Focus fell squarely on defining the Louisiana Baptist Convention
for the new century during last weeks state Executive Board meeting.
But by the end of the two-hour session, state convention board
members had decided nothing – except to decide later.
Focus fell squarely on defining the Louisiana Baptist Convention
for the new century during last weeks state Executive Board meeting.
But by the end of the two-hour session, state convention board
members had decided nothing – except to decide later.
The business of the day set the stage for what could be a significant
September session for the denominational board.
Matters discussed at last weeks meeting included what
it means to be a cooperating Louisiana Baptist church, how associational directors
of missions should be elected and function and how to ensure denominational
agencies are tied to the state convention.
In addition, motions were introduced on the affirmation of the Bible in convention
documents and the possible merger of the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home
and Baptist Retirement Center.
However, the bulk of the discussion in the meeting focused
on an action approved – then rescinded – by board members.
During an early report, board members voted without discussion
or dissent for a resolution that specified a church had to give through the
state Cooperative Program in order to be in good standing and able to send messengers
to annual meetings.
“As it is, its open-ended,” explained Karl
Tingle of Franklinton, chair of the Cooperative Program subcommittee. “It
could be giving through the Cooperative Program. It could be giving to state
missions. It could be giving to a lot of different things (that qualifies one
as cooperative).”
The action referred to a resolution approved at last falls
annual meeting, in which Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers stipulated
that “in order to qualify as a cooperating Baptist church … the church
must be one that cooperates monetarily with the convention.”
Last weeks initial action simply represented an amending
of that convention resolution, board leaders noted.
However, the approved change did not remain in place for long.
Reconsideration of the vote began with comments by LBC Business
Manager Jack Ready. He noted the action could impact up to 10 churches that
currently do not give through the Cooperative Program but send money to support
state work.
Ready noted some churches also bypass the state convention
and send all their money to support Southern Baptist work.
Under the change, churches in neither of those groups could
be considered as in cooperation with Louisiana Baptists.
“Were going to cut off some churches that are now
giving to Louisiana Baptist causes only and possibly to Southern Baptist causes
only,” Ready cautioned.
Indeed, more than $100,000 a year comes in to support state
convention work from churches that choose not to forward funds to Southern Baptist
causes, Ready noted.
As the state Cooperative Program works, funds given through
that channel are distributed by a set formula – 65 percent to support Louisiana
Baptist causes and 35 percent to support Southern Baptist ones.
Churches may choose to bypass the state causes and give directly
to the national convention or shut out the Southern Baptist Convention and support
only state causes – but none of those gifts can be classified as “Cooperative
Program.”
In addition, LBC Executive Director Dean Doster noted some
of the churches who bypass Southern Baptist causes would decline to give even
$1 through the state Cooperative Program as a matter of conscience, refusing
to forward any funds to the national convention. Under the approved change,
those churches would not be allowed to be considered in cooperation with the
Louisiana Baptist Convention.
However, during the scheduled business session, Sam Johnson
of Zachary said he was uncomfortable with the earlier action of the board. Essentially,
the action meant a church that gives $1 through the state Cooperative Program
would be considered in good standing, but a church that gave more to support
Louisiana Baptist work – but not through the state Cooperative Program
– would not, he noted.
Johnson moved that the board rescind its action and ask its
Cooperative Program subcommittee to study the matter more, with an end to developing
a broader definition.
Waylon Bailey of Covington concurred, emphasizing that more
time was needed to decide the issue. Bailey noted he had been a Louisiana Baptist
for 32 years – and the issue of what constitutes a “cooperating”
church never had been decided in that time.
Tingle responded that he appreciated the problem presented
by board members.
“We struggled with it, …” he said of his subcommittees
effort. “(And) The desire is not to exclude anyone. But at some point,
you have to define exactly what you mean.”
Discussion continued.
Austin Tucker of Shreveport suggested board members had voted
“to do something we really didnt want to do.”
Tucker noted he had supported the Cooperative Program years
ago, even though the direction of the national convention was not what he wanted.
However, he also noted pastoral friends of his had chosen not
to support it but to designate money only to the state convention – and
he supported their right to do so.
Now that the direction of the convention has turned, that right
should be maintained, and churches should be allowed to “be cooperative
to the level their conscience will allow,” Tucker explained.
New leaders of the convention should not exclude churches simply
because they will not give in a specific way, he said.
“I think we made a mistake this morning, and now, we have
a chance to correct it,” Tucker concluded.
At that point, convention attorney Greg Erwin of Baton Rouge
pointed out the Executive Board does not even have the authority to decide what
“cooperating” means. That right falls only to convention messengers
themselves, he said.
Moments later, board members voted – with only one or
two dissenting “nays” – to rescind their earlier action and refer
the matter back to subcommittee for study.
In turn, a bid to open up the whole question of what it means
to be a Louisiana Baptist fell short as well.
In that instance, Tingle brought a motion that the executive
committee of the board “serve as a study committee to study whether new
churches can come at the recommendation of the association after consultation
as to the understanding of what it means to be a Louisiana Baptist.”
Tingle noted the only stipulations currently in the area are
that one must give money and oppose homosexuality (as defined in convention
documents). “There must be something more to being a Louisiana Baptist
than simply money, …” he said.
“Theres nothing that defines who we are. All you
have to do is give money. … Nothing more. Nothing less.”
Tingle said he simply wanted someone to study what it means
to be a Baptist.
LBC Executive Board President Philip Robertson said the idea
is to look at what it means for a church to be a member of the state convention
and at the process for how a church comes into the denomination.
However, several board members noted the wording of the motion
was unclear.
Eventually, board members voted to table the matter until the motion could
be rewritten and presented more clearly.