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Discount Motilium, I was a messenger to the Southern Baptist Convention from 2006 until 2011. I took a more active part in some than in others, but I was always encouraged by the fact that the churches, through their messengers, set the tone for and control the direction of our great cooperative enterprise, Motilium uk. Though I was without ballots in New Orleans in 2012, and though I missed them greatly, I was more encouraged following this convention than I have been following any other. Motilium australia, The spirit of cooperation I sensed, even from those with whom I have been opposed on various issues in the past, contributed greatly to that encouragement. Equally encouraging was the sense that, in the business sessions, 20mg Motilium, the messengers were heard and their will was carried out. I am more grateful than ever to be a Southern Baptist following this most recent meeting, Discount Motilium.
In this post, I will share my reflections on the various sessions of the convention, 10mg Motilium, explaining my reaction to the various items presented and my hope for the future based on the actions of the convention in session. I will divide these reactions based on the various types of business conducted, reacting in order to the motions presented and their disposal by the convention, the election of our officers, the reports of the convention entities, 50mg Motilium, and the report of the Committee on Resolutions. I will close with general observations gleaned from my observations of the mood in the convention hall, as well as various conversations over meals, 200mg Motilium, in the exhibit hall, and elsewhere.
Motions
I was encouraged first of all by the motions that were presented. Discount Motilium, Observers of the SBC annual meeting have characterized time for presentation of motions as being like the time at a family reunion when the crazy uncle shows up. With rare exception, this year, 250mg Motilium, the crazy uncle stayed home. There were no motions regarding an “American Christian Flag,” there was no protest of LifeWay for selling “allegory, Motilium us, ” and controversial non-SBC pastors were altogether absent from these sessions. It was refreshing in that, at least.
There were a couple of items of concern, and these bear mentioning, Motilium canada. First, there was the motion offered by a messenger from Oklahoma regarding the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (ERLC), Discount Motilium. It was an attempt to go around the resolution process and force the convention to speak to the recent controversy surrounding said president. I was grateful that the chair ruled this motion out of order, and that the convention had the wisdom to sustain his ruling. Motilium mexico, As a committed Congregationalist, I am happy that the convention saw the wisdom of that ruling. I’ll have more to say about this messenger and his motion under the heading of “Entity Reports.”
The other item of concern came from a messenger from Illinois who dominated the microphone with a plethora of motions. Discount Motilium, I call this an item of concern based on the reaction I perceived in the hall, and not because it concerned me especially, except that it was a demonstration of poor convention strategy. This messenger had legitimate concerns, and for the most part he expressed them properly, 500mg Motilium, but his concerns, and any agreement the convention might have found with them, collapsed under the sheer volume of what he brought to the convention. 150mg Motilium, While any messenger has the right to bring as many motions as time allows, a prudent messenger must recognize that a perception of trying to dominate the floor will doom his chances of being taken seriously. I believe his ubiquity doomed his legitimate challenge to the proposal for the adoption of a descriptor, brought later as a recommendation from the Executive Committee.
Elections
The election of officers can be, Motilium ebay, depending on the circumstances, either a gripping drama played out on the convention floor, or a good time to visit the exhibit hall. This year, the election of our president was the former, though no other candidate was presented, Discount Motilium. Motilium japan, I was grateful to be in the hall when President Bryant Wright invited messengers to stand in affirmation as Recording Secretary Jim Yeats cast the convention’s ballot electing Fred Luter as the next president of the SBC. It was an historic moment, and a great step forward for our convention in repudiating a past steeped in racism. I was moved to tears, and even though I was without ballots, 1000mg Motilium, I proudly stood alongside the messengers in celebration of Luter’s election.
