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BSC Board OKs study committee reports, budget
Melissa Lilley, BSC Communications
October 07, 2011
8 MIN READ TIME

BSC Board OKs study committee reports, budget

BSC Board OKs study committee reports, budget
Melissa Lilley, BSC Communications
October 07, 2011

The Board of Directors of the Baptist State Convention of

North Carolina (BSC) met Sept. 27-28 at Caraway Conference Center to hear

ministry reports and to consider study committee reports as well as the 2012

budget.

Budget

The Board approved the proposed 2012 Cooperative Program

budget, a budget that reflects the first increase in ministry dollars since

2008. The $33,500,000 budget is a 2.5 percent increase from the 2011 budget.

The budget includes an additional one-half percent increase

in the allocation of funds that are sent to the Southern Baptist Convention

(SBC). This is the seventh year in a row that the BSC has increased this

percentage by one-half percent. The proposed allocation to the SBC is 35.5

percent.

This is the sixth year in a row that the budget has included

an increase for church planting.

The budget will be presented for approval to messengers

during the Convention’s annual meeting Nov. 7-8 in Greensboro.

Beverly Volz, BSC senior accountant, brought the financial

report. Volz reported that through the end of August, Cooperative Program funds

are $19,823,939.59, a total that is 7.24 percent behind budget. A comparison of

year-to-year receipts reveals that 2011 receipts are only .18 percent below

last year at this time. However, the BSC continues to operate in the black.

When compared to last year this time, the BSC is ahead in

both the Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong missions offerings.

Study committee reports

The Board heard from two committees formed earlier this year

to study issues raised by messengers during the 2010 Annual Meeting of the

Convention. One committee studied the development of a policy related to

alcohol consumption, which is related to a motion made by Tim Rogers of

Ebenezer Baptist Church in Indian Trail.

The second committee studied a motion made by Phil Addison

of Stony Point Baptist Church in Stony Point, regarding adoption of the Baptist

Faith and Message 2000 by the Convention.

Mike Whitson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Indian

Trail, chaired the Social Use of Alcohol Committee. Joining him on the

committee were Mike Barrett, Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, Pleasant Garden;

Brian Langley, Bethel Baptist Church, Troutman; M.O. Owens Jr., Parkwood

Baptist Church, Gastonia; and Marcus Redding, Hulls Grove Baptist Church, Vale.

The Board approved the statement brought by the committee,

which states: “After prayer consideration and study, the committee positively

affirms the current policies related to the social use of alcohol for the BSC

staff, BSC supported church planters, and those individuals recommended to

serve on the committees and boards of the BSC. The committee believes that our

current policies sufficiently support both the historical position of the

Convention and also the principles of God’s Word. It would be helpful to remind

all of us of Paul’s admonition to live according to the standards of purity and

holiness so as not to be a hindrance in the spiritual life of any other

individual.”

Greg Mathis, pastor of Mud Creek Baptist Church in

Hendersonville, chaired the Baptist Faith and Message Study Committee. Other

committee members included Don Bouldin, Carmel Baptist Church, Charlotte; Eddie

Honeycutt, First Baptist Church, Stanleyville; Cameron McGill, First Baptist

Church, Dublin; and Rit Varialle, Elizabeth Baptist Church, Shelby.

Mathis said the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (BF&M) is

not included in the BSC governing documents, nor is it included in the

governing documents of the Southern Baptist Convention, and there is wisdom in

it not being included. “We certainly don’t want to be creedal. The Bible is our

governing document,” he said.

Mathis said as the BF&M is a “living document,” if it

were to be included in governing documents, those documents would need to be

updated if the BF&M was ever revised. Although the committee did not advise adding the BF&M to

the Convention’s governing documents, they did see areas in North Carolina

Baptist life where they believed it should be affirmed. One such area was

church planting. Another area was theological education, and Fruitland Baptist

Bible Institute – the only institution of higher learning that is operated by

the BSC – already affirms the BF&M 2000.

Therefore, the committee presented and the Board approved a

resolution affirming the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.

