By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor
WOODWORTH – First, they tackled the agenda and then the questions.
At its annual spring meeting on May 6 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board dealt with a number of agenda items which dealt with reports from board committees and LBC entities to responding to a pair of motions made at last year’s 2013 annual meeting.
Randy Johnson, chairman of the Administrative Committee, led off the reports to the board by giving the committee’s response to two motions made by Lewis Richerson, messenger, Woodlawn Baptist Church, Baton Rouge and Jay Adkins, messenger, First Westwego, during the 2013 annual meeting in Alexandria.
In his motion, Adkins contended the LBC was in direct violation of its own charter and bylaws by allowing its executive director, a ‘salaried employee’ to serve as a voting member on any of the convention’s four boards of trustees.
Richerson’s motion addressed changes regarding voting privileges the Executive Director currently has on the boards. Regarding Richerson’s motion, Johnson said the committee gave this summation, “The role of the Executive Director as a voting member of the Convention committees, the Executive Board, and various agency boards is a long-standing practice, in some instances dating back to the 1800s [1849]. The presence of the Executive Director in this capacity is a great value to both the individual bodies and the Convention as a whole.”
After thoroughly researching both motions the committee declined to recommend action on either stating the LBC was not in violation of its charter and bylaws. It also pointed out it was not in violation of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College to have the executive director as a voting member of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees.
The committee’s reason for declining to act on Adkins motion was threefold, “The Charters of LBC boards are not in conflict with the LBC governing documents by naming the Executive Director of the LBC as a member of the respective boards, those charters being explicitly authorized to identify those who compose the members of the board.
“The provision in the Louisiana College charter naming the LBC executive director as a member of the college board of trustees is not evidence of undue influence under the rules of this Convention or of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College, the college’s accrediting body.
“The recent (2006) addition of the Executive Director to the LC board of trustees, a practice common to other state Baptist convention schools, is particularly useful to the LBC.”
For the full text of the committees reasons for declining the motion go to www.baptistmessage.com.
Stuart Graves of First Baptist Longville said he “was curious about the process and how the committee came to its conclusions on the motions.”
“We discussed the history of the motion,” Johnson said. “We talked through the wording and verbiage of each and we went back and researched and studied the history of the charter and bylaws. We also sought out what other executive directors did in other states. I think we did a very thorough job with both motions.”
The Executive Board voted to affirm the Administrative Committee’s decision to decline to act on Richerson and Adkins motions. The vote by the board to accept the committee’s recommendation was taken by voice vote and there was no opposition expressed.
The administrative committee also received the fourth quarter 2013 financial report and the first quarter 2014 financial report and recommended the duties of the LBC Committee on Louisiana Baptist History be assigned to the state mission services staff and that Article III, Section I of the LBC bylaws be deleted and Article II (permanent plan of organization of the convention and its committees and boards) be amended to show it.
Later in the meeting, just prior to a closing message by LBC President Steve Horn, pastor of First Baptist Lafayette, LBC Executive Director David Hankins opened the floor to board members to ask questions in an attempt to ‘help clear the air’ on recent controversies.
Hankins prefaced the question and answer period saying during his report to the board, “I would like to start out by saying thank you to the executive board,” he said. “Thank you for your patience, your good character, your ability to listen and your wise judgment. We’ve had some rumblings. Most have behaved themselves during this time but some who are not even in the state have tried to play it out in the secular press, on blogs and on twitter.
“We may have disagreements but I am not going to air our dirty laundry in The Town Talk (Alexandria’s daily newspaper), on a blog, or even World Magazine of which I have been a subscriber for the last 20 years,” Hankins said. “The duty of this board is to respond back to the convention, so I don’t want any of you to go home from this meeting without having your questions answered.”
“I will tell you this, I don’t know everything and everything I know I can’t tell you.”
All of the questions of which just six were asked from the 80 board members present dealt with Louisiana College, President Joe Aguillard, how the LC Board of Trustees came to make its decision and the financial compensation included in the separation package given to Aguillard.
In responding to the different questions, Hankins told board members, “The LC Board of Trustees decided not to renew Dr. Aguillard’s contract. He will be president until the end of this month and then Dr. [Argile] Smith will become president pro-tempore. It is my understanding Dr. Aguillard will have nothing to do with the day-to-day workings of the college and his contract as president is set to end on July 31.
