Originally published in the May 6th edition of the Baptist Standard
FORT WORTH—The Southern Baptists of Texas convention will hold its constitutional convention the afternoon and evening of Nov. 10 in Houston.
President Miles Seaborn said it will be held on the afternoon of the second day of the annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which meets Nov. 9– 10 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, because many people who will want to be a part of the new convention also will want to attend the BGCT annual meeting to vote on the second reading of a messenger qualification provision.
The qualification provision, passed by a
70–30 margin last fall, would provide for
two messengers from any cooperating Texas
Baptist church, but additional messengers
would depend on financial contributions to
the BGCT budget.
“Realistically, there are some who would
want to come (to the BGCT meeting) who
are concerned about the vote,” Seaborn said.
“I believe most of our people (in SBT) are
still aligned with the BGCT or dually aligned
with the BGCT and SBT and will want to
come to Houston and express their convictions.
Having our constitutional convention
at the same time they are in Houston is a
natural time to do it.”
Seaborn said he and the other SBT officers were authorized by the SBT board of directors April 24 to name a committee to plan for the new convention. It will consist of about 10 people, he said, and will make recommendations regarding a constitution, bylaws, finances, personnel and how messengers will be qualified to attend the constitutional convention.
The place and time of the constitutional convention are still to be determined, Seaborn said. Messengers to the BGCT annual meeting customarily attend annual meetings of Texas Baptist Men and Woman’s Missionary Union on Tuesday afternoons. Tuesday evening usually features a missions emphasis.
About 400 people attended a Southern Baptists of Texas rally April 24 at Orchard Hills Church in Garland. Featured speaker was Paige Patterson, president of Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., who is expected to be nominated for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention in June in Salt Lake City.