Posted: 11/07/03
Mississippi won't cut out CBF leaders
JACKSON, Miss. (ABP)–Messengers to the Mississippi Baptist Convention voted down a proposed constitutional amendment Oct. 28 that would have excluded Cooperative Baptist Fellowship members from serving in leadership positions in the convention.
The amendment, proposed during last year's annual meeting by Ralph Henson, pastor of Arrowood Baptist Church of Meridian, Miss., would have disqualified anyone who is currently serving in an “employed, elected or appointed position with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship” from serving in any capacity with the Mississippi Baptist Convention.
In accordance with the convention's constitution, Henson's motion was referred last year to the constitution and bylaws committee for action at this year's annual meeting. Rick Courtney, an attorney and chairman of the committee, reported the committee was unanimous in recommending the proposal be rejected. Messengers agreed by a vote of 572 to 376.
In other business, messengers adopted a slightly slimmer 2004 budget and elected longtime Mississippi pastor Gene Henderson as president.
Henderson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Brandon, was elected by acclamation after no other nominations were made. He will replace Frank Pollard, retired pastor of First Baptist Church of Jackson, who was in his second one-year term and ineligible for re-election.
The 2004 budget is 2.3 percent less than the record 2003 budget of $316 million. Giving to the 2003 budget is running behind and likely will fall short.
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