TWO FORMER BGCT PRESIDENTS ENDORSE CP GIVING PROPOSAL

DALLAS — Two past presidents of the Baptist General Convention of Texas have endorsed a proposal which recommends a Cooperative Program with a primary focus on Texas Baptist causes.

J. Richard (Dick) Maples, pastor of First Baptist Church, Bryan, and president 1992- 93, and Phil Lineberger, pastor of First Baptist Church, Tyler, and president 1990-91, have endorsed a plan reported in the Baptist Standard to be under consideration by the newly-appointed Cooperative Missions Giving Study Committee.

While the 22-member committee — appointed following the 1993 annual meeting of the BGCT — has not agreed on its final recommendations, sources said the consensus favorite was one which emphasizes Texas causes.

Under the plan, churches will continue to send Cooperative Program contributions to the BGCT, but would be required to designate how funds beyond Texas would be distributed. Currently, gifts to the Cooperative Program are automatically divided 63.35 percent for Texas Causes and 36.65 percent for the Southern Baptist Convention.

Currently, funds beyond Texas — about $21 million in 1993 —automatically go to the SBC unless a church designates otherwise.

If a church does so, the action is called a “Negative designation” and the contributions of that congregation are not considered “Cooperative Program” gifts.

The recommendation under consideration would require each church to specifically designate how its funds beyond Texas would be distributed, and would consider all gifts “Cooperative Program” gifts.

The proposal being considered would allow a variety of things under “worldwide Baptist causes,” including the SBC, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Criswell College or any other Baptist entity.

“Such a plan, as we have read it, is completely fair to all Texas Baptists, including churches which support the SBC totally, those which support only part of the work of the SBC, and those which are struggling to support the SBC,” the former presidents said.

They added such a proposal would have a unifying effect, allowing Texas Baptists churches “to remain unified around the BGCT and its current leadership and mission vision.”

“Texas Baptist are fragmented regarding the SBC, its leadership and budget,” said Maples. “Texas Baptists, for the most part, want out of SBC politics. This is a way of doing that while respecting the autonomy of each church as well as the autonomy o this state convention.”

Lineberger added the budget proposal enhances and recognizes the right of each church to decide for itself how it will support missions.

“This plan respects Baptist polity,” he said. “It is no way prevents any church from identifying with the SBC, or any other Baptist entity.”

The special committee was appointed by current BGCT President, Jerold McBride, pastor of First Baptist Church of San Angelo. He named the panel after messengers to the 1993 annual meeting adopted a motion by Ben Loring, pastor of First Baptist Church of Amarillo.

Loring told the committee during its April meeting the Amarillo church has long been a leader in CP giving in Texas, but, in 1990, chose to send gifts through the CBF because of concern over the direction the SBC, the Executive Committee and its leaders are taking.

Because of that decision, Loring said, the church last year gave $2,600 to the SBC CP, and designated $719,000. Of that total, $465,000 remained in Texas to fund BGCT causes and $254,000 was sent through the CBF.

Because the CBF budget funds SBC mission boards and other entities, $189,000 of the Amarillo gifts went on to the SBC.

Loring pointed out the Amarillo money which went to SBC Causes exceeded the undesignated contributions from Second Baptist Church of Houston, where SBC President Edwin Young is pastor, but have been “devalued” because the Amarillo church gifts are not regarded as “Cooperative Program” gifts.

Maples and Lineberger noted that under the current system, there appears to be an “approved budget” and many churches are made to feel disloyal if they do not “send in money just like they are supposed to… like their churches always have.”

The situation, however, is changed, and to think it can go back to pre-1979, is to deny the facts.

Maples said the proposed plan under consideration will help keep Texas Baptists unified

. “This approach respects everyone’s point of view. No one would have to designate around the ‘approved’ budget. This plan would allow us to cooperate on things we agree on and to respect everyone’s differences beyond the state convention,” he said.

Lineberger suggested the proposal will help many pastors and churches have open and honest discussion and to make some healthy decisions.

The Cooperative Missions Giving Study Committee has not decided on its recommendation and likely will not do so until its final meeting, currently scheduled for July 29.

Any recommendation will be presented to the annual meeting of the BGCT, scheduled October 31-November 1 in Amarillo.

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