“From what I understand, he is supposed to begin a one year leave-of-absence or sabbatical on June 1 at which time he will be paid his full salary. When this happens, Dr. (Argile) Smith will become the interim president at Louisiana College. From what I understand in the academic world, a teacher or a professor does receive sabbaticals, so this is in accordance with standard policy. Dr. Aguillard earned one and it was granted to him by the board.
“Because he has tenured professor after he returns from his sabbatical he will join the staff of the college in that role with a tenured professor’s salary,” Hankins said. “And that’s how I understand the lay of the land.”
A question was asked about the separation package Aguillard is to receive while on sabbatical and the amount he is to be paid as a tenured teacher after his return. The questioner indicated it seemed like a “golden parachute.” Hankins told the board that “corporations give separation packages and it is not uncommon.”
As to the amount of the separation package Hankins indicated it was somewhat subjective and the LC Board’s Executive Committee had arrived at package amount.
“As to the process the trustees used to come to this agreement, I would only be speculating. It was done in executive committee, so I will defer to Tommy French (LC Board of Trustees chairman) for the rest of the answer.”
French confirmed to board members, “Dr. Aguillard’s contract was not renewed. He was named president emeritus of the college and will assume that title beginning Aug. 1. The board also approved Dr. Smith to become LC’s interim president once Dr. Aguillard’s contract expires.”
As far as his pay, French said, “Dr. Aguillard will be paid his salary while on sabbatical, which is not uncommon, and because he is a tenured professor will receive what a tenured professor would receive upon his return from his sabbatical.”
French told board members the trustees have formed a search committee to find the school’s next president. He did not give any details on the search’s time frame or how they would seek out prospective applicants.
Smith was also given an opportunity to respond to a question concerning whether or not a pastor should direct a student to attend the school considering the negative things that have surrounded the college over the last two years.
He candidly told the board, “We are a long way from stability. It will take a while. It won’t get here in the interim and it probably won’t happen for some time even after a new president gets here. We have a lot of work to do.”
Smith shared with board members about a chance meeting with a student while walking to his office.
“I came upon a student who was obviously a little uncomfortable speaking to me. He asked, ‘Are you Dr. Smith?’ I told him I was and he asked me nervously if the college was OK? He said many students were scared about what is going to happen to the school. He also told me they (the students) had enough going on with finals and didn’t need any more on their plates.
“It got me to thinking,” Smith said. “Let’s pray together that God allows us to be left alone now to experience peace at school for the students. We must all strive to nurture an environment of peace and good relationships. This will take time but fear will give way to courage.”
In concluding the question and answer period Hankins told the board, “Let’s keep our eye on the ball. We need to be properly thankful for good things and straightforward on issues we have differences. It is time to move on. We don’t want to keep hashing this out.”
The board also heard reports from its administrative, business and finance, missions support, and properties committees, as well as from the heads of each of the LBC’s entities – Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Foundation, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, the Louisiana Baptist Message and the Office of Public Affairs.
Bobby Stults, president of the Executive Board, opened the meeting with a challenging message as he asked board members ‘are we worth our salt.’
Speaking from Matthew 5:13-16, he said, “Even during these difficult days, we are called to be salt and light. Who we are … what we are in Christ is important today. In the days of Jesus, salt was precious. As a matter of fact, the Roman Empire used salt to pay their soldiers. It was also considered to be holy and pure.
“Christ has called us to be salt. He has called us to be light. He has called us to serve,” Stults continued. “Therefore, we must serve him well. I leave you with this question, have your actions produced salt and light? The attention of the entire state is on this board and our actions. We need to serve Him well. We need to be salt and light.”
In his report to the board, Hankins began by introducing evangelist Sammy Tippit, who along with Randy Willis have written a novel, “Twice a Slave,” about pioneering Baptist evangelist and church planter Joseph Willis. Tippit presented copies of his book to Hankins, Smith and all the board members.
