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.)