Report: Cooperative Giving Study Committee
Report of the
COOPERATIVE MISSIONS GIVING STUDY COMMITTEE

I. ASSIGNMENT

On October 26,1993, the Baptist General Convention of Texas adopted the following motion:

“That a special committee be appointed by the President of the Baptist General Convention of Texas to study how to enhance cooperative missions giving among all Texas Baptists and report their findings and recommendations to the 1994 Baptist General Convention of Texas meeting in Amarillo.”

II. SCHEDULE

In keeping with the Convention’s assignment, the Committee met in 1994 on March 2, April 18, May 23, June 8, July 29 and August 8 to formulate its findings and develop its recommendations to the annual session of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, in Amarillo, Texas, October 31 through November 1, 1994. The Committee prepared its recommendations to report to the Administrative Committee in its August 18-19 meeting and to the Executive Board in its September 13 meeting for information and discussion. However, since this committee is a Convention-authorized committee, no action to change the report can be taken by these bodies.

III. INTRODUCTION

The Committee’s recommendations are offered with the prayer and with the belief that they are fair and inclusive and enhance the cooperative giving expressions of all the churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Furthermore they are made with an underlying conviction that Texas Baptists must labor to fulfill the mandate of Jesus, our Lord, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” MATT. 28:19 (NIV)

Questions guiding the Committee as it developed recommendations were: Is it fair to all churches? Is it inclusive of all churches? Will it enable the churches to provide effective support for Baptist missions and ministries? Is it true to Baptist polity? Will it help fulfill the mandate of Jesus in the Great Commission?

The makeup of the Committee reflected not only the different views present in Texas Baptist life but also reflected a remarkably unifying desire to provide a plan that could equally serve all Texas Baptists. Frank opinions and differences were expressed in the discussions and differences were not always resolvable to everyone’s satisfaction. The Committee understands that “fairness” and “inclusiveness” are not guarantees of satisfaction for all Texas Baptists but believes that the great majority of Texas Baptists will want these qualities to be present in their approved plans.

As a Committee we came very early to a mutually shared conviction that our way forward as Texas Baptists in fostering and supporting Christian ministries was to provide some “breathing room” in our financial plans.

The plans proposed do not require any church to change its distribution of mission gifts. They assure and honor any church’s right to change or not to change. As a result, the Committee submits these recommendations with the prayer that Texas Baptists, in the process of weighing their provisions for missions/ministry support, will find satisfaction in continuing to direct their mission gifts and in the recognized and honored privilege of other churches to do the same - even if their decision is different.

IV. FINDINGS

These are some of the conditions, historical and present, that helped shape the Committee’s recommendations:

1. Texas Baptists historically have been committed to cooperation in missions, evangelism, Christian education and benevolence ministries. This cooperation through the Baptist General Convention of Texas is expressed in Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution of the Baptist General Convention of Texas which states:

“This body is and always shall remain, only and solely a medium through which Baptist churches may work harmoniously in cooperation with each other, promoting the work and objects set forth in [the] constitution. It has not, to any degree, and shall never have any ecclesiastical authority. It shall not have and shall never attempt to exercise a single attribute of power or authority over any church, or over the messengers of the churches in such wise as to limit the sovereignty of the churches, but shall recognize the sovereignty of the churches under the one Sovereign, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

2. Most churches affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas also are affiliated with an association of churches and the Southern Baptist Convention, each being autonomous and voluntary in relation to finances and all other matters. Historically, a very close relationship that is more extensive than the Cooperative Program has existed between the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptist Convention. Many churches also have voluntarily chosen to relate to other Baptist entities in addition to the Baptist General Convention of Texas, Southern Baptist Convention and associations, and have been considered cooperating Baptist churches by the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

3. Texas Baptists have been cooperative and faithful in their support of Baptist ministries and have adopted and supported cooperative mission efforts. Texas Baptists continue to give enthusiastic and prayerful support to the thousands of Baptist missionaries who serve to “the uttermost parts of the earth.” Strong support has been given to the Cooperative Program, and it has been frequently adapted to changing circumstances in order to achieve greater effectiveness.

