other barriers to proclaim the Gospel and live out a Christian witness in obedience to the Great Commission."

He wrote that while NAMB and IMB "agree on the definition … it is helpful to remember that the differences in our mission fields require varying structures and systems to fund and deploy missionaries. Thus, while IMB has a significant number of missionaries fully funded by IMB alone, NAMB will typically fund missionaries in partnership with state conventions. In addition, NAMB may partially fund ‘approved’ missionaries who may have other sources of income (like a church planter partially supported by his church or a missionary partially supported by a working spouse)."

While he did not report the number of missionaries which NAMB funds alone, he wrote that NAMB "and its partners deploy the following three categories of missionaries:

"1. Appointed Personnel … serve in the categories of missionary, missionary associate, church planter intern, and US/C-2. … Appointed personnel qualify for health care and other personal benefits." He reported there were 1,224 appointed personnel in 1997, and 1,519 in 2000.

"2. Approved Personnel … serve in the category of field personnel assistance, state administrative personnel, seminary student intern and mission pastor … . The approved category is designed to provide a financial supplement." He said in 1997, there were 2,047, and in 2000 there were 1,684.

"3. Mission Service Corps Personnel … working at least 20 hours per week with two years or more service are included in the missionary count. … MSC personnel secure funding from personal sources or raise funds for support." In 1997, there were 1,595 MSC personnel and in 2000 there were 1,878.

We believe it is confusing to Texas Baptists when they see reports of 5,000-plus missionaries serving with NAMB (the overwhelming majority of whom are only partially funded by the mission board or serve as volunteers) and almost 5,000 serving with the IMB who are fully funded. There is a great discrepancy in the term, "support." With both mission boards, the declaration in their publicity of the total number of missionaries without a breakdown by category of service can lead to misunderstanding.

Six: Other areas of concern regarding the North American Mission Board relate to Baptist Men, Mission Service Corps and chaplaincy endorsements.

Baptist Men: The restructuring of the Southern Baptist Convention moved Brotherhood from commission status to a department in NAMB. Texas Baptist Men and local churches are now dependent on NAMB for the production of mission study materials for men and boys.

The performance of NAMB in regard to Texas Baptist Men has been disappointing. Delivery dates for essential missions educational materials have been missed, sometimes by months. For example, delays in curriculum periodicals for the fall of 2000 left churches with no materials to undergird their missions education responsibility for Baptist Men, Challengers and Royal Ambassadors. Users report to our committee that these materials appear to be designed to promote NAMB strategy rather than telling the story of missions and encouraging participation in mission activities. As a result, Texas Baptist Men has been hampered in providing adequate resources and training. NAMB told our committee that it is working to correct this problem.

It is essential to have timely and acceptable curriculum materials. Because of the problems cited above, TBM leadership found it essential to publish materials suitable for use in Texas churches in the year 2000.

Mission Service Corps: The Mission Service Corps Office of the BGCT is responsible for recruiting and managing the placement of Southern Baptist MSC volunteers from Texas. These Texas Baptist volunteers comprise 47 percent of the total MSC force. An MSC volunteer is a person who has committed to serve without pay for a minimum of 20 hours per week. After two years of service, NAMB recognizes the person as a missionary of NAMB and includes him/her in the missionary count.

Randy Singer, NAMB’s executive vice president, wrote February 9, 2001: "We are … blessed by and very grateful for the BGCT’s exceptional efforts in helping bring about a significant increase in MSC missions personnel from 1,595 in 1997 to 1,878 in 2000."

While NAMB’s number of total missionaries depends heavily on MSC volunteers, they have not focused adequate resources to support this vital group of mission volunteers. In fact, they have decreased MSC support staff by approximately 50 percent. While NAMB has assigned some of these responsibilities to other areas, the BGCT MSC leadership has experienced considerable difficulty in working with this reorganized MSC structure. Therefore, the BGCT has had to increase its support staff working with MSC volunteers from one to three and expenditures have increased from $336,597 in 1997 to $471,817 in 2000.