Sadly, the elections further down the ballot proved to be much of the latter, 40mg Motilium, and though there was no contest for the position of first vice president, the second vice presidential election’s first ballot elected in a runoff, with Dave Miller, a pastor and blogger from Iowa being elected on the second ballot. Discount Motilium, Dave is a friend and a good man, but I’m of the opinion that if blogging is your claim to notoriety, you have no business being elected to a convention-wide office. I shared this sentiment with Dave after the election, Motilium india, and he laughed, and then he gently slapped me.
Entity Reports
The entity reports were encouraging as usual. Motilium coupon, As I stated above, I am a committed congregationalist, and as such, I was grateful for the change in our bylaws after the 2006 annual meeting which required that entities reserve not simply one third of the time allotted for their reports, but specifically that they reserve the last one third of that time, 100mg Motilium, for discussion from the floor. There is no way in which the entities of the SBC are more accountable to the messengers of the convention than during that time, and prior to 2007, Motilium usa, it was the custom of those delivering reports on behalf of the entities to begin by asking if there was any discussion, then proceeding to give their reports. I don’t fault those reporters for using that tactic, as it tended to minimize or even eliminate questions from the floor, but I’m glad the bylaw has been changed, Discount Motilium.
It is always good to hear reports that are focused on the spread of the gospel, and in New Orleans, messengers were not disappointed, Motilium paypal. The Great Commission was mentioned in each and every report, and stories of faithful Baptists carrying out this charge were prominent, as well they should be, 30mg Motilium, in the reports from our two mission boards.
The seminary reports were similarly encouraging, as messengers were told about legions of young men and women being trained for kingdom work in our churches and around the world.
I was grateful that the time for questions was utilized well during the LifeWay report. Discount Motilium, In years past, it has been “crazy uncle” time, but this year, a questioner with some sanity rose to the microphone and gave Dr. Rainer an opportunity to explain their process for determining what they will sell in their stores, Motilium overseas. The thrust of his response was that we should trust those we have elected to oversee LifeWay, and I couldn’t agree more.
My moment of discouragement during the reports came during the report delivered by the president of the ERLC. Motilium craiglist, The discouragement has not to do with the content of the report, but with the time at the end rightly allotted for questions. I mentioned in the section on moti
ons that a motion was offered by a messenger from Oklahoma attempting to get the convention on record opposing the recent actions of the ERLC president, actions for which he has apologized repeatedly and publicly, Discount Motilium. I was discouraged that this messenger did not display the courage to take advantage of the opportunity to question the president directly and openly on the floor of the convention. That the messenger continues to blog disparagingly about the ERLC president only heightens my disappointment that no questions were addressed to the president when he stood before the convention to receive them.
Resolutions
I was greatly encouraged by the spirit that attended the report of the committee on resolutions, 750mg Motilium, and the adoption of their recommendations with only friendly amendments here and there. Much of the conversation heading into that Wednesday session was focused upon two proposed resolutions. Discount Motilium, The first was on the “Sinner’s Prayer,” which emerged from the committee in edited form as “An Affirmation of the ‘Sinner’s Prayer’ as a Biblical Expression of Repentance and Faith.” The second was reported by the committee titled “On Cooperation and the Doctrine of Salvation.”
The “Sinner’s Prayer” resolution was thrust into the spotlight due to proclamations made by two leading pastors on different sides of the “Calvinist/traditionalist” divide, and the committee did a commendable job of reworking the originally submitted and widely publicized submission into a resolution both sides could wholeheartedly support. Though there was an attempt by the anti-Calvinist faction to add an amendment that would have been fatal, the attempt failed, and the convention overwhelmingly adopted the resolution.
The resolution on cooperation passed as well, giving me and many others great hope that the convention will not divide over soteriological questions. Those who seek division solely on this basis among brothers and sisters in Christ who joyfully affirm the Baptist Faith and Message are being increasingly marginalized in conversations throughout the convention, as well they should.
Conclusion
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Allopurinol For Sale, It has been widely and broadly asserted on various blogs that "Fundamentalism" is a danger to cooperation. While I probably don't even agree with what is meant by many in their use of the term, I would like to illustrate why I don't believe this to be the case, Allopurinol craiglist, and to do so using what promises to be the highest-turnout 1st vice-presidential election in recent SBC history. Allopurinol usa, David Rogers, an IMB missionary to Spain, is one candidate, 750mg Allopurinol. David is, Allopurinol coupon, of course, the son of the late Dr. Adrian Rogers, Allopurinol ebay, a hero of the faith to many. I enjoyed my brief conversation with David last year in Greensboro, and while I disagree with him on many issues, such as his support of so-called "private prayer language," and his views on ecclesiology (specifically the Lord's Supper) which are at odds with the Baptist Faith & Message, I greatly respect and appreciate him for the work he is doing on the mission field, Allopurinol For Sale. Allopurinol paypal, Dr. Jim Richards is another candidate. Dr, 150mg Allopurinol. Richards is the Executive Director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC). Allopurinol For Sale, Dr. 20mg Allopurinol, Richards has been vilified by many for, among other things, his support of (and his amendment to) last year's Resolution 5, Allopurinol mexico. I think we could get everyone to agree that if the two choices are "fundamentalist" and "non-fundamentalist, 1000mg Allopurinol, " Dr. Richards would be the former and David Rogers the latter.
Nominating David Rogers will be Dr, 10mg Allopurinol. David O, Allopurinol For Sale. Dykes, 30mg Allopurinol, pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church (GABC) in Tyler, Texas. Ordinarily, Allopurinol uk, I would not have considered the Cooperative Program giving of Dr. 100mg Allopurinol, Dykes' church to be an issue here, but the press release mentioned it, so apparently, Allopurinol australia, it is. Allopurinol overseas, GABC is well-known as a leader in giving to the Cooperative Program, which sounds great unless you are aware that that giving is channeled through the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT). Baptist Press even went so far as to claim Allopurinol For Sale, that GABC "led the Southern Baptist Convention in Cooperative Program giving the past several years."
Now while it just doesn't get any more "non-fundamentalist" than the BGCT, for every dollar the BGCT receives in "Cooperative Program" giving, they keep $.79. Already, 50mg Allopurinol, you can see what wonders this does for "cooperation." The remaining $.21 can then be designated by the giving church to one of three "worldwide" options: The SBC, Allopurinol canada, the CBF, or the BGCT (to enhance TX World Missions Initiatives). And a church can designate its giving in such a way that 100% of what is given stays with the BGCT, Allopurinol india, or 21% is given to the CBF, Allopurinol japan, yet report that amount on its Annual Church Profile as "Cooperative Program Giving." Hard to believe. Click here to view the form churches submit with their contributions. What Baptist Press reported may be true in regard to the number on the ACP in the box next to "Cooperative Program, 250mg Allopurinol," I seriously doubt that they are any kind of leader when one considers how much actually makes it through to the SBC.
Again, David Rogers is not responsible for any of this, and it should not be an issue in this election, which is why I am puzzled that Dr, Allopurinol For Sale. Allopurinol us, Dykes included it in the press release.
Now, let us consider the SBTC, 40mg Allopurinol, which has been led by Dr. 500mg Allopurinol, Richards since its inception in 1998. For every dollar a church gives to the Cooperative Program through the SBTC, only $.46 is kept, 200mg Allopurinol, while $.54 is sent on to SBC causes.
Allopurinol For Sale, Dr. Bart Barber had some amazing numbers in the comment section of his blog yesterday: "Assuming that Green Acres gave their CP monies to the BGCT according to its adopted budget, if they had given them through SBTC under Jim Richards, another $536,646.14 would have gone to national and international missions." Dr. Barber then invites his readers to imagine the potential impact of this across the state of Texas.
Another interesting exercise is to compare the impact of these two methods of giving on just one SBC entity, the International Mission Board (IMB). I've attempted to learn from Dr. Dykes how the "Worldwide" portion of GABC's "Cooperative Program" gifts are designated, but for the purpose of this comparison, I'll assume that it is all designated to the SBC, Allopurinol For Sale.
In the SBC's budget, fully 50% is given directly to the IMB. What this means is that, for every dollar given by GABC through the "Cooperative Program" as administered by the BGCT, only ten and one-half cents reaches the IMB. But for every dollar given by a SBTC-affiliated church through the CP, $.27 will find its way to Richmond.
Wade Burleson has repeatedly said that fundamentalists are a danger to cooperation in our convention. Allopurinol For Sale, As a reminder of just how dangerous we (once, I couldn't even spell "fundamentalist"; now, apparently, I are one) are, see if you can follow this tortured bit of text (from here):
Our convention hated liberalism twenty years ago . . . , but at this hour we better hate legalism and Fundamentalism as much as we did the former liberalism or we will find ourselves so fractured and fragmented that we no longer have the ability to cooperate about anything, including missions.
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Taking a cue from Jeremy (Open the Comments!) Green, I'm re-publishing a past post as we head into the San Antonio convention, Elavil ebay.
I have lately heard the election of Dr. Frank Page (shown here expressing his feelings about those to his left ;-)) to the presidency of the SBC last June attributed to a number of things. Some have suggested that it was the sending of a message to the "old guard" of the convention that they are no longer in charge, buy Elavil Over The Counter. 100mg Elavil, Some have attributed his ascendency to a grass-roots statement against "narrowing the parameters of cooperation." One blogger even goes so far as to suggest that the remarks made by the widow of a former convention president, asserting what her deceased husband would have thought of this supposed narrowing, actually "cemented" the election of Dr. Page, 150mg Elavil.
So I thought it might be useful to reproduce a post I wrote last summer, after arriving home from Dr. Elavil canada, Page's native North Carolina, where he was elected. Buy Elavil Over The Counter, The post was written June 26, 2006, and was titled The President of the Cooperative Program. Enjoy:
When I first heard, from an opinion piece in the Florida Baptist Witness, 50mg Elavil, about the dismal Cooperative Program giving of First Baptist Church in Springdale under the leadership of Dr. Ronnie Floyd, 30mg Elavil, it made me curious. That curiosity led to research that eventually led to a chart detailing that church’s CP giving since 1986, the year Dr. Floyd became their pastor, 250mg Elavil..I then realized that, in order to be fair, I would need to publish such a chart for each announced SBC presidential candidate, buy Elavil Over The Counter. Not wanting to be forced to rush the research, I prepared charts for every person I heard mentioned as a possibility. 1000mg Elavil, I think I did six or seven charts in all, and I was struck by a pattern I noticed in each of them.
Without exception, Cooperative Program giving had steadily declined in each of the charts I had done, Elavil craiglist. In fact, if you look at the rate of decline in the CP giving of FBC Taylors, Elavil paypal, South Carolina, where Dr. Buy Elavil Over The Counter, Frank Page is pastor, you will find that their CP giving has declined under Dr. Page on a pace similar to that of FBC Springdale under Dr. Floyd, Elavil mexico.
In response to a question from Jeff Richard Young, I dug a little deeper, Elavil australia, and completed a chart for Dr. Page’s previous church, Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, Elavil coupon. This chart, which I never published, detailed the CP giving of that church during Dr, buy Elavil Over The Counter. Page’s pastorate there. It showed CP giving in his first year, 20mg Elavil, 1991, of 5.63%. That giving grew to 9.10% in 2001, his last year as their pastor, Elavil us.
I had an idea that I knew what this indicated, but to be sure, 200mg Elavil, I emailed Dr. Buy Elavil Over The Counter, Page to ask him. Specifically, I asked if these numbers indicated a belief on his part that 10%, the number originally advocated by an ad hoc Cooperative Program study committee which reported to the convention this year, 40mg Elavil, was the ideal for a church’s CP participation.
Dr. Elavil india, Page responded, saying that he has said publicly that a church’s CP giving should show “a selfless, missional mindset.†He stated his belief that 10% does indeed reflect that mindset. He also said that, Elavil usa, while it was true that his church’s giving has been declining, he believes that trend will reverse when this year’s numbers are published. He also pointed out in his email to me that, when he came to FBC Taylors, there was little to no mission activity emenating from that local church, and that they now have developed “one of the largest mission programs in the Southern Baptist convention from a local church,†while at the same time giving “serious support to our denominational mission work.â€
Dr, buy Elavil Over The Counter. Elavil uk, Jerry Rankin, during the report of the International Mission Board to the convention in Greensboro, made a statement that has stuck with me. I don’t remember the exact quote, Elavil japan, but the substance of the statement was that it is not the job of the IMB to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, but rather it is the job of the local church. 500mg Elavil, Clearly, Dr. Page understands this mandate, and he is a fine example to follow in this regard, 750mg Elavil. Buy Elavil Over The Counter, I titled this post as I did because I believe that this is what Dr. Page’s election was all about. In conversations with many who are not regular participants in the SBC blog conversations, Elavil overseas, I have found very little understanding about issues that have motivated many in this venue (IMB, NAMB, narrowing paramaters of cooperation, etc.), 10mg Elavil. But I never had to explain the difference between .27% and 12.44%. Dr. Frank Page is our president, and his presidency is of the Cooperative Program.
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In a recent post titled "Something I Genuinely Do Not Understand Buy Indometacin Over The Counter, ," Wade Burleson asks the following question, which he says has "continued to plague [his] understanding":
"Why would any conservative agency of the Southern Baptist Convention, whether it be state or national, reject the mission dollars of a church or individual who desires to contribute to that agency's work in reaching the world for Christ through the proclamation of the gospel?"
Speaking of sounding Baptist, 500mg Indometacin, Indometacin craiglist, in Wade's post, he once again found it necessary to reiterate his conservative Baptist credentials, 10mg Indometacin. Indometacin japan, He seems on this point to have become quite defensive of late. He reminds us that, 750mg Indometacin, Indometacin uk, when the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship organized in Oklahoma in 1992, it was he who nailed to the door of their meeting room "95 Theses Against Participation in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma." Perhaps it has been a while since Wade actually read this document, 1000mg Indometacin, Indometacin india, for it contains, I believe, the relief he seeks for his "plague" of misunderstanding:
8. Dual alignment is nothing but a euphemism for a withdrawal from fellowship.52. To give to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is to take away from the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
I hope this serves to alleviate any misunderstandings.
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Where Can I Buy Deltasone, This is perhaps the longest day I've had lately, but it's been a very good one as well. I left my house in southeast Oklahoma a few minutes before 5:00 this morning, Deltasone japan, and arrived in Jackson just after 2:00 this afternoon. My hotel room wasn't ready (check-in isn't 'til 3), but Art Rogers' room was, 10mg Deltasone, so I got to hang out there for a few minutes while I waited. Deltasone uk, 
The Baptist Identity Conference is off to a great start. Dr. Frank Page addressed the conference first, preaching from Philippians 1 and emphasizing Paul's mindset, motives, and methodology in challenging us to consider the future of the Cooperative Program, Where Can I Buy Deltasone. It was a pleasure to chat briefly with Dr, Deltasone craiglist. Page in the hallway. Deltasone usa, He is a truly gracious man who, it is clear, cares deeply about the future of our convention and especially of the Cooperative Program, 40mg Deltasone. Speaking about his election to the SBC presidency last June, Deltasone coupon, he provided one of the funniest moments of the day, when he said that he felt a little like Forrest Gump, that he is just in the right place at the right time, Deltasone us, and amazing things are happening all around him. Where Can I Buy Deltasone, In honor of this analogy, I offer this photographic representation. 750mg Deltasone, Dr. Page is on our church's prayer list, and in my prayers at least weekly, 30mg Deltasone. Keep him in yours, Deltasone overseas, as well.
