Last fall, the Board of Directors of Texas Baptists Committed established four committees to position TBC to meet the challenges facing Texas Baptists now and in the years to come. Since that time, these committees have been working to plan new initiatives aimed at meeting the needs of Texas Baptists. They have been given separate responsibilities – for administration, communications/technology, development, and education. Because these responsibilities overlap, the committee chairs have worked together to harmonize the efforts of the individual committees.
Here are a few of the initiatives on which these committees are working:
Administration
- Create satellite TBC office in Dallas, to ultimately become TBC headquarters
- Hire an associate executive director charged with specific responsibilities, including the following:
- Enhance TBC’s computer and media capability
- Travel across Texas to build relationships and inform about TBC
Communications/Technology
- Modernize TBC recordkeeping and fundraising
- Enhance TBC Web site on an ongoing basis
- Provide “Donate Online” capability
- Provide expanded access to the latest Baptist news
- Provide expanded access to information on Baptist heritage and distinctives
Development
- Plan a retreat for pastors and their spouses
- Communicate TBC efforts more effectively to a wider group of supporters
- Broaden the base of TBC financial support
- Enhance newsletters
- Provide the newsletter by email, rather than postal mail, to supporters who request it (it will still be provided by postal mail unless requested otherwise)
- Increase the frequency of newsletters to at least once per quarter
- Add a “mini” e-newsletter to be emailed regularly to supporters
Education
- Develop TBC presentations on Baptist distinctives, to be presented at regional TBC meetings and in local churches
- Expand TBC assistance to pastor search committees, using materials produced by TBC
A number of pastor search committees have attested to the valuable help provided by TBC materials. - Develop TBC pastor mentoring program
- Experienced pastors take responsibility for mentoring groups of less‑experienced pastors
- Members of group are encouraged to contact mentor regularly with questions about issues that they face
- Group meets on regular basis, as determined by mentor and group
Finally, we have also discussed initiatives for reaching out to college students to educate them on Baptist distinctives and encourage their involvement with TBC. We consider it a priority to educate younger generations of Baptists on what it means to be a Baptist.
We’re excited about the possibilities. For over 20 years, Texas Baptists Committed has worked to keep the Baptist General Convention of Texas free from Fundamentalist control. Our success is your success, because it is your support that has made our work effective. The BGCT continues to be under attack by Fundamentalists, as exemplified by the presence of the Fundamentalist Southern Baptists of Texas Convention in our state.
Texas Baptists need TBC more than ever, and TBC needs the support and involvement of Texas Baptists more than ever. In this newsletter, you will find a form that you can send to TBC with your donation. Please contribute today to keep Texas Baptists free.