BGCT board recommends $35.4 million budget

The recommended Texas Baptist budget is $35.42 million, compared to $35 million for 2015.

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DALLAS—The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board unanimously approved a slightly increased 2016 budget, which messengers to the BGCT annual meeting will consider Nov. 8-10 in Frisco.

The recommended Texas Baptist budget is $35.42 million, compared to $35 million for 2015.

The 2016 budget proposal depends on $31 million in Cooperative Program receipts from churches—down about $900,000 from the 2015 budget.

However, the proposed budget anticipates $4.42 million in investment income, compared to $2.6 million from investments and $500,000 from individual donors this year. The $1.32 million increase is available in part due to invested proceeds from the sale of the Baptist Building near downtown Dallas to Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing.

Counting additional revenue from the North American Mission Board, conference and booth fees, product sales and other miscellaneous sources, the BGCT anticipates spending $37,996,806 next year—an increase of $212,509 over 2015.

The proposed budget includes no salary increases for staff, but it absorbs a 20 percent increase in medical insurance rather than passing along the cost to employees.

The board also approved continued division of undesignated receipts from affiliated churches, with 79 percent allocated for BGCT and 21 percent for worldwide causes. Each church determines the recipient or recipients of its worldwide giving. The board proposal approves $1.47 million for Texas worldwide missions initiatives and partnerships, unchanged from the 2015 budget.

Operations and capital improvements

The board also voted to establish an operations and capital improvement fund for the Historical Collection in Waco and to add money to a capital improvement fund for Baptist Student Ministry buildings around the state. These funds were established by proceeds from the sale of a parking lot and vacant lot across the street from the former Baptist Building at 333 N. Washington in Dallas.


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The BGCT sold both lots to Baylor Health Care System for more than $1.2 million. The board voted to use $750,000 from the sale to set up a fund at the Baptist Foundation of Texas for the operation and future capital improvements of the building in Waco that houses the Texas Baptist Historical Collection.

When the BGCT Executive Board sold the Baptist Building to Baylor University, it used $1 million to set up a capital improvement fund for BSM buildings. When a donor gave property to the BGCT, the convention added $613,000 from its sale to the fund. The board voted to use about $487,000 from the sale of the two lots near the Baptist Building to increase the BSM fund to more than $2 million.

Since costs of the relocation of the Dallas offices were less than anticipated, the board also approved adding $250,000 from unspent proceeds from the Baptist Building to the Historical Collection’s building operations and capital improvement fund. Any additional remaining unspent proceeds from the sale will be allocated to a fund that supports BGCT ministries.

At the mid-year point for 2015, Texas Cooperative Program receipts have achieved 93.5 percent of budget and equal 96 percent of receipts from the same period last year, Jill Larsen, BGCT treasurer and chief financial officer, reported.

In other business, the board:

• Elected David Russell, an attorney and layman from First Baptist Church in Amarillo, as chair and Dennis Young, pastor of Missouri City Baptist Church in Missouri City, as vice chair.

• Granted Baptist University of the Américas and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor authority to increase indebtedness beyond prescribed limits. It will allow BUA to borrow up to $5 million to purchase a building to house classes, administrative offices and library, and it will permit UMHB to complete its performing arts building.

• Filled two vacancies on the Baptist Distinctives Council—Jordan McKinney from Highland Baptist Church in Waco and Sylvia Rogers from First Baptist Church in Georgetown.

• Filled three vacancies on the Chaplaincy Endorsement Council—Gina Biddle from South Hills Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Bruce Lampert from Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene and Joe Perez from First Baptist Church in Harlingen.

• Filled five vacancies on the Christian Life Commission—Chuck Gartman from Field Street Baptist Church in Cleburne, Emily Roberson from First Baptist Church in Tatum, Carol Shattuck from South Main Baptist Church in Houston, Dwaina Six from Scotsdale Baptist Church in El Paso and Jacob West from First Baptist Church in Stamford.

• Filled three vacancies on the Evangelism Strategic Planning Team—Mark Forrest from Lakeside Baptist Church in Granbury, Bryant Lee from Higher Expectations Church in Humble and Victor Rodriguez from Life Church of San Antonio.

• Filled four vacancies on the Hispanic Education Initiative Council—Rafael Berlanga from Primera Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Tony Celelli from Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Mark Grace from Bill Harrod Memorial Baptist Church in Dallas and Cory Hines from The Avenue Church in Waxahachie.

• Filled two vacancies on the Missions Mobilization Coordinating Team—Bob Dean from The Heights Baptist Church in Dallas and Charles Higgs from the Cowboy Fellowship of Aggie Land in College Station.

• Filled seven vacancies on the Texas Baptist Missions Foundation Council—Henry Beyer from Sugar Creek Baptist Church in Sugar Land, Elaine Eiland from First Baptist Church in Midland, Bobby Harrell from First Baptist Church in Grapevine, Bruce Julian from First Baptist Church in Perryton, Buster Snellgrove from First Baptist Church in O’Donnell, James Westbrooks from First Baptist Church in Richardson and Jack Woodworth from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.

• Filled two vacancies on the Theological Education Council—Meredith Pinson-Creasey from South Main Baptist Church in Houston and Van Christian from First Baptist Church in Comanche.

• Elected Don Wills from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas to fill a vacancy on the board of trustees for the Baylor Health Care System, Debra McCammon from Elkins Lake Baptist Church in Huntsville to the Historical Collection Council, Hector Mendez from Iglesia Bautista Central in Fort Worth to the Ethnic Affinity Council and Kenneth Holden from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas to the Institutions Audit Group.

• Approved adjusted sector boundaries as required every five years. At least three individuals from each of the 30 sectors represent Texas Baptists on the Executive Board. Sectors are based on resident church membership in counties, with additional consideration given to the number of churches and Cooperative Program giving for Texas causes.

• Approved Executive Board policy changes, including committee structures, to reflect reorganization of staff.


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