Dr. Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay, was up next, and he talked about the fact that we are in undeniable decline as a convention, Where Can I Buy Deltasone. Dr, Deltasone mexico. Rainer enumerated five factors that are contributing to the decline of evangelism. Deltasone india, You can read about them at Twelve Witnesses.
Dr. Where Can I Buy Deltasone, Mike Day, Director of Missions for the Mid-South Baptist Association, was up next, and although the bar had been set high, he was up to the task. His presentation was nothing less than a re-imagining of the way associations work, Deltasone paypal, and it was challenging. 500mg Deltasone, Again, Art Rogers can give you a better summary, as he was blogging live, 250mg Deltasone. What I most appreciated about Dr. Deltasone australia, Day's presentation was his emphasis on the primacy of the local church in cooperative missions. He admits that he doesn't have it all figured out, but he is leading his association in new directions anyway, and that was inspiring, Where Can I Buy Deltasone.
There was a "coffee house for bloggers" after the last session tonight, and it was a great opportunity to renew some acquaintances and make some new ones, Deltasone ebay. Folks I met in person for the first time tonight include Tim Rogers, 50mg Deltasone, Tom Ascol, David "volfan 007" Worley, and a good number of non-blogging Southern Baptists, 20mg Deltasone. Folks I had met before who I saw again tonight include Joel Rainey, 200mg Deltasone, C. B. Scott, Deltasone canada, Alan Cross, 1000mg Deltasone, Dwight McKissic, Joe Thorn, Steve McCoy, 100mg Deltasone, and probably some others I've forgotten. 150mg Deltasone, All in all, it was a great day, and well worth the early start. I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep, and a great day tomorrow.
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There has been a lot of discussion in recent months about baptism. We have discussed its mode (dunking), its meaning (obedience), its proper administrator (me), the correct water temperature (58â—¦ F), and how long the one being baptized should be held under (until there are no more bubbles). Okay, so I made some of that up. The point is, we have discussed this issue until I was sure there was nothing left to discuss. I was wrong about that.
A while back, Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota caused something of a stir in baptist circles by discussing the possibility of accepting into their membership those who were "baptized" as infants in another denomination, if they viewed that infant "baptism" as a fulfillment of Christ's command to be baptized. While I haven't kept up with the disposition of that suggestion, I seem to remember that they have backed away from it, and they were wise to do so in my opinion. I was pretty confident that this experience would discourage other churches from considering a move so out of step with baptist history and, I believe, with scripture itself. I was wrong about that, also.
Right here in my home state, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, we have a church that, it seems, is attempting to go Bethlehem Baptist one better. The members of Henderson Hills Baptist Church in Edmond will vote, at the end of July, on a bylaw change proposed by their elder council (a whole other post) that would allow the acceptance of members who have never been baptized at all.
On their website, hhbc.com, you can read for yourself all of the background material and studies with which they support this change. Their pastor, Dennis Newkirk, also has a blog where he addresses these issues, and if you're interested, I encourage you to read their materials. Here is an excerpt from one of their documents justifying this change:
We see that it would be a tragic mistake to exclude Christians from membership, solely on the basis of baptism, who may potentially have a great impact on the Kingdom of God. For example, under our current rules, great theologians such as John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, Sinclair Ferguson, R.C. Sproul, and J.I. Packer would be considered unqualified for church membership
Now, I'm no expert, but it seems to me that these great theologians would clearly understand that, should they desire membership in a baptist church, baptism by immersion would likely be involved, yea, even required. And I also do not see how their "impact on the Kingdom of God" is in any way lessened by being ineligible for membership at Henderson Hills Baptist Church.
