August 19, 2002
D.C. convention 'not for sale,'
leader says in response to NAMB
___By Mark Wingfield
___Managing Editor
___WASHINGTON--The District of Columbia Baptist Convention is "not for sale," Executive Director Jeffrey Haggray has informed the convention's 137 congregations.
___In response to recent actions of the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, Haggray wrote a lengthy column in the regional convention's August newsletter explaining his concerns with NAMB.
___NAMB President Bob Reccord earlier had asked for more direct control of NAMB-funded missionaries working with the D.C. convention, for control over speakers at convention-sponsored events and for control over content of the convention's newsletter, the Capital Baptist. Reccord also expressed opposition to the convention's historic cooperation with two other national bodies, the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the Progressive National Baptist Convention.
___When the D.C. convention refused to accede to Reccord's demands, NAMB gave notice it will end $476,000 in funding through the convention.
"We must shake the dust of disbelief, shock and grief at NAMB's action from our feet and prayerfully proceed to discover the awesome vision that is in the mind of God for D.C. Baptists in the years ahead."
--Jeffrey Haggray
___"By segregating our program and staff along denominational lines, Reccord would have callously destroyed our 125-year-old missional strategy and identity," Haggray charged. "In his ultimatum, Reccord expressed contempt for DCBC's mission to unite Southern Baptists with American and Progressive National Baptists on behalf of the Great Commission."
___The bottom line, Haggray charged, is that Reccord and other NAMB officials want to create a D.C. convention that is uniquely aligned with and controlled by the SBC.
___This desire was confirmed in a personal conversation with the former chairman of NAMB's trustee board, Haggray said. Reccord was present at the time of that conversation and did not dispute the assessment, Haggray added.
___Reccord has made little public comment on the defunding, which was approved by NAMB trustees. A news release written by NAMB's communications director noted the decision was made "after much prayer and consultation with numerous people."
___The news release said NAMB's disagreements with the D.C. convention "stem from its attempts to meet the very different needs of the three denominations with which it is aligned."
___"No other Southern Baptist state convention or fellowship has the challenges of working with three different denominations, which made our partnership in D.C. so difficult," Reccord is quoted as saying.
___Haggray responded in his August column that "the agents of disunity and strife have willfully intruded into the Washington region, seeking to destroy Baptist unity and missions. Listen closely to their platform, for they have only one agenda item: They oppose Southern Baptists on mission together with American Baptists and Progressive National Baptists."
___Haggray repeated his earlier assessment that NAMB is working to instigate formation of a new uniquely aligned convention in D.C.
___"I do not oppose anyone wanting to organize a new Baptist agency in Washington," he explained. "However, I challenge NAMB's efforts to malign and impugn the D.C. Baptist Convention as the prerequisite to planting their own."
___While Reccord charged that the D.C. convention has moved away from support of the SBC, Haggray countered the D.C. convention actually had increased its financial support of the SBC. He cited a report written by a NAMB researcher in February that listed the D.C. convention as second among all states in percentage increase of giving to the SBC Cooperative Program during the 1990s.
___Last year, D.C. churches gave $476,220 to the SBC Cooperative Program, and the convention's foundation gave an additional $55,000 in scholarships to seminarians, primarily those attending SBC schools.
___Contrary to perceptions that the D.C. convention takes more than it gives, Haggray noted, "For the previous two years, total giving by D.C. Baptists to the SBC has been greater than the sum of NAMB-supplied funds" spent by the D.C. convention.
___Nevertheless, the NAMB defunding will place a serious pinch on the D.C. convention's budget. NAMB money has funded eight missions workers in the convention, including the director of missions and evangelism, director of Baptist women and special ministries and director of church and community ministries. Gifts of Southern Baptists through NAMB also have supported the Johenning Baptist Community Center and Baptist chaplains at six universities.
___Haggray called on D.C. churches to increase their financial support of convention ministries to help offset the loss of NAMB funds. Other Baptist bodies also are interested in providing assistance, he reported.
___"All things considered, we lack the apparatus, the funding, the personnel and the will to tussle with NAMB. We must not wrestle with flesh and blood over dollars and cents. ... We must shake the dust of disbelief, shock and grief at NAMB's action from our feet and prayerfully proceed to discover the awesome vision that is in the mind of God for D.C. Baptists in the years ahead."
___
___
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook