JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — After voting last year to escrow funds to punish five agencies for moving to self-perpetuating trustee boards, the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) this fall will consider a budget that removes the embattled entities entirely.
The MBC executive board voted 30–16 July 9 to amend a draft budget by eliminating funding from both the Cooperative Program unified budget and a supplementary state missions offering for The Baptist Home, Missouri Baptist Foundation, Missouri Baptist College, Windermere conference center and the newspaper Word&Way.
Kevin Smith, pastor of Highview Baptist Church of Chillicothe, Mo., proposed the amendment, he said, for three reasons.
One was to address the concern over escrowed funds. “Churches want the money they give to be put to work in ministry,” he said.
Second, he said, reallocating the escrowed funds would “reward” other agencies that have stayed under convention control. Finally, he said, transferring money earmarked for Word&Way would help The Pathway, a new “official” journal of the MBC approved by the executive board in April, to get off the ground.
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