November 11, 2002
Messengers approve budget that ecourages churches to give
79 percent of Cooperative Program gifts to BGCT-related ministries
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___WACO--Messengers at the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual session overwhelmingly approved a 2003 budget of almost $50.9 million that encourages churches to allocate 79 percent of Cooperative Program mission gifts to BGCT-related ministries.
___The $58,878,793 budget was approved with only a handful of opposing votes Nov. 11 as the convention met at Baylor University's Ferrell Center.
___The budget anticipates $46,235,362 in contributions through the Texas portion of the Cooperative Program unified budget, a $2.8 million increase from 2002.
___Part of that increase is fueled by asking churches to increase the percentage of missions gifts directed to Texas causes and reduce the percentage given to worldwide causes.
___The increased percentage of undesignated funds is needed to fund Texas ministries, said Stephen Hatfield, chairman of the BGCT Administrative Committee and pastor of First Baptist Church in Lewisville.
___The increase in total dollars also is driven by moving into the Texas portion of the budget supplemental funds for River Ministry, Mission Service Corps, Texas Partnerships and the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention that previously were part of the worldwide missions funding category.
___The 2003 giving plan is expected to generate new funds for nine BGCT causes--intercultural initiatives, theological education, African-American ministries, Texas Baptist Men, a world missions network, Mexico Partnerships, Hispanic work, associational projects and bivocational/smaller church ministries.
___Endowment income of $412,999 will be divided among Mexico Partnerships, African-American ministries, Texas Baptist Men, Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio, intercultural activities and the missions network.
___Unlike the 2001 and 2002 budgets, the 2003 budget will not redirect any Cooperative Program funds away from Southern Baptist Convention entities. The last two budgets capped worldwide missions funding for the six SBC seminaries at $1 million, reduced funds for the SBC Executive Committee and defunded the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
___The 2003 giving plan passed with little discussion. The only sticking point was whether to fund the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs, a Washington-based religious-liberty watchdog group.
___ Phil Barton, messenger from First Baptist Church of Pottsboro, urged the convention to defund the BJC, calling the agency a "small little barnacle on the hull of the BGCT ship that would be better left off."
___Barton, who also unsuccessfully asked the convention to affirm the SBC's Baptist Faith & Message 2000, argued the BJC advocates causes "opposed to the views of mainstream Christians."
___Although Barton's attempted amendment got a second, no one spoke in support of it. Three people, however, spoke against it.
___"If we lose religious liberty in this country, we lose America," said David Currie, executive director of Texas Baptists Committed. "The Baptist Joint Committee has been a voice for many years speaking historically where Roger Williams and John Leland stood."
___If the BJC's positions are troublesome to some Baptists, it's because they don't understand Baptist history, Currie insisted.
___ Randall Scott of Immanuel Baptist Church in Paris contrasted the work of the BJC with the influence of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, which he called offensive.
___Cliff Fields of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston said the BJC has fought to keep religious groups out of the government's pockets.
___ "It's a crying shame that some people who call themselves Baptists are trying to get that money from the federal government," he declared. "The Baptist Joint Committee has fought this battle for years."
___ Barton's amendment to defund the BJC failed by an overwhelming majority.
___ With additional reporting by Managing Editor Mark Wingfield
Baptist Standard
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