Chaplaincy: As was stated earlier in this section, many chaplains worldwide depend on NAMB for endorsement. Prison, hospital, business and military chaplains and pastoral counselors have been endorsed by the HMB (now NAMB) since 1941. Currently, Texas has 378 NAMB-endorsed chaplains/pastoral counselors serving in the state, of which 220 are vocational chaplains (employed by an organization). The remainder are in the military reserves or serve part-time or volunteer positions in such places as law enforcement, hospital, business or correctional facilities.

Concerns have surfaced in recent months, particularly because the Chaplain and Pastoral Counselor’s Endorsement Manual indicates both new and renewing applicants for endorsement require affirmation of the Baptist Faith and Message as currently adopted by the SBC. For example, the 45 chaplains in the Texas prison system must be renewed annually, and many, if not most, say they will not agree with the 2000 BF&M. Discussions with NAMB personnel indicate that some long-term chaplains may be in danger of losing their endorsement if they do not or cannot agree with the restated statement of faith. Some Texas-based chaplains have moved their certification to another agency.

In addition, NAMB has unilaterally changed the nomenclature of Pastoral Counselors, and has renamed them Ministry Counselors. It is understood that this is because the current BF&M restricts the role of pastor to males, and NAMB does not wish to use the word "pastor" when it may refer to women.

More than 20 chaplains/pastoral counselors have asked the BGCT to consider becoming an endorsing agency. Historically, the BGCT Community Ministries Department has supported the HMB and NAMB process and its national Chaplains Commission (made up of seven persons appointed from the NAMB board of trustees) and has said that endorsement – particularly when it may result in global assignment – is best suited for a national rather than a state convention.

However, the outcry of chaplains in Texas and other areas, and the retroactive change in prerequisites for service, may lead the BGCT to re-examine its position and reconsider ecclesiastical endorsement and support of chaplains.

In light of our findings, we make the following recommendations regarding NAMB:

RECOMMENDATION THREE:

We recommend negotiation of a new Cooperative Agreement between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the North American Mission Board to be completed by January 2002. The agreement should be negotiated by the staff of the Executive Board, under direction of the Executive Director.

We had believed that the Cooperative Agreement between the BGCT and HMB continued in effect when NAMB was created. However, the leaders of NAMB see their organization as a new entity. Therefore, if we are to continue cooperating with NAMB, we immediately need a joint operating agreement since the current agreement is with an organization which no longer exists.

RECOMMENDATION FOUR:

We further recommend that in negotiating the new Cooperative Agreement by the Executive Board staff under direction of the Executive Director, an amount equal to those funds currently apportioned by NAMB to BGCT cooperative projects be retained in Texas. This recommendation would enable Texas Baptists to plan and fulfill mission strategies within Texas more efficiently, by greatly reducing paperwork, bureaucracy, time-consuming documentation and delays.

This action would not require any NAMB missionary in Texas to change his or her appointment status.

It is essential to understand that this is not defunding but simply is administering more efficiently that portion of Texas funds, which would be returned to Texas under the current agreement.

This would create no change in NAMB’s use of remaining Cooperative Program gifts from Texas, continuing a long history of support for reaching North America for Christ. It also is understood that this will in no way affect ongoing promotion of the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, which is used to support mission work in North America and has no relationship to remaining Cooperative Program or designated funds.

Findings and recommendations concerning
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Global Missions

The subcommittee to study CBF Global Missions is chaired by Mitch Randall. Members are John Chavarria, Nathan Porter and Beth Pratt.

The subcommittee met twice with representatives of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Representing CBF Global Missions were Daniel Vestal, coordinator of CBF; Gary and Barbara Baldridge, co-coordinators of CBF Global Missions; Jim Strawn, associate coordinator for mission finance; Craig Owen, CBF missionary; and Robbi Francovich, member of the CBF Romany/Gypsy Team. The subcommittee also met with Keith Parks, recently retired CBF missions coordinator and former president of the SBC Foreign Mission Board.

The subcommittee asked about the financial resources, theological positions, mission strategies and philosophies of CBF. The meetings were cordial and productive and the requested information was provided promptly.

