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BSC’s Executive Committee approves 2012 budget
Melissa Lilley, BSC Communications
July 18, 2011
5 MIN READ TIME

BSC’s Executive Committee approves 2012 budget

BSC’s Executive Committee approves 2012 budget
Melissa Lilley, BSC Communications
July 18, 2011

The Executive Committee (EC) of the Baptist State Convention

of North Carolina (BSC) met July 14, to hear

the proposed 2012 Cooperative Program (CP) budget and other reports.

The proposed budget presented by the Budget Committee is the

first budget since 2008 that reflects an increase in ministry dollars. The

$33.5-million budget is a 2.5 percent increase from the 2011 budget, according

to Stan Welch, chairman of the Budget Committee.

The budget includes an additional one-half percent increase

in the dollars 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.

Milton A. Hollifield Jr., BSC

executive director-treasurer, shared with the committee that he is committed to

continue increasing the funds that are sent to the SBC

because he believes in the SBC’s efforts to

be involved in missions and taking the gospel to the unreached and unengaged

people groups of the world.

However, he also shared that because state conventions are

not mirrors of the SBC, meaning there are

distinctive ministries to which state conventions are committed in which the SBC

is not involved, he is also committed to making sure that North Carolina

ministries and missions efforts have the funds needed to be effective.

Welch pointed out that the proposed 2012 budget includes an

increase for evangelism efforts and church planting. This is the sixth year in

a row that the budget for church planting has increased.

Other ministries and agencies reflecting an increase in

allocated funds include the Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina,

Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, the Biblical Recorder and North Carolina

Baptist Aging Ministry.

One of the areas with the most significant percentage

increase, 7.4 percent, is the allocation for GuideStone known as “Retirement,

Protection, and Care for NC Church staff.” About 10 years ago GuideStone began

phasing out its contributions to state conventions to help pay for the

retirement and protection benefits for North Carolina Baptist church staff,

thus BSC contributions must increase.

In 2009, the EC began to follow a reduction plan approved by

the Convention for direct funding of affiliated educational institutions,

specifically Campbell University,

Chowan University,

Gardner-Webb University,

Mars Hill

College and Wingate

University. The new relationship

with the affiliated educational institutions was established with the agreement

that the BSC would reduce unrestricted

direct funding by 25 percent each year beginning in 2009. Therefore, the 2012

budget will be the first in decades to no longer allocate direct funding to

these schools.

The EC approved the budget as presented. If the budget is

approved by the Board of Directors at its September meeting, the Board will

then present the budget to messengers at this year’s annual meeting in November

for final approval.

Other reports

The EC approved the following recommendations from the

Committee on Nominations related to appointments on the BSC

Board of Directors: Gary Carroll, Newport

Baptist Church, Newport, to fill the 2012 unexpired term of Steve

Weaver; Daniel Justice, Ogden Baptist Church, Wilmington, to fill the 2013

unexpired term of Mike Pittman; Steve Jarvis,

Colonial Baptist Church, Thomasville, to fill the 2014 unexpired term of Perry

Comer; Andy Atkins, Fairview Baptist Church, Dobson, to fill the unexpired term

of Elizabeth Billings; Katie Harris, Eastside

Baptist Church, Shelby, to fill the 2012 unexpired term of Lynn Sherrill;

Branton Burleson, Christ Covenant Community Baptist Church, Hendersonville, to

fill the 2012 unexpired term of Ed Lowder; and Wade Harding, West Burnsville

Baptist Church, Burnsville, to fill the 2014 unexpired term of Stan Willet.

The EC heard a request from Woman’s Missionary Union of

North Carolina (WMU-NC) to obtain mailing address information for the wives of

new BSC pastors in order to mail them

information about their annual new ministers’ wives retreat. The EC approved

the BSC Administration and Convention

Relations Office to mail the information on behalf of WMU-NC.

In committee reports, the Church Planting and Missions

Development Committee shared that spots are still open for pastors and leaders

on the two upcoming vision trips to Toronto

and New York City through the

Office of Great Commission Partnerships (GCP). GCP also has spots open in the

Next Generation Missional Leadership Journey. For more information contact

Michael Sowers at [email protected].

Dana Hall, N.C. Baptist Men

president, gave an update on disaster relief efforts. So far this year, NC

Baptist Men has responded to 13 disasters and 1,500 North Carolina Baptists

have participated in disaster relief training. Since N.C. Baptist Men began its

work in Haiti last year, they have ministered to more than 91,000 people in the

medical clinics and seen more than 1,000 salvations. They have also helped

build 15 permanent houses, 10 church buildings and several orphanages.

Baptist Men is also working in India,

and to date have built 657 new drinking wells and sponsored 37 church planters.

Randy Godwin, president of the N.C. Baptist Associational

Missionaries Conference, reported on a recent semi-annual gathering of the

state’s directors of missions. Among the topics being explored by the group is

the future of local associations.

Beverly Volz, BSC senior

accountant, brought the financial report. Volz reported that through the first

week in July, Cooperative Program funds are $16,138,324.42, a total that is 4.91

percent behind last year at this time. When compared to last year this time,

the BSC is ahead in both the Lottie Moon and

Annie Armstrong missions offerings.

The next Executive Committee meeting is August 11 at Caraway

Conference Center.

(EDITOR’S NOTE — Biblical Recorder Editor K. Allan Blume

contributed to this report.)