4. Cooperative Program relationships between the Southern Baptist Convention and state conventions always have been fraternal and functional. These relationships have been subject to alteration by either at any time. After establishing the Cooperative Program in 1925, messengers came back to emphasize the dynamic nature of the relationship between the national Southern Baptist Convention and the state conventions. The Baptist General Convention of Texas began immediately to participate in this three-way partnership involving local churches, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In 1927 the Southern Baptist Convention instructed its Executive Committee to prepare a statement on the basis of cooperation between the Southern Baptist Convention and the state bodies. In 1928 the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee presented a detailed statement on relations between the Southern Baptist Convention and state bodies that has become the basis of their relationship. The report noted that all cooperation is voluntary and that churches, associations, unions and conventions are self-determining in their own spheres and activities. The report further stated that “The state convention boards are… collecting agencies for Southwide as well as for state funds. This arrangement... is made simply as a matter of convenience and economy, and may be changed at any time.” (Southern Baptist Convention Annual, 1928, pp. 3233)

Texas Baptists never have adopted an official definition of the Cooperative Program. Along with other state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention, they have adapted the Cooperative Program from time to time to better serve the churches in their efforts to effectively support Baptist missions and ministries.

For example:

In 1925 the Cooperative Program was adopted and was understood to include all designated and undesignated gifts made by Baptists to Baptist causes.

In 1928 the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a report from the Executive Committee which included: “This Convention is not an ecclesiastical body composed of churches, nor a federal body composed of state conventions. Churches may seek to fulfill their obligation to extend Christ’s kingdom by cooperating with these general organizations, but always on a purely voluntary basis, and without surrendering in any way or degree their right of self-determination.” (Southern Baptist Convention Annual, 1928, p. 32)

In 1940 the Cooperative Program began showing signs of increased effectiveness. An increasing number of Baptists participated in its support with both their designated and undesignated gifts.

In the mid-60s the Cooperative Program gradually came to be considered by most state conventions to include only undesignated gifts.

In 1978 the Southern Baptist Convention adopted its first definition of the Cooperative Program and declared that it included only undesignated gifts. However, several state conventions continued to recognize, as Cooperative Program, contributions from churches which excluded line items from the Cooperative Program budget.

In 1991 the Administrative Committee of the Baptist General Convention of Texas developed a plan, approved by the Executive Board, that if a church expressed a conviction that its members do not wish to support a specific mission cause it may elect to exclude that item or up to a maximum of five line items from its Cooperative Program gifts and still be counted as Cooperative Program.

In 1993 the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee approved recommendations which recognize the following:

(1) “Funds received from churches or individuals for distribution only to Southern Baptist Convention entities, without designations or restrictions, shall be recorded and reported as Cooperative - Southern Baptist Convention Causes and shall be distributed according to the percentage formula of the Southern Baptist Convention Program Allocation Budget.”

(2) “Funds received from state conventions and state fellowships, identified by them as Cooperative Program funds, shall be recorded and reported by the SBC Executive Committee as Cooperative Program funds and identified with the state convention from which they are received, so long as these funds are to be distributed only to SBC entities;…” (Executive Committee, SBC, Minutes, June 14,1993, p. 10)

In 1994 the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in Orlando, adopted a motion for Southern Baptist Convention agencies and institutions to “maintain fidelity to the convention and avoid compromising the integrity of the Cooperative Program” by declining Cooperative Baptist Fellowship funds. (Baptist Press, June 15,1994)

5. Twentieth-century culture is undergoing explosive changes. Baptists are not exempt from this experience. We are increasingly diverse in every aspect of church and denominational life. This makes a single, unified funding structure more difficult today than in the past. Theological, political, ethnic and economic tensions only serve to intensify this problem. Consequently, a wide spectrum of giving practices exists among our churches at present.

6. During a decade of devastating economic struggles in Texas, a major controversy among Southern Baptists and a downward trend in missions support in many religious groups, Texas Baptists have remained faithful in contributing to cooperative ministries. Nevertheless, while needs have increased, gifts from the churches for cooperative efforts in missions, education and benevolence have remained essentially the same since 1985. Of the tithes and offerings received by churches, the percentage which is sent beyond the churches for cooperative denominational causes has decreased in the past few years.