Hankins then updated to the board regarding the implementation of 2020, a seven year initiative designed to maximize Louisiana Baptists’ effectiveness in Gospel ministry. The initiative was endorsed by messengers at the Annual Meeting last November. The update included information on Operation Hedges and Highways, a multi-year, multi-platform media campaign. The campaign, which did a soft launch in the Lake Charles/DeRidder area prior to Easter, is designed to give every person in Louisiana the opportunity to say yes to a relationship with Christ over the next 3 – 4 years.
One of the 2020 resources referenced is a church assessment tool. Hankins had John Kyle, LBC Communications Director, explain how the tool, which is currently online, works and how it can help churches around the state. Currently, according to Kyle, more than 75 churches have taken the assessment.
Tom Harrison, chariman of the Missions Support Committee, told the board there had been 14 new church starts and two churches had purchased property to build.
Smith, representing Louisiana College, led off the reports from the entities with a short report.
“I don’t have a vision instead I have a mandate,” he said. “My focus is to get the school ready for the Fall and the next president.”
Louisiana Baptist Foundation Executive Director Wayne Taylor told the board about the different ways the Foundation can not only help individuals but churches as well.
“The Foundation is here to help you, your churches and your church members. We will be 70 years old this summer. During those 70 years we have had more than $115 million flow through the Foundation,” he said. “The Foundation currently manages $159 million dollars at a cost to the Cooperative Program of just $9 million. That’s a pretty good return.”
He also told the board another way in which the Foundation can assist churches.
“One way we can help you with your current giving is with a short term fund, which is really a savings account. As you receive money … you want to be a good steward … so you place the money in our savings account and you earn earn an extra nickel on that money. We are paying a whopping 4.3 percent this month. Still, more than what you would get at your bank.”
Perry Hancock, president of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home in Monroe, thanked the board “for helping to make this life changing ministry possible” after sharing about the Connect 1:27 conference that was taking place in Baton Rouge.
“The way to measure how effective your ministry is,” Hancock said, “is by how many people you care about. I would like to share with you this brief video of our kids telling you how much your help means to them. This video is our way of saying thank you Louisiana Baptists.”
Louisiana Baptist Message Editor Kelly Boggs, who also serves as director of the LBC’s Office of Public Affairs, presented two reports to the board.
“We try to do six things for Louisiana Baptists at the Message including reporting news concerning Louisiana Baptists, celebrating the ministries of people here in the state and beyond, celebrating the Cooperative Program, highlighting people God is using to change lives, presenting the Gospel in every issue and to practicing good stewardship.
“And when there is controversy, we have strive to cover it without prejudice or bias and to the best of our ability,” he said.
In his second report, Boggs had some very encouraging news concerning the LBC’s public affairs work.
“There have been a number of positive actions taken by the legislature this year. One of those is HB 388 which is sailing through the house.”
HB 388 would require physicians at abortion facilities to have admitting privileges at a hospital within a 30 mile radius of the clinic where they provide abortions. Additionally, it would impose a 24-hour waiting period on surgical abortions and reduce the number of abortions a doctor must perform in a given year to be considered an abortion provider.
“I believe this bill which has a lot of support in both the House and Senate would severely cripple the abortion industry in Louisiana,” Boggs said. He also reported that the Senate Education Committee had rejected an attempt to repeal the Louisiana Science Act of 2008, which allows public school teachers to use approved supplemental materials to review scientific theories in an objective manner, as permitted by the local school board.
Steve Horn, pastor of First Lafayette and LBC President, closed the meeting with a challenging message. Using Psalms 71:14-18, Horn said “our Jesus mandate is to proclaim the message to the next generation.
“In Psalm 71, it says ‘Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come,’” Horn read. “God is commanding us to tell the next generation about his greatness, his goodness, and his power. And we can with Vision 2020. We have the tools.
“As everyone knows, I am a big sports fan, though, I really don’t get too excited about track,” he said. “What I do like about track is watching the relays. You have to have speed but a relay race is won in the exchange of the baton.
“And just like there is not a forever window to reach the next generation, there is not a lot of space for the exchange of the baton. You have 10 meters or so to make the exchange. You miss that exchange zone and you miss the opportunity to win the race.
“The time to pass the baton is now,” Horn said. “And one more bit of warning, integrity is important to the next generation. So, we need to be sincere in our efforts. This next generation will leave us in a second if they sense a lack of integrity. The mission of the church has to be Jesus’ mission.”