The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) executive committee (EC) will not recognize the newly formed Baptist General Convention of Missouri as a collecting agent for the SBC, following action taken at its Sept. 17 meeting.
Executive committee members also declined to recommend limiting the number of state-conventions recognized by the national body. Their decision was in response to a motion referred to the EC from the annual meeting of the SBC in St. Louis.
Bruce Prescott, a messenger from First Baptist Church, Norman, Okla. And a supporter of limiting the number of state conventions, was allowed the opportunity to speak on behalf of the issue before EC members voted.
Prescott said it “appears contradictory to say in Missouri that one state convention per state is in the best interest of the convention and then in Texas and Virginia to deny that recognizing and accepting gifts from only one convention in each state is in the best interest of the Southern Baptist Convention.”
The Baptist General Convention of Missouri was recently organized in protest of the directions and policies of the Missouri Baptist Convention.
Other states with competing conventions include Texas and Virginia.
Morris Chapman, president and chief executive officer of the SBC Executive Committee, explained the convention’s stance following Prescott’s remarks.
“It is the business of the state whether it has one or 20 state conventions. It is the business of the Southern Baptist Convention in each instance to have the prerogative to determine how they’re going to relate to any state conventions or any number of state conventions,” Chapman added.
In another executive committee action, an ad hoc committee concerning the Baptist World Alliance was reactivated. The committee will continue to evaluate the relationship between the SBC and BWA on a regular basis.
Those serving on the committee are Chapman, James T. Draper, president of LifeWay Christian Resources of the SBC; Jerry Rankin, president of the International Mission Board; Paige Patterson, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; Tom Elliff, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church located in Del City, Okla.; Gary Smith, chairman of the SBC executive committee; Judge Paul Pressler; and Bob Sorrell, of Bellevue Baptist Church located in Cordova, Tenn.
(BP)
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