A Task Force on Cooperation was approved unanimously by the presidents of Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) entities and executive directors of state Baptist conventions, according to a statement issued at the conclusion of a July 26 meeting in Nashville, Tenn.
The meeting was moderated by Morris H. Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee, and Wyndell O. Jones, president of the Association of State Baptist Executive Directors. The meeting was conducted according to press background rules, meaning that no one would be quoted directly and individual attribution would not be given. It was also decided that only Chapman and Jones, executive director of the Baptist Convention of Iowa, would issue statements to the media. The statement noted that the meeting was held at the invitation of Chapman and Jones.
“This dialogue will include, but not be limited to: the future of cooperation; the Cooperative Program; strategies that will cultivate and strengthen cooperative relations and assist in engaging a new generation of Southern Baptists in cooperation,” the motion stated.
The motion was made by John Sullivan, executive director of the Florida Baptist Convention, the statement reported.
Four representatives of the SBC entities on the Task Force on Cooperation will be the president of the International Mission Board; the president of the North American Mission Board; the chairman of the Council of Seminary Presidents; and the president and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee.
Representatives appointed
Representing the Association of State Baptist Executive Directors will be its president and three executive directors to be appointed by the association’s president.
Jones said July 31 he is appointing to the task force Carlisle Driggers of the South Carolina Baptist Convention; Robert White of the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia; and Anthony Jordan of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.
The motion named Chapman, as Executive Committee president, as chairman of the Task Force on Cooperation.
“It was decided the Task Force would report to a combined meeting of the state Baptist executive directors and SBC entity presidents in February 2001,” Chapman and Jones noted.
The reason for the meeting, Chapman said, was “to provide … a forum to discuss present and future needs in Southern Baptist life.”
Said Jones, “It is the sincere desire on the part of the executive directors to build trust and to work together in promoting the Cooperative Program through the (Southern Baptist) Convention.”
The CP is Southern Baptists’ unified channel for supporting missions and ministry in the state conventions and worldwide. “The state conventions wish to work in partnership to build the kingdom of God,” Jones said, “and be the missionary force God wants us to be.”
In addition, the statement also said, “Each state convention and the SBC are autonomous bodies that historically have worked together through partnerships to assist Southern Baptist churches throughout the United States in evangelism, missions and ministries.”
Said Chapman, “Because Southern Baptist polity is not hierarchical, but autonomous, keeping lines of communication open between the SBC and the state conventions is vital to our work.
“If we hope for Southern Baptists to remain faithful in fulfilling the Great Commission, we must talk and work together as genuine partners. At least, this is what our forefathers envisioned years ago, and, in my opinion, should continue today,” Chapman said. (BP)
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