The subcommittee is aware that persistent questions about the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship have had a negative effect related to Texas Baptist support. These issues stand outside the motion, which created our committee. However, it is important that CBF continue to answer those accusations that are brought against them. Our report deals only with Global Missions, the missions sending entity within CBF.

According to Keith Parks, the intent of CBF Global Missions was to create a new vision for missions in Baptist life. The CBF did not want to be in competition with any other missions sending agency, but has sought out areas of mission involvement which were not being touched.

We found the applicant process for missionary appointment to be adequate in expressing:

&Mac183; appropriate theological belief and testimony to the cause of Christ;

&Mac183; women in mission leadership and ministry;

&Mac183; commitment to the truthfulness of Scripture, the essentials of Christian faith and historic Baptist doctrines;

&Mac183; Daniel Vestal told the subcommittee CBF Global Missions has never knowingly appointed a homosexual person.

CBF Global Missions missionaries are organized into self-managed work teams. It sends people to network with accountability partners who are closest to the field. The teams are responsible for formulating and fulfilling strategy, budgeting, orientation of new personnel and ensuring that missionary children are receiving education. Personnel work with indigenous persons and see themselves as catalysts for the work rather than owners of the work. The mission strategy is generated in the field, then forwarded to Global Missions leaders in Atlanta.

In 2000, CBF Global Missions had 109 career field personnel, up from 53 in 1995. Additionally, there were 10 administrators; 6 support staff; 16 short-term missionaries; 19 envoys, and 98 endorsed chaplains. We believe it would be helpful to Texas Baptists if CBF were to designate career, short-term and volunteer missionaries when publicizing the missionary count.

CBF revenues for 2000-2001 were $16.9 million, of which $10.1 million – about 60 percent of revenues – was projected to be spent for Global Missions. CBF Global Missions also conducts an annual Global Missions Offering emphasis to support mission’s ministries. The 2000 projected revenue from the offering was $5.4 million.

According to the Office of the BGCT Treasurer, the 303 churches which partner with CBF, who have given through BGCT giving channels, gave $1.2 million to the CBF in 1999. Additionally, in the same year, Texas churches contributed $810,819 through the Global Missions Offering.

No formal agreement exists between the CBF and BGCT. As autonomous bodies, Texas Baptist churches may partner with whomever they wish to advance the Kingdom of God.

RECOMMENDATION FIVE:

It is recommended that the BGCT continue to honor the designations of affiliated churches which wish to contribute to and partner with CBF.

Recommendations regarding this committee
and the implementation of its report

RECOMMENDATION SIX:

We recommend that this study committee be disbanded following adoption of this report and that responsibility for monitoring and evaluating the relationships between the BGCT and the Southern Baptist Convention and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship mission sending agencies be assigned to a group to be named by the President of the BGCT, the Chair of the Executive Board and the Executive Director of the Executive Board. This group will include members from this study committee, the staff of the Executive Board and others. This action will allow the BGCT to respond quickly should there be significant changes in the philosophy, theology or operations of any of the missions sending agencies. The group will engage in regular conversation with the administrations of the missions sending agencies and be empowered to bring recommendations through proper channels.

RECOMMENDATION SEVEN:

In a spirit of fairness and cooperation – knowing that cooperation is not mandated by our contracts but by mutual trust and shared vision -- we request that leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention include more individuals supportive of the Baptist General Convention of Texas to serve on the boards of trustees of the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board.

Conclusion

Texas Baptists are committed to missions. We always have been and intend, under the leadership of God, always to be. Missions is our lifeblood and the key to our future.

It is the intent of this report to enable Texas Baptists to do missions more effectively and to clear away obstacles to cooperation with those with whom we partner in the enterprise of telling a lost and dying world about Jesus Christ and ministering in His name. We want to be creative, enlisting the energies, vision and passion of Baptists young and old in obedience to the Great Commission of our Lord. We want to partner with all Great Commission Christians who want to work with us in reaching the world for Christ.



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