COMMENTARY:Don't toss the baby ...
___Sometimes clichés can be quite poignant. Two clichés were shared with me that seem to have a message for pastors and churches who are part of the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
___After the recent annual session of the BGCT, one pastor commented to me: "Well, we've done it again! We seem to love to 'shoot ourselves in the foot!'" Another pastor said: "That's 'the last straw!' Our church is bailing out."
___Their references were to the decision made by the Administrative Committee and upheld by the convention to change the Cooperative Program remittance form omitting "Option 2" for the sake of simplification. "Option 2" was a box on the 2001 remittance form which by checking the box a church elected to give 67 percent to the BGCT and 33 percent to worldwide causes through the SBC.
___As a frustrated pastor, I have concerns regarding the decision.
___First, 46 percent of the churches committed to the BGCT used Option 2 in 2000/2001. Moreover, those churches gave 51 percent of the dollars received by the BGCT. Why would anyone want to "shoot half of his or her foot"?
___Second, simplification was not accomplished. I have just finished "preparing" the forms for our financial secretary. On the 2001 form, she could check one box. On the 2002 form, she must check one box, write in the percentage in two places and designate where the worldwide gifts are to be sent. There is room for error.
___Third, I believe it is the same group who has taken away "options" that not too many years ago asked for and were given "options." What has changed?
___Fourth, trying to "force" Texas Baptists has resulted in loss of churches and financial support. Why push more churches away?
___However, as I saw the church missions and evangelism report presenting the many ways we are positively impacting Texas and the world with the gospel through our cooperation, I realized that I could not let this one decision stop me or my church from having a part in reaching people and changing lives.
___That same conviction came over me Tuesday evening at the BGCT annual session, as more mission reports were given. I came away from the convention believing with all my heart that God still has a great plan for missions and evangelism through the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
___Our church will continue to exercise our freedom to give cooperatively as we have in the past. To do so we will check "Other," write in "67 percent" for BGCT, write in "33 percent" for worldwide and write in "SBC" to designate our worldwide giving. Because, though not always happy with decisions that are made, our church is not ready to "throw out the baby with the bath."
___Jerry Raines is pastor of Hampton Road Baptist Church in DeSoto.
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