The only conclusion I can draw from this episode is that, their assertions to the contrary notwithstanding, Henderson Hills no longer desires to be a baptist church. And I certainly hope that the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, and the Capital Baptist Association will interpret this move, should the congregation affirm it, as an expression of this desire, and take appropriate action. Yes, in case that was too vague, I am hereby calling on their local association and their state convention to refuse their contributions to our cooperative efforts. Not that it would be that great a loss. As you might imagine, I have reviewed their Cooperative Program participation, and their 1.3% CP participation and 0.3% associational giving will scarcely be missed.
I am drafting a resolution which I intend to submit to the 100th Annual Meeting of the BGCO this November which, if adopted, will have our convention affirming our commitment to a regenerate, scripturally baptized church membership. Please, kind reader, feel free to offer suggestions on this resolution or, if necessary, to point out the errors in any of the above.
When I first heard, from an opinion piece in the Florida Baptist Witness, about the dismal Cooperative Program giving of First Baptist Church in Springdale under the leadership of Dr. Ronnie Floyd, it made me curious. That curiosity led to research that eventually led to a chart detailing that church's CP giving since 1986, the year Dr. Floyd became their pastor.
I then realized that, in order to be fair, I would need to publish such a chart for each announced SBC presidential candidate. Not wanting to be forced to rush the research, I prepared charts for every person I heard mentioned as a possibility. I think I did six or seven charts in all, and I was struck by a pattern I noticed in each of them.
Without exception, Cooperative Program giving had steadily declined in each of the charts I had done. In fact, if you look at the rate of decline in the CP giving of FBC Taylors, South Carolina, where Dr. Frank Page is pastor, you will find that their CP giving has declined under Dr. Page on a pace similar to that of FBC Springdale under Dr. Floyd.
In response to a question from Jeff Richard Young, I dug a little deeper, and completed a chart for Dr. Page's previous church, Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. This chart, which I never published, detailed the CP giving of that church during Dr. Page's pastorate there. It showed CP giving in his first year, 1991, of 5.63%. That giving grew to 9.10% in 2001, his last year as their pastor.
I had an idea that I knew what this indicated, but to be sure, I emailed Dr. Page to ask him. Specifically, I asked if these numbers indicated a belief on his part that 10%, the number originally advocated by an ad hoc Cooperative Program study committee which reported to the convention this year, was the ideal for a church's CP participation.
Dr. Page responded, saying that he has said publicly that a church's CP giving should show "a selfless, missional mindset." He stated his belief that 10% does indeed reflect that mindset. He also said that, while it was true that his church's giving has been declining, he believes that trend will reverse when this year's numbers are published. He also pointed out in his email to me that, when he came to FBC Taylors, there was little to no mission activity emenating from that local church, and that they now have developed "one of the largest mission programs in the Southern Baptist convention from a local church," while at the same time giving "serious support to our denominational mission work."
Dr. Jerry Rankin, during the report of the International Mission Board to the convention in Greensboro, made a statement that has stuck with me. I don't remember the exact quote, but the substance of the statement was that it is not the job of the IMB to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, but rather it is the job of the local church. Clearly, Dr. Page understands this mandate, and he is a fine example to follow in this regard.
I titled this post as I did because I believe that this is what Dr. Page's election was all about. In conversations with many who are not regular participants in the SBC blog conversations, I have found very little understanding about issues that have motivated many in this venue (IMB, NAMB, narrowing paramaters of cooperation, etc.). But I never had to explain the difference between .27% and 12.44%. Dr. Frank Page is our president, and his presidency is of the Cooperative Program.
