Executive Board authorizes potential use of emergency reserve funds

DALLAS—The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board granted the state convention’s treasurer permission to tap up to $2.5 million in emergency reserve funds this year.

Chief Financial Officer Jill Larsen reported Texas Cooperative Program receipts in January totaled only $4.3 million—78.9 percent of budget requirements and 88.2 percent of the same month’s receipts last year.

According to board policies, the emergency reserve funds are set aside from previous years’ receipts for use in times of severe economic disruption or depression, she explained.

“While February receipts appear to be stronger, we are very concerned about the effect of the recession on our churches and their giving,” Larsen wrote in a memo send to the board prior to their Feb. 24 meeting.

Balance in the reserve fund—invested with the Baptist Foundation of Texas—at the end of December was $7.895 million.

If the reserves are tapped, those funds will need to be repaid, Larsen noted.

“I don’t really think the sky is falling,” she told the board, adding she believes the convention is “well-positioned for the economic downturn.”

BGCT investments dropped $40.9 million in 2008, with $34.2 million of the decrease due to market decline, Larsen reported.

Larsen commended BGCT Executive Board staff for their efforts in controlling expenses and living within resources, noting actual budget expenditures for 2008 totaled $44.7 million—well below both the originally approved $49.8 million budget and the $45.6 million adjusted budget.

However, she also reported a customer-relations management system approved for purchase last year at about $1.49 million significantly exceeded budget. At the end of December, total costs were $2.14 million.

The system enables the BGCT to track church information such as giving records, contact information for staff members and data provided on the annual church profile. When fully implemented, it also will provide workflow management for church-starting projects, allow online registration for events and track product sales and inventories for resources.

Nestor Menjivar, pastor of Iglesia Principe de Paz in Austin, asked how the system could have gone more than 50 percent over budget, adding, “It doesn’t sound like we did a very good job of controlling costs on this project.”

Larsen noted several cost overruns—$100,000 in licensing fees, $42,000 in imaging software and, primarily, $484,000 in consulting fees. Both Executive Board staff and consultants “underestimated the complexity” of the task, and it consequently “took a great deal more time” than originally projected, she said.

Fred Roach of Richardson, chairman of the board’s finance subcommittee, noted the original projection included only basic equipment costs, and the board was told to anticipate some additional costs. The project actually exceeded anticipated expenses by about 20 percent, rather than 50 percent, he said.

Twin themes—concern about the current economic situation and an urgent desire to share a message of hope—continued to emerge throughout the board’s meeting in Dallas.

“The economy is bad and could get worse,” BGCT President David Lowrie, pastor of First Baptist Church in Canyon, acknowledged.

“We know our convention, our state and our nation are facing significant challenges. But if we are not a people of hope, how can we share hope?” he asked.

God may use times of economic instability to remind people of their need to trust in him rather than in material resources, he suggested.
“Bad times may be the best of times for the kingdom of God,” he said.

BGCT Executive Director Randel Everett pointed to several individuals and Christian ministries that have stepped forward to help Texas Baptists achieve their Texas Hope 2010 mission of sharing the gospel and eliminating hunger in the state.

“My priority is to share the hope of Christ with every person in this state in their own language and culture,” Everett said. “It will not matter what else we do if we do not do that first.”

As an example of people who have made themselves available to help Texas Baptists reach their state and the world for Christ, Everett introduced Jim Denison as the new BGCT theologian-in-residence. He characterized the new post as “an unbelievable gift from God … that costs us not a penny.”

Denison explained a couple at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, where he was pastor, approached him more than a year ago after they sold their business “for a great deal of money.” They wanted to fund a ministry that would provide Denison a platform to write and teach extensively.

Then last fall, Denison and Everett talked about the need to equip Christians to respond to societal questions at a theological level and minister in the broader culture. Denison went back to the couple who had approached him earlier, and they agreed to fund the initiative.

In his role as theologian-in-residence, Denison explained, his focus will be Texas Baptists, and his goals will be to encourage cultural engagement, spiritual renewal and practical discipleship.

The Baptist Building in Dallas also will house the Center for Informed Faith, a ministry designed to extend beyond the BGCT to serve the global Christian movement in what Denison believes may be the start of a great spiritual awakening.

“Awakenings occur in times of crisis—nearly always in economic crisis,” he said. “What if God uses the current economic crisis to turn Americans from their resources to God’s resources?”

In other business, the board approved a recommendation from the Hispanic Education Advisory Council asking the board to direct the executive director to provide clarification regarding the process necessary to pursue grant-writing and collaboration to fulfill the Abriendo Puertas (Opening Doors) initiative and for the board to express its understanding that Hispanic education efforts be a priority for worldwide funding and, if possible, that funding be increased beginning in 2010 to a level that reflects that priority.

Everett announced to the board Gus Reyes, formerly director of the BGCT service center, will head the Hispanic education initiative. Half his time will be devoted to that role and half to other supervisory tasks, Everett explained.

The board approved a recommendation that separate councils for lay and vocational theological education be consolidated into a single Theological Education Council. The board also adopted resolutions of appreciation for two retiring university presidents—Jerry Bawcom of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Bob Riley of East Texas Baptist University.

The board approved Greg Ammons, pastor of First Baptist Church in Garland, to fill a vacancy on the BGCT Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries.

The board approved as trustees for related institutions Guthrie from First Baptist Church in Stephenville for Howard Payne University, Teresa Luna from First Mexican Baptist Church of San Antonio for Baptist University of the Americas and Penne Jaster of First Baptist Church in Universal City for Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio.

The board also elected three regents for Baylor University—Bobby Dagnel, pastor of First Baptist Church in Lubbock; Gary Elliston from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas; and John Reimers from First Baptist Church in Beaumont.

Board Chairman John Petty brought updates on several items referred from the 2008 annual meeting:

— Change the convention’s name. At last fall’s meeting, Future Focus Committee Co-chairman Andy Pittman of Lufkin introduced a motion that the articles of incorporation and constitution be amended to change the organization’s name from “Baptist General Convention of Texas” to “Texas Baptist Convention.”

Messengers to the annual meeting approved a recommendation from the committee on convention business to refer the matter to the BGCT Executive Board for further study.

Petty reported “friendly communication” from the Future Focus Committee, indicating that while the committee continues to believe the recommended name change would be an appropriate expression of the convention’s identity and mission, the group recognizes there are other ways to achieve that objective.

The committee currently is exploring what would be involved to trademark certain names or phrases to help the BGCT’s public relations and marketing efforts.

— Help small churches. Charles Whiteside, a member of First Baptist Church in Kilgore, introduced a motion at the annual meeting asking the Executive Board and BGCT to explore ways to help churches with fewer than 50 in attendance. Whiteside addressed the board’s executive committee, expressing his desire for the BGCT to help and encourage small churches and congregations in decline. Petty indicated the board would seek ways to raise awareness about the needs and challenges of small churches.

— Clarify the non-solicitation policy. Last year, Buckner International asked for modification or clarification of the policy in the BGCT business and financial plan that forbids affiliated institutions from soliciting funds from church budgets.
Petty reported he had named an ad hoc committee chaired by Morgan Malone, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bonham, that includes representatives from the board’s policy committee, human care subcommittee and education subcommittee. The committee will study the matter and bring recommendations to the board.