SBC leader blasts BWA fund-raiser_100404

Posted: 10/01/04

SBC leader blasts
BWA fund-raiser

NASHVILLE–A Baptist World Alliance fund-raising appeal directed to Southern Baptist Convention churches has drawn criticism from Morris Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee, who claims the effort violates longstanding denominational policy.

The policy in the SBC's business and financial plan specifies that “in no case shall any convention entity approach a church for inclusion in its church budget or appeal for financial contributions.”

While BWA leaders voluntarily honored that policy when the SBC was affiliated with BWA, the two entities no longer have formal ties.

SBC messengers voted in June to withdraw membership from the international Baptist body.

The letter from BWA President Billy Kim and General Secretary Denton Lotz, dated Aug. 27, addresses charges made by the Southern Baptist BWA study committee and also details the ministry of the Baptist World Alliance.

The letter notes that a gift of $250 will make a church an “associate member” of BWA while a gift of $1,000 will make it a “Global Impact Church.”

Chapman wrote BWA officials, asking them to “cease immediately” the fund-raising effort directed to SBC churches.

Ian Chapman, BWA's director of promotion and development, told Baptist Press that in addition to Southern Baptist churches, BWA's letter was mailed to churches in the American Baptist Churches USA, Baptist General Conference and Progressive National Baptist Convention.

“Now that the Southern Baptist Convention is no longer a member of the Baptist World Alliance, there's no reason for us not to send (letters to) individual churches,” he said.

“Baptist autonomy means that churches can make their own decisions.”

Based on reporting by Trennis Henderson and Baptist Press