Southern Baptist International Mission Board (IMB) trustees approved a resolution on the Cooperative Program controversy in Texas, received word that the board’s chief financial officer is retiring, authorized raises for missionaries and elected a new regional leader for Northern Africa and the Middle East.
In their resolution, trustees unanimously said they “stand together with the churches, boards, agencies and institutions of the Southern Baptist Convention in their affirmation of the Cooperative Program.”
“We are not favoring any group that would make reductions in the Cooperative Program, unless the proper process (state conventions or the Southern Baptist Convention) makes the changes,” said Bill Hudgins, IMB trustee and pastor of First Baptist Church, Hokes Bluff.
The resolution, though it doesn’t use the word “Texas,” was clearly aimed at the controversy involving Baptist General Convention of Texas committee recommendations to cut more than $5 million in funding to the six SBC seminaries, the Executive Committee and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
“We are fully supportive of current Lottie Moon Christmas Offerings and the percentage the Cooperative Program gives back to the IMB,” said Hudgins.
Carl Johnson, the IMB’s longtime and highly respected vice president for finance and treasurer, told trustees he will retire Jan. 1 “in order to spend more time with my family.”
Johnson, 63, who has been the IMB’s chief financial officer the past 20 years, joined the Foreign Mission Board (now IMB) in 1979.
His administrative responsibilities as chief financial officer include accounting, finance, missionary financial support, investments, travel and freight, purchasing and facilities.
During the past 20 years, major financial changes at the IMB include diversification of board investments — from which investment income now provides 11 percent of the board’s budget — and comprehensive and substantial improvements in missionary financial support.
In their September meeting, IMB trustees approved a salary increase for missionaries beginning in 2001. The raise amounts to $100 a month for career and associate missionary couples. Raises for single and other missionary categories are based on a formula key to the raises for career couples.
Trustees also unanimously approved missionary John Brady as the new regional leader for Northern Africa and the Middle East.
He succeeds Larry Cox, who is the new vice president for the IMB’s office of public relations and development. Brady joined the IMB in 1993. (BP)
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