By Editor Bob Terry
Sometimes it takes news from other places to jar us into appreciating the good things we seem to take for granted. That is certainly true of Alabama Baptist life. Because we enjoy a strong, unified, cooperative life as Alabama Baptists, we sometimes forget that Baptist life is not like that everywhere else.
Recent reports of sister state conventions’ annual meetings serve to remind us that as Alabama Baptists, we have much for which to give thanks. At the same time, the reports reinforce the need for Christian brothers and sisters to pray for one another. For example, Virginia Baptists adopted a budget for 2006 that is lower than their current budget. The action came after receiving reports that income will fall short of the 2005 budget. The reason for the shortfall? Church response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other natural disasters redirected funds that normally would have flowed through regular church-giving channels and on to the state and national conventions.
Alabama Baptists faced the same challenge but the reactions were different. Alabama Baptists gave generously to disaster relief. In fact, a recent study found Alabama to be the sixth most philanthropic state in the nation. At the same time, Alabama Baptists are giving at a rate that is forecast to meet the current budget. This allowed messengers to the 183rd annual meeting to adopt a record budget of $42.3 million for the coming year.
In Louisiana, the newly elected executive director campaigned for a change in the structure of the state Baptist paper. He proposed eliminating the paper’s separate board of directors and making it a department of the state staff. He indicated the paper’s funding might be reduced if the structural change was not made.
After initial resistance, the paper’s board agreed. But the messengers did not. Instead they rejected the structural change by about a two-thirds vote. Louisiana messengers amended the proposed 2006 budget from the floor of the convention to restore what they perceived as unfair cuts to the state Baptist paper.
In Alabama, not a question was raised about budgetary matters. Entity leaders know that all are treated equitably and fairly and support the annual budgets.
At the recent Alabama Baptist annual meeting, every leadership recommendation was adopted unanimously. Executive Director Rick Lance was called “the best executive director in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC)” a number of times. Lance works with entity leadership and is an advocate for each one.
In three state conventions, relations to colleges and universities dominated the annual meeting. Kentucky Baptists agreed to allow Georgetown College to elect its own trustees and, in return, will phase out financial support for the institution. Tennessee messengers postponed action on a request from Nashville’s Belmont College to elect its own trustees. Last-minute questions about who owns the property caused the delay.
In Georgia, emotions ran high when convention leaders charged Mercer University in Macon with supporting homosexual activities on its campus. The result was an overwhelming vote to sever the relationship between the convention and Mercer.
In Alabama, relationships among the three institutions of higher learning have never been better. And the relationships between the Alabama Baptist State Convention and its colleges and universities have never been better. Yes, a decade ago, things were tense. But thanks to the patient work of convention committees, college trustees and the guiding hand of convention leadership, Alabama Baptists came through the tensions intact.
At the recent annual meeting, Samford University President Thomas E. Corts received a standing ovation from messengers. Corts’ fellow college presidents praised him, and messengers adopted a resolution expressing “deep appreciation to Thomas E. Corts for his outstanding service to Samford University and to Alabama Baptists.”
All three Alabama Baptist-related colleges and universities cooperate fully with the state convention, and the state convention financially supports all of its historically related schools.
The report of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina offered several contrasts to Alabama Baptist life. One related to the struggle over giving by the churches. North Carolina provides four giving plans; that is, the convention will forward money to causes that are not directly related to the state convention or SBC. All of these funds are counted as support of the state convention. Disagreement over the value of this approach is deep and, according to comments by one of the principles, the issue will be back next year.
Alabama Baptists chose a different course. State convention offices forward funds only to causes in the annual budget. Those funds come either through Cooperative Program giving — used by about 99 percent of giving churches — or Alabama Baptist Cooperative Causes — for churches wishing to support only state causes.
That clearly marked approach allows churches to be united in state missions and ministries and prevents national issues from becoming barriers to cooperation. That is consistent with Baptist polity. Each part of Baptist life is autonomous — the local church, association, state convention and national body. Being in one group does not automatically make one a part of any other group.
Obviously Alabama Baptists have many positive things going on in their fellowship right now. That is not accidental. Our state convention has been blessed with remarkable leadership. We have patience to work through problems. We want to stay together as a loving family of God. We have been true to our Baptist heritage and polity. Our focus is outward — missions and evangelism — not inward — focusing on ourselves.
It is good to be an Alabama Baptist. We have much for which to be thankful. Let us pray that these blessings continue and our brother and sister Baptists in other places will know such blessings.
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