MESQUITE—Texas Baptist Men honored Leo Smith for his years of service as the mission organization’s executive director, heard reports on “the activity of God” through TBM and conducted business at their Feb. 18 meeting.
Smith, 72, recently announced his intention to retire after seven years as TBM executive director and more than four decades in leadership with the organization. Smith became interim executive director in 2002 and served in that capacity until he was elected to the position in February 2004.
The TBM personnel committee will serve as a search committee to find the next executive director.
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Texas Baptist Men Executive Director Leo Smith was honored Feb. 18.
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In his final report to the board, Smith pointed to several of the 18 ministry areas in which TBM is involved and asked leaders of those ministries to give testimonials. Smith particularly noted the group’s growing involvement in water purification worldwide, pointing out TBM workers filtered 109 million gallons of water last year.
He also noted TBM has 9,999 trained disaster relief volunteers, and he encouraged anyone at the meeting who had not received basic training to respond soon and help the missions organization reach the 10,000 mark.
In a business session, the group elected Tommy Malone from Park Central Baptist Church in Dallas as president, in addition to electing vice presidents for each of the organization’s ongoing ministries.
TBM also approved a $1,852,533 budget for 2011, down 6 percent from 2010, reflecting a decrease in financial support from the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The budget anticipates $472,500 from the BGCT Cooperative Program, $100,000 from BGCT worldwide causes and $150,000 from the BGCT in designated gifts.
TBM presented four Parabolani awards, named for a first century brotherhood of Christians who risked their lives for their faith. The 2011 recipients are Bob Young, a member of The Heights Baptist Church in Richardson for his involvement in water purification; James Cundiff of McKinney for his service in Haiti; and Cordelia Smith from South Park Baptist Church in Alvin for her sacrifice in allowing her husband to devote himself to service as TBM executive director.
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