The Executive Committee (EC) of the Baptist State Convention
of North Carolina (BSC) met April 14 in Cary
for a regularly scheduled meeting and heard committee and financial reports and
appointments to new committees.
The meeting began with a Vision Fulfillment story from Bob
Fulkerson, pastor of Madison Avenue Baptist Church in Goldsboro.
Madison Avenue is less than one mile from Seymour Johnson
Air Force Base, and the church has been seeking ways to minister to the
military and their families.
The church recently worked with Eddie Thompson, BSC
marriage and family consultant, to host a marriage enrichment event for
military families.
Earlier this year Madison Avenue also hosted a conference
for pastors, counselors, chaplains and lay persons involved with or
interested in ministering to military personnel who suffer from post-traumatic
stress disorder.
Although the church is not large in terms of size, its
service in the community is an example that “it doesn’t matter what size church
you are, you can make a difference,” said Milton A. Hollifield Jr., BSC
executive director-treasurer.
Personnel matters
John Butler, executive leader for business services,
reported on a change in the work assignments for the accounting team. Robert
Simons resigned as comptroller in August of last year, and in his absence
members of the accounting team have assumed additional job responsibilities.
Since that time, Butler
and the Convention’s auditors, C. Dewitt Foard and Company in Charlotte,
have determined that while an additional “set of trained eyes” is needed to
review the monthly financial statements and bank reconciliations, a full time
CPA or MBA staff member would prove an unnecessary expense.
Therefore, BSC senior
accountant Beverly Volz will assume many of the day-to-day tasks performed by
the former comptroller. The BSC will hire a
CPA to work on a contract basis each month to review monthly reports and bank
reconciliations.
“This is just one example of what we’re trying to do in
order to save dollars,” Hollifield said. “We are trying to examine all our
staff positions to see if we can do more with less.”
Committee on
Nominations
Mark Harris, Convention first vice president, brought the
Committee on Nominations report. Those new appointments include:
- Craig Hamlin, pastor of Fairview
Baptist Church
in Apex, as 2011 chair of the Committee on Convention Meetings. Former chair
Paul Crews is moving out of the state to accept a ministry position.
- Kenny Chinn, pastor of Northside
Baptist Church
in Wilmington, as chair of the 2011
Committee on Resolutions and Memorials.
- Jim Gorsuch, member of Penelope Baptist Church in Hickory to
fill the 2013 term of Barbara Hunnicutt for the Baptist Children’s Homes Board
of Directors.
- Brandon Blair, student minister of Calvary Baptist Church in
Lincolnton to fill the 2013 term of Laura Dunlow for the Committee on
Convention Meetings.
- Michael McGirt, pastor of Faithwalk
Fellowship Church
in Hope Mills to fill the 2012 term of Robert Steele for the Committee on
Convention Meetings.
Study committees
EC chair Bobby Blanton announced appointments to two study
committees that come as a result of motions approved by messengers at the 2010 BSC
annual meeting.
Phil Addison of Stony Point
Church in Stony Point
asked messengers to, “direct the Board of Directors to study and come (up) with
recommendations concerning the adoption of the Baptist Faith and message 2000
as the doctrinal statement for the North Carolina Baptist State Convention and
bring such recommendation(s) to the 2011 North Carolina Baptist State
Convention Annual Meeting.”
That study committee includes: Greg Mathis, chair, Mud
Creek Baptist Church,
Hendersonville; 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.
Tim Rogers of Ebenezer
Baptist Church in Indian Trail asked messengers to, “direct the Board of
Directors to study a policy concerning the social use of alcohol as it relates
to the funding of church plants, employment of personnel, and the nomination of
persons serving on committees and boards of the Baptist State Convention of
North Carolina, Inc., and report back to the 2011 annual convention.”
That study committee includes: Mike Whitson, chair, First
Baptist Church,
Indian Trail; Mike Barrett, Pleasant Garden
Baptist Church,
Pleasant Garden;
Brian Langley, Bethlehem Baptist
Church, Knightdale; M.O. Owens Jr.,
Parkwood Baptist
Church, Gastonia;
and Marcus Redding, Hulls Grove
Baptist Church,
Vale.
Both committees will report back to the EC in August and the
BSC Board of Directors in September.
Young leaders
The only item of new business came as Blanton asked the EC
to begin considering what they can do to invest in young leaders across the
state.
He encouraged each EC member to begin thinking about
bringing with them to this year’s annual meeting in Greensboro
one or two young leaders who have never attended an annual meeting.
As the EC and Board serve as a “strong leadership agent,”
Blanton said it is time to “begin the process of trying to invest in that next
generation.”
Financial Report
Cooperative Program funds are close to $7.6 million, .3 percent ahead of last
year at this time. Giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering is ahead 23.88
percent and giving to the North Carolina Missions Offering is ahead 5.5
percent.
The next EC meeting is May 16 in conjunction with the Board
of Directors meeting.
(EDITOR’S NOTE — BR Assistant Managing Editor Dianna L.
Cagle contributed to this report.)
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