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Fundamentalist Texas convention seeks ties with traditional state
convention's agencies DALLAS - A breakaway Southern Baptist state convention is seeking "fraternal" relationships with agencies and institutions of the Baptist General Convention of Texas to allow churches to pass funds to those entities through the alternative state group. Jim Richards, executive director of the 600-church Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, invited presidents of BGCT-affiliated schools, child-care agencies and Texas Baptist Men to a March 7 meeting to discuss the proposal. "By networking, the SBTC avoids a bureaucracy," Richards wrote in an invitation letter to agency heads. "The SBTC does not wish to create new schools and ministries when it is possible to partner with Baptist entities of like faith and practice." Richards said in an interview that the conservative state group has two categories of funding partners. "Affiliates" of the SBTC agree with the group's doctrinal statement and qualify to receive convention funding. The convention may also establish "formal fraternal relationships" with entities that are not in the budget but may receive pass-through funds designated by a local church. Texas Baptist leaders reacted with suspicion to the proposal. "It is somewhat perplexing at the very least that this group would criticize who we are in the Baptist General Convention of Texas and yet want to have a formal relationship with our ministry institutions that are so much who we are," said Keith Bruce, BGCT coordinator of institutional ministries. Bruce called the proposal an attempt to drag BGCT agencies into denominational politics. Texas Baptist Men Executive Director Jim Furgerson said his group would likely remain solely with the BGCT. "I can see no reason why (we) would do anything to damage a relationship that has served us all well for more than three decades," he said. "I would not anticipate Texas Baptist Men establishing any fraternal or formal relationship with any other organization." Baylor University President Robert Sloan sent Richards a firm response that Baylor's "historic connection with the BGCT is the strongest partnership relationship for us as a Baptist institution." "We are deeply committed to the work of the BGCT and thus neither seek nor desire relationships with other Baptist entities within Texas which would either compete for or dilute the resources and efforts of the BGCT," Sloan stated. Other agency heads emphasized their organizations' commitment to work with local churches across the theological spectrum. "We will work with any individual, church or group, regardless of denominational politics, that is seeking to minister to the hurting as Jesus did," said Ken Hall, president of Buckner Benevolences. "If a church aligned with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention is seeking to minister in the name of Jesus as Buckner does, we would be more than happy to work with that church, and we welcome its financial support." Richards said there is nothing sinister in his request to meet with representatives of the BGCT institutions. "We've just simply invited the representatives to come sit down and dialogue with us and see if there is common ground," he explained. "Many of the churches that are affiliated with the SBTC have contributed through the years" to BGCT institutions and "would like to continue a relationship through a state convention with these entities," Richards said. He rebuffed criticism that SBTC is attempting to "steal" BGCT ministries. "We're not asking for governance," he said. "We're asking for the possibility of partnering with other Great Commission entities."
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