7. Some churches feel the current system of Texas Cooperative Program reporting needs modification in order to recognize adequately their cooperative contributions to God’s Kingdom. It is felt that such a modification will help to perpetuate the historic Baptist strengths of fairness and diversity by more accurately reflecting every church’s intentions in its cooperative missions giving.

V. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the Baptist General Convention of Texas continue to stress its constitutional objective which is “to awaken and stimulate among the churches the greatest possible activity in evangelism, missions, Christian education and benevolent work and enterprises; to cultivate a closer cooperation among the churches and promote harmony of feeling and concert of action in advancing all the interests of the Redeemer’s Kingdom.” (Article II, Baptist General Convention of Texas Constitution);

2. That the Baptist General Convention of Texas continue to assist all its affiliated churches in supporting Christian missions and ministries in Texas and throughout the world. “The Cooperative Program shall be the chief means through which this body shall support its missionary endeavors.” (Article IV, Section 1, Baptist General Convention of Texas Constitution) The Cooperative Program will continue to be a church-directed program operated for the churches by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. In regard to financial matters, all churches giving to the Texas Cooperative Program budget shall be considered cooperating churches by the Baptist General Convention of Texas;

3. That the Baptist General Convention of Texas will recognize and distribute as Texas Cooperative Program contributions, funds from the churches given in any or all of the following ways:

(1) Gifts to the adopted budget of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Texas missions and ministries) and the adopted budget of the Southern Baptist Convention according to the annually adopted percentage division between the two;

(2) Gifts to the adopted budget of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (Texas missions and ministries); and

(3) Gifts to the adopted budget of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and to other worldwide Baptist missions and ministries. These may include the Southern Baptist Convention, any agency of the Southern Baptist Convention Woman’s Missionary Union, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Baptist World Alliance and other missions and ministries within the Baptist family. Note: The Baptist General Convention of Texas will continue to recognize the decision of a church to delete up to five line items in the Baptist General Convention of Texas budget and the Southern Baptist Convention budget and still count the contributions as Cooperative Program.

4. That the Baptist General Convention of Texas continue to disburse gifts for special mission offerings and other contributions for Baptist causes designated by the churches.

5. That the Baptist General Convention of Texas budget continue to be adopted by the messengers from the churches attending the annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The budget recommendation will include: (1) The distribution of Cooperative Program contributions to the ministries supported by the Baptist General Convention of Texas and (2) The percentage division of Cooperative Program contributions between Baptist General Convention of Texas budget ministries and worldwide Baptist missions and ministries.

6. That all contributions made by the churches through the Baptist General Convention of Texas will be recognized by appropriate reporting.

VI. UNDERSTANDINGS

In making the foregoing recommendations, it is the Committee’s understanding that the Baptist General Convention of Texas staff will continue to provide:

1. Information about the adopted Baptist General Convention of Texas budget and information needed or requested by the churches about worldwide Baptist missions and ministries to assist them in determining their financial support;

2. Remittance forms annually to all the churches, so that Cooperative Program funds may be distributed as directed by the churches with the churches being encouraged to limit changes to once a year;

3. Information to The Baptist Standard for reporting church missions gifts so as to reflect the church’s purpose for their gifts;

4. Information about special missions offerings which will retain their identity;

5. Information about the policy of the Baptist General Convention of Texas regarding the church staff annuity/protection plan, since to receive matching funds for the ministerial protection plan support, the church must give at least a comparable amount to the Texas Cooperative Program budget.

Members of the Cooperative Missions Giving Study Committee:

Cecil Ray, Chair
*James Denison
Charles C. McLaughlin
John Hatch, Vice Chair
Dean Dickens
Billy Ray Parmer
Bruce Baker
Ron Ellison
Ramiro Pena, Sr.
Franklin Bass
Mary Godsey
Nelwyn Reagan
Ramona Daniel
Ophelia Humphrey
Ralph Smith
Charles Davenport
Mary Humphries
William L. Turner
Wilton Davis
Jesmarie Hurst
Richard G. Williams
Nan Dean
**George Koehl
* Resigned — moved from State
** Replaced James Denison 8/11/94

September 1994