September 23, 2002
SBC will allow two state conventions
in Texas & Virginia but not Missouri
___NASHVILLE, Tenn.--A new state convention begun by moderate Baptists in Missouri should be treated differently than historic state conventions controlled by moderates in Texas and Virginia, the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee determined Sept. 17.
___The SBC's most powerful body of elected trustees determined the national convention must continue to recognize dual state conventions in both Texas and Virginia but declined to recognize or receive missions contributions from a second state convention in Missouri.
MORRIS CHAPMAN and his wife, Jodi, listen to a musical tribute by their son, Chris, and his wife, Renee, during a Sept. 17 luncheon honoring Chapman's 10 years as president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. Chapman came to the post from the pastorate of First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls. Chris Chapman also serves on the Executive Committee staff as director of Internet services.
___Fundamentalists who are enthusiastic about changes in the SBC over the last 20 years have created their own state conventions to compete with the historic Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist General Association of Virginia. Both the BGCT and the BGAV have refused to follow the theological and political changes enacted by the SBC over the last two decades, but both conventions have continued to send millions of dollars to SBC causes and have chosen to remain affiliated with the SBC.
___Meanwhile, the SBC also has recognized and received contributions from the new rival conventions in both those states.
___At the SBC's annual meeting last June, two messengers questioned this practice, suggesting the SBC ought to recognize only one convention in each state.
___Those motions were prompted in part by earlier statements made by SBC Executive Committee President Morris Chapman that the SBC would not recognize a second state convention in Missouri. That new convention was created this year by centrists and moderates after fundamentalists gained control of the historic Missouri Baptist Convention.
___In an appeal to the Executive Committee, Bruce Prescott of Norman, Okla., claimed the SBC has taken contradictory positions on the issue of recognizing dual state conventions.
___Prescott, a member of First Baptist Church of Norman and director of Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists, quoted a letter written by Chapman to Missouri Baptist leader Jim Hill in January: "A single state Baptist convention per area is the ideal and best serves the interests of the Southern Baptist Convention."
___It "appears contradictory to say in Missouri that one state convention per state is in the best interest of the convention and then in Texas and Virginia to deny that recognizing and accepting gifts from only one convention in each state is in the best interest of the Southern Baptist Convention," Prescott argued.
___That view was shared by Bob Stephenson, also a member of First Baptist Church of Norman, who made the motion at the SBC annual meeting in June. Stephenson said the Executive Committee "appears to set a double standard" by recognizing competing state conventions in Virginia and Texas, while refusing to work with the Baptist General Convention of Missouri.
___In a statement presented to an Executive Committee subcommittee, Stephenson called on the SBC to enforce "a clear and consistent policy," even if it costs the SBC money.
___"I do not share the Executive Committee's enthusiasm for the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message," Stephenson said. "I do respect the consistent manner in which the members of this committee have previously held their convictions. I encourage you to be true to your convictions and demonstrate it by facing whatever repercussions ensue from enforcing a clear and consistent policy."
___Chapman, however, disagreed and reiterated his position.
___"It is our responsibility until the Southern Baptist Convention should choose to do otherwise, to do what we can to partner as best we know how with our state conventions," he said. "That doesn't mean that there is total agreement, but it does mean that in the case of several of our long-standing partnerships these state conventions continue to give faithfully through the Cooperative Program. And we have sought to honor that effort to give and to support Southern Baptist missions."
___"It is the business of the state whether it has one or 20 state conventions. It is the business of the Southern Baptist Convention in each instance to have the prerogative to determine how they're going to relate to any state conventions or any number of state conventions," he continued.
___Chapman further noted: "There's quite a difference between holding on to an existing partnership and deciding if you want to enter into a new partnership."
___Two Texas pastors played prominent roles in this fall's Executive Committee meeting, held at the Executive Committee headquarters in Nashville. The current chairman of the Executive Committee is Gary Smith, pastor of Fielder Road Baptist Church in Arlington. Also, SBC President Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, delivered a major address to the body.
___Graham called on SBC churches to start "Christian" schools as part of the convention's new emphasis called Empowering Kingdom Growth.
___"I think it's time we look at not only ... equipping young leaders at seminaries and colleges, but we look more seriously at starting at the earliest years, developing disciples and empowering kingdom growth through education," he said. His own church's Prestonwood Christian Academy enrolls 1,064 students.
___He called on churches to demonstrate the kingdom of God through exalting Jesus, equipping Christians, strengthening families, expanding the Christian witness and expanding "kingdom glory."
___On the subject of evangelism and witness, Graham appealed for Southern Baptists to become "real" and "radical."
___"We have to get real and then get radical about our mission," he said. "Our world has been shocked by radicals, thugs, terrorists, murderers, extremists. In one sense, our world is a world full of extremists. Those of us who name the name of Jesus and who are called to the kingdom for such a time as this, we need to get radical in our love for people.
___"We're not getting the job done as God would have us to do," Graham said. "Our baptisms are decreasing across the board. Many of our churches are struggling to baptize."
___In other action, the Executive Committee:
___ Reactivated an ad hoc committee to evaluate the relationship between the SBC and the Baptist World Alliance. SBC officials have sharply criticized a proposal by a BWA committee to allow BWA membership by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. The CBF was formed in 1991 by moderate Baptists disaffected by the change in leadership and direction of the SBC.
___Members of the ad hoc committee are Chapman, Jimmy Draper, president of LifeWay Christian Resources; Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board; Paige Patterson, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Tom Elliff, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Del City, Okla.; Executive Committee Chairman Smith; Paul Pressler of First Baptist Church in Houston; and Bob Sorrell of Bellevue Baptist Church in suburban Memphis, Tenn.
___ Honored Chapman on his 10th anniversary as Executive Committee president. Chapman came to the post in 1992 from the pastorate of First Baptist Church of Wichita Falls.
___Draper, also a former Texas pastor, said Chapman holds "the hardest job in our convention" because he has "a lot of responsibility and no authority."
___Tom Elliff said Chapman bears "the qualities of a great man." These include a great heart, great habits, great hatred--"you have to hate the things God hates," Elliff explained--great honesty, great hopes, great help and great humility.
___ Approved a revision of the International Mission Board's ministry assignment for recommendation to the June 2003 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix.
___Among changes, a statement about "evangelizing persons and planting churches" is moved from the second of four purposes to the first of four purposes. A statement about the board's role in equipping, sending and supporting missions personnel drops from first listing to second.
___Also, a statement that the IMB will "assist churches by meeting human needs and establishing need-based ministries in other nations" is replaced by a statement that the IMB will "assist churches in fulfilling their international missions task by developing global strategies, including human needs-based ministries, and providing leadership, administrative support and financial accountability for implementation of these strategies."
___IMB President Rankin said the revisions offer "a more balanced template for reporting and accountability" to the SBC.
___
The Baptist Standard
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