executive_board_10603

Posted: 10/3/03

Executive Board elects Ogletree
and OKs NAMB cooperative agreement

By Mark Wingfield

Managing Editor

DALLAS--The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board elected its first African-American chairman Sept. 30 and ratified a revised cooperative agreement with the North American Mission Board.

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Posted: 10/3/03

Executive Board elects Ogletree
and OKs NAMB cooperative agreement

By Mark Wingfield

Managing Editor

DALLAS–The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board elected its first African-American chairman Sept. 30 and ratified a revised cooperative agreement with the North American Mission Board.

John Ogletree, pastor of First Metropolitan Baptist Church in Houston, was elected board chairman by acclamation, succeeding Brian Harbour, pastor of First Baptist Church of Richardson. Ogletree has served as vice chairman of the Executive Board the last two years.

BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade (right) congratulates outgoing Executive Board Chairman Brian Harbour (center), pastor of First Baptist Church of Richardson, and incoming Chairman John Ogletree, pastor of First Metropolitan Baptist Church of Houston, who has served as vice chairman the past two years. (Ferrell Foster/BGCT Photo)

Wesley Shotwell, pastor of Ash Creek Baptist Church in Azle, was elected vice chairman by acclamation.

The cooperative agreement with the Southern Baptist Convention's NAMB has been a point of contention for more than a year. Previous language in the document has been rejected or amended by both the Executive Board and NAMB trustees.

The document spells out how the state convention and the national mission board will work together on missions projects and personnel funding in Texas.

Executive Board members previously had objected to language about NAMB's requirement that jointly funded missions personnel must affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message, an SBC doctrinal statement rejected by the BGCT. NAMB officials desired to make clear their position on the Baptist Faith & Message, and they objected to a funding change made by the BGCT two years ago.

Upon recommendation of a missions-funding study committee, the BGCT began retaining the amount of Cooperative Program money that previously would have come back to the BGCT through NAMB. The change was necessary, the committee said, because of excessive paperwork and bureaucratic delays in processing personnel and projects through NAMB.

In a letter mailed to Executive Board members prior to the Sept. 30 meeting, BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade urged the board to approve the latest changes in the document, including a reversal of the funds-retention policy.

The rationale that initially drove the funding change “no longer holds,” Wade said. “New processes and funding channels created by NAMB assure us that the problems faced earlier will no longer be present.”

Further, since the BGCT has been operating without a current cooperative agreement with NAMB, the mission board has made no actual commitment of funds to the BGCT and there is no basis for determining the amount of Cooperative Program contributions to retain.

In remarks during the board meeting, Wade added that continuing the funds-retention policy would be “not only an embarrassment; it's wrong.”

Other changes in the cooperative agreement retain language desired by both the BGCT and NAMB, although with rewording and placement changes from earlier versions.

A section on jointly supported personnel notes: "When North American Mission Board funds are used, both entities acknowledge that personnel must comply with North American Mission Board's requirements concerning the Baptist Faith & Message 2000.”

It adds, however: “This does not indicate affirmation of the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.”

Joshua Stowe, pastor of First Baptist Church of Rule, expressed concern that the new agreement leaves NAMB with “all the cards” because it says the BGCT “must conform” to strategy plans by NAMB for joint funding. He asked whether that would leave the BGCT vulnerable in protesting potential duplications of services by a competing state Baptist convention.

Stowe also asked if any guarantees would prevent NAMB from reducing funding for work done in cooperation with the BGCT.

E.B. Brooks, director of church missions and evangelism for the BGCT, responded: “We initiate requests and cooperative ministries with NAMB. We have the prerogative of what ministries we will participate in with them.”

The revised cooperative agreement was approved on a show-of-hands ballot with 10 to 12 negative votes out of more than 150 board members present.

The Executive Board also approved a 2004 BGCT budget for consideration by messengers to the BGCT annual session in Lubbock in November.

It allocates $45.8 million for use by Texas Baptist ministries, a 10 percent reduction from this year's $50.88 million budget that has not been met.

Of the budget total, $39.77 million is projected to come from Cooperative Program contributions and $6.03 million from other income sources such as designated investments or contributions from NAMB and the SBC's LifeWay Christian Resources.

BGCT Treasurer David Nabors acknowledged this has been a tough year financially, including a recent staff reduction. Through the end of August, gifts to the Texas portion of the Cooperative Program were running 14.32 percent under budget.

September figures look more promising, he added, although he noted one month does not set a trend.

The percentage of contributions churches are making available for the Texas part of the Cooperative Program budget is increasing, Nabors noted. So far this year, 69.6 percent of Cooperative Program money has been allocated for use in Texas, up from 67.8 percent last year.

BGCT President Bob Campbell also addressed the funding issue, explaining the drop in contributions is not likely due to controversy. “It is because of the economy,” he said.

In other action, the Executive Board:

Recommended to the convention in annual session that the president appoint a committee to work with Executive Board staff to review all BGCT documents and recommend any changes at the 2004 annual session.

Approved a change in the BGCT bylaws to allow previously introduced business to be conducted in the final session of the annual meeting.

Allocated $180,000 in supplemental funds for the Texas Baptist Laity Institute.

Passed on to the convention a proposal further clarifying the process by which BGCT institutions will be allowed to begin electing 25 percent of their own trustees if desired.

Affirmed a partnership missions agreement between the BGCT and the National Baptist Convention of Mexico.

Recognized the 100th anniversary of Baylor Health Care System.

Heard comments from BGCT vice presidents Rudy Camacho and Debbie Ferrier, each of whom challenged board members to lead their churches to greater commitment to the Texas Baptist Cooperative Program and Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas missions.

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