As is my habit, I’ve compiled below two charts containing data detailing the Cooperative Program and mission offering participation for Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. The data goes back to 1986, the year Dr. Jerry Sutton became their pastor. It has been announced that Dr. Sutton will be nominated for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting next week in Greensboro, North Carolina.
|
Year |
Undesignated Receipts |
Cooperative Program |
Percentage |
| 1986 |
$1,653,445 |
Not reported |
% |
| 1987 |
$1,873,785 |
$224,526 |
11.98% |
| 1988 |
$2,092,705 |
$259,825 |
12.42% |
| 1989 |
$2,140,095 |
$246,691 |
11.53% |
| 1990 |
$2,349,835 |
$305,156 |
12.99% |
| 1991 |
$2,374,285 |
$237,428 |
10.00% |
| 1992 |
$2,472,785 |
$206,037 |
8.33% |
| 1993 |
$2,625,555 |
$275,398 |
10.49% |
| 1994 |
$3,102,073 |
$191,969 |
6.19% |
| 1995 |
$3,251,494 |
$203,980 |
6.27% |
| 1996 |
$3,662,175 |
$195,551 |
5.34% |
| 1997 |
$3,913,677 |
$214,167 |
5.47% |
| 1998 |
$4,174,343 |
$128,500 |
3.08% |
| 1999* |
$4,400,388 |
$422,168 |
9.59% |
| 2000* |
$4,432,604 |
$498,747 |
11.25% |
| 2001 |
No data |
No data |
% |
| 2002 |
No data |
No data |
% |
| 2003 |
$4,286,775 |
$49,116 |
1.15% |
| 2004 |
$4,165,837 |
$177,000 |
4.25% |
| 2005┼ |
$4,104,377 |
$0 |
0.00% |
*Data for these years does not separate CP giving. Figure is total mission expenditures. ┼CP giving was reported as $0 for this year in an otherwise complete ACP report.
| Year | LMCO | AAEO |
| 1986 |
No data |
$30,459 |
| 1987 |
$55,000 |
$2 |
| 1988 |
$60,000 |
$15,000 |
| 1989 |
$90,000 |
$2 |
| 1990 |
$60,000 |
$35,000 |
| 1991 |
$57,445 |
$29,343 |
| 1992 |
$65,559 |
$43,002 |
| 1993 |
$63,875 |
$37,725 |
| 1994 |
$117,270 |
$47,624 |
| 1995 |
$80,000 |
$44,000 |
| 1996 |
$64,000 |
$34,500 |
| 1997 |
$110,000 |
$55,500 |
| 1998 |
$110,000 |
$50,000 |
| 1999 |
* |
* |
| 2000 |
* |
* |
| 2001 |
No data |
No data |
| 2002 |
No data |
No data |
| 2003 |
$221,126 |
$68,730 |
| 2004 |
$68,162 |
$27,265 |
| 2005 |
$86,273 |
$34,357 |
It has been discussed on several blogs, notably SBC Outpost, that there is a potential conflict of interest regarding Dr. John Floyd's election as chairman of the trustees of the International Mission Board. I emailed Dr. Floyd regarding this, and here is his response:
I am not sure what is meant by conflict of interest that some are discussing. It has been supposed that we receive a pension from the IMB. Any retirement funds for missionaries come from Guidestone, the same as any pastor or other agency employee. That is from funds already contributed for that purpose, not funds that are currently being provided. I have never served on a committee that has anything to do with benefits for emeritus missionaries.
In other news, Baptist Press is reporting today that the recommendation that the SBC elect leaders from churches who give 10% of their undesignated receipts to the Cooperative Program is
being changed to delete the reference to 10%. The official statement of the officers of the Executive Committee said, "These recommendations never were intended to create controversy." Morris Chapman, President of the SBC Executive Committee, states in the article that "The mention of a specific percentage in the recommendations has generated so much discussion from a variety of perspectives that we felt a revision would allow all Southern Baptists, from churches large and small, to enthusiastically approve the report, including the nine recommendations."
Dr. Anthony Jordan, Executive Director/Treasurer of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma, chaired the ad-hoc committee responsible for the report. He expressed disappointment with the revision, but affirmed the leadership of Chapman and the officers of the Executive Committee.
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