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Budget
changes should be for Kingdom's sake
I am honored to be one of the three co-chairs of Texas Baptists Committed. As a layman and longtime TBC member (joined in 1992), I appreciate the steadfast commitment to Christ and Baptist principles that the Baptist General Convention of Texas and TBC members and staff have shown these last ten years. Lay persons are a big part of TBC and the success it has had protecting the BGCT from fundamentalism. The state is full of educated and informed lay persons who have constantly remained committed to Christ and the Baptist way of life. They have helped keep their churches informed, resulting in many strong traditional Baptist churches committed to evangelism and missions. It was an honor to serve as chairman of the BGCT administrative committee. The administrative committee helps develop the budget of the BGCT prior to its recommendation to the BGCT Executive Board. BGCT reaching others In this capacity, I learned a great deal about the institutions and agencies of the BGCT and their financial needs. As Texas Baptists, we are blessed with wonderful institutions doing important ministries. When a church gives to the ministries of the BGCT, it helps 38,000 neglected and dependent children through childcare homes at 18 locations; touches 32,000 students each year in one of our Texas Baptist universities; provides care for the elderly at five locations; assists the Rio Grande River Ministry; and helps many churches and God-called ministers in a variety of situational needs. The BGCT has started 1,417 new churches in the last 5 years, 1,214 of these through the church starting center. We have student ministries scattered across 104 Texas university campuses. propaganda The BGCT staff works hard to meet the real needs of Texas churches, from mega- churches to small churches with bi-vocational pastors. Texas Baptist churches reach people from at least 45 national backgrounds. Our dedicated staff is there to help local churches with religious education, music, worship and even the design of new worship centers. BGCT meeting needs The BGCT provides counseling to ministers, seeks to help churches in turmoil and train individuals in personal evangelism. Through the Christian Life Commission, the BGCT seeks to assist churches and individuals deal with critical ethical issues and be good citizens, as well as help churches minister to families, singles and the aged. So many ministries are being done in Jesus' name with integrity and compassion. The BGCT is uniquely blessed by God, yet, we truly need to do so much more. Texas' population is projected to reach 23 million in the next 10 years. We need hundreds of new churches on the Texas/Mexico border and in our cities We have two BGCT-related seminaries, Truett at Baylor and Logsdon at Hardin-Simmons, that need significantly more funds. The Hispanic Baptist Theological School needs funding for us to make an impact in reaching Hispanics. Buckner's Benevolences does not have the funds for an adoption program or the needs that will escalate in the future. Unless we do more, many in our state will never come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ. Some punish BGCT That is why I am so sad that a few of our churches are stopping or reducing their support of the BGCT. What is especially sad is some seem to be doing it with an improper, unchristian motivation. I am reading of churches threatening to pull their support of the BGCT because we do not agree with the direction of the Southern Baptist Convention. I recently read of one Texas church that voted to stop all funds to the BGCT "if there is any further separation of the BGCT from the SBC." Notice they did not say they were going to stop funds to the BGCT because they did not like the institutions, agencies and ministries of the BGCT, but rather they were going to do it for punitive reasons, i.e., the BGCT doesn't relate to the SBC like they want it to, even though that church is free to give all it chooses to the SBC. This is a punitive attitude, aimed at hurting Texas Baptists, not because the ministries of the BGCT are bad, not because the needs are not great, but because the BGCT leadership does not support SBC fundamentalism. How sad. Friends, if you do not support the institutions, agencies and ministries of the BGCT do not give your money to them. But make that decision because you feel that your money is better used to spread God's Kingdom through some other channel than the BGCT. Do not stop funding to punish the BGCT, especially when you have the freedom to give as you choose. That is wrong. Necessary Change Should the BGCT recommend some changes in the way we partner with the SBC. The current administrative committee should make changes for the right reasons, such as believing the needs of Texas Baptists are so great, or the programs of the SBC are so flawed, that such action is warranted. No reallocation of funds should be recommended unless that reallocation of funds passes the Kingdom test: Will this reallocation use God's money in a more effective way to spread the Kingdom of God. Any such recommendation should be clearly explained and detailed so that Texas Baptist pastors and lay persons understand clearly the Kingdom motivation. The BGCT gives a church freedom to design their own giving plan. We must honor local church autonomy or we will not be truly Baptists. I expect significant changes to be recommended this year in how Texas Baptists partner with the SBC. I am excited about this possibility. I think the needs justify these changes as well as the non-Baptist direction of the SBC, especially the direction of their seminaries, Baptist Press and their ethics agency. But if such changes are recommended, I will only support them if they pass the Kingdom test. How about you? September 2000 |