This resolution will be included in the written report of

the Board of Directors to the annual meeting of the BSC in November, and

messengers will consider affirming the resolution as well.

Business services

The Board approved a recommendation from the Business

Services Committee to sell Hollifield Leadership Center, located on a peninsula

above the Oxford Dam on Lake Hickory, near Conover. The BSC purchased

Hollifield Leadership Center in 2000 and has made major improvements and

renovations since acquiring the property.

However, with Hollifield unable to operate in the black, the

convention can no longer justify expenses related to operating the facility.

“From a business, and ministry, standpoint, selling

Hollifield is the right thing to do,” said John Butler, executive leader for

business services.

The property will be listed with a real estate agency in

January 2012. Hollifield will continue to operate in 2012 until the property is

sold. If it is not sold by this time next year, the committee will bring

another recommendation to the Board.

Proceeds from the sale of Hollifield Leadership Center will

be applied to Caraway Conference Center’s capital campaign and buildings

related to the Caraway expansion will be named for Wyndolyn Hollifield, who

gave the majority of the $3-million purchase price for Hollifield Leadership

Center in 2000.

The Business Services Committee also reported that the BSC

has saved more than $300,000 in employee health insurance costs so far this

year by moving to a self-insured plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North

Carolina serving as administrator of that plan.

Articles and Bylaws

The Board approved four amendments brought by the Articles

and Bylaws Committee. One amendment was related to the articles of

incorporation and it brings clarity regarding the use of the terms “members”

and “messengers.” The three amendments to the bylaws relate to Fruitland Baptist

Bible Institute.

Find it Here 2012

Chuck Register, executive leader for church planting and missions

development, shared about the Find it Here: Expanding the Kingdom missions

mobilization emphasis for 2012. Next year is the third year in a three-year

focus on evangelism, discipleship and missions.

In 2012, North Carolina Baptist churches will be challenged

to take a step toward missional living, impacting the spiritual darkness around

them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Free resources such as a missions strategy guidebook,

missions videos, sermon outlines, Bible study and prayer materials, and

devotionals will be available at finditherenc.org. More information about next

year’s emphasis will be shared during the Monday evening session of the

Convention’s annual meeting.

Register also spoke to a recommendation brought before the

Board by the Church Planting and Missions Development Committee.

The Board approved a recommendation that the BSC serve as a

catalyst for the engagement of 250 unengaged, unreached people groups over the

next 10 years by BSC churches. The focus will be on people groups from

Southeast Asia. (See related story.)

3D leadership

The Congregational Services Committee reported on a new

emphasis called “3D.” “This is a process for strengthening your church, it is

not a program,” said committee member Lee Pigg, pastor of Hopewell Baptist

Church in Monroe. “Our job is to make disciples, not build the church. Jesus

will do that.”

The process involves helping churches discover where they

are and where God is leading; develop a strategy to get to where God is

leading; and deliver resources to help people make disciples.

Christian Life and Public Affairs

Jarrod Scott, chairman of the Christian Life and Public

Affairs Committee, reported that the committee is working to help churches

better minister to homosexuals in the community and in the church. The

committee is hosting a break out session during the Convention’s annual meeting

about ministering to homosexuals. Cross Ministry founder Tim Wilkins will lead

the session.

The committee is partnering with Eddie Thompson, BSC senior

consultant for marriage and family, who is available to discuss concerns and

provide resources and referrals. The committee has also produced a free

brochure about ministering to homosexuals.

The committee is also working to encourage North Carolina

Baptists to support the Marriage Protection Amendment, which the General

Assembly recently voted to place before voters on the 2012 primary ballot.

Passage of the amendment to the state constitution would define marriage as the

union between one man and one woman.

Fruitland appointments

The Board approved the following individuals to serve a

2012-2015 term on the Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute Board of Directors:

George Cagle, layman, Mud Creek Baptist Church, Hendersonville; Marcus Redding,

pastor, Hulls Grove Baptist Church, Vale; Ron Nichols, pastor, West Stanly

Baptist Church, Albemarle.