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.