Texans nominated for SBC positions do not bode well for cooperation

Several current and past BGCT leaders see problems in the recent appointments of Texas Baptist representatives to serve on SBC committees.

“This is a deep concern to Texas Baptists and signals little desire on the part of SBC leaders for future cooperation and reconciliation,” said current BGCT president Charles Wade. “They continue to put in positions of leadership many persons totally out of touch with mainstream Texas Baptists.”

Wade said his remarks specifically referred to Walt Carpenter, appointed to the North American Mission Board; Danny Souder, pastor of Northlake Church in Dallas to the North American Mission Board; Ronnie Yarber, co-pastor of Meadow Creek Community Church in Mesquite, to a second term at Southwestern Seminary; and Don Workman, lay member of Southcrest Church, Lubbock, to the Committee on Committees.

Bob Campbell, current chair of the BGCT Executive Board added: “I am deeply disappointed that the Southern Baptist Convention Nominating Committee continues to propose nominees that represent only one viewpoint in Texas Baptist life. The sad part is that not only is it just one viewpoint, it is a minority viewpoint

. “Here in the Baptist General Convention of Texas we have room for both majority and minority viewpoints. Both Charles Wade and I have consistently nominated persons from every spectrum of the BGCT. We have given consideration to gender, lay person and clergy, ethnic background and conservative and fundamentalist elements

. “In Texas the tent is truly broadened.”

Jerold McBride, immediate past president of the BGCT and current co-chair of Texas Baptists Committed said, “These appointments are indicative of an insensitive attitude toward mainstream Texas Baptists. The majority of Texas Baptists who vote their convictions year after year once again have been completely ignored by the SBC appointments. Surely so many Texas Baptists who give so much of their money to SBC causes deserve more consideration than this. Could it be that the current SBC leadership welcomes our money but not us?”

June 1997