By Editor Bob Terry
The Alabama Baptist
One might read all the records of the 193 previous annual meetings of the Alabama Baptist State Convention (ABSC) and still not find a time when messengers made a historic business decision with more unanimity than what was experienced in the recent annual meeting.
After 124 years of being headquartered in the state capital of Montgomery and 53 years at the current location, messengers voted to move the ABSC offices to Prattville (see story, page 4). Yet there was no bickering over the recommendation. In fact, there was no discussion and the motion passed without opposition.
Some described the action as “right sizing” the offices since the State Board of Missions (SBOM) staff has been paired from a high of 121 in 1998 when the last addition to the office building was completed to the current 67. State missionaries and support staff no longer need the 87,500 square feet of space provided at the current site. SBOM Executive Director Rick Lance said the proposed new facility of 39,900 square feet will meet all of the needs of the convention and SBOM for the foreseeable future.
Despite the case made for the decision, the keys to the vote were transparency and trust. The relocation recommendation did not come suddenly. Several years ago SBOM approved the idea of relocating to the Prattville area along the I-65 corridor. That possibility was reported and openly discussed but the idea lay dormant lacking a viable funding plan.
Time to reflect
Earlier this year when the “exchange of keys” was worked out with Baptist Health, information was shared with all board members prior to an Aug. 12 meeting at which the proposal was considered. SBOM members had time to reflect on the proposal and discuss it fully before they approved the recommendation and forwarded it to messengers at the state convention for consideration.
Between Aug. 12 and the Nov. 15 vote the proposal was thoroughly reported and openly discussed. Every aspect of the process was made available for all Alabama Baptists who cared to be informed. No one sprang a last minute idea on members of SBOM or on messengers to the annual meeting.
No tension, opposition
Instead the transparency of the process of approval as well as of the proposal itself resulted in no questions from the messengers and no visible opposition. There was no tension in the auditorium as the motion was presented. Rather it was just another motion from SBOM.
During the Nov. 14 meeting of SBOM, Lance told members the pre-convention gathering was to make sure everything was in place for the annual meeting. New items of business or recommendations to the convention are usually not considered. He said this was to make sure messengers had opportunity to know what was coming from their SBOM before the annual meeting.
That kind of concern for transparency produces trust in one’s leaders, and Alabama Baptists trust their leaders because the leaders practice transparency.
Trust and transparency were evident again in the adoption of the 2017 convention budget. Even though the total Cooperative Program (CP) goal of $40 million is the same as the current year, there were significant changes within the various categories.
Alabama Baptists agreed to continue to pursue the goal of dividing CP receipts 50–50 between state and national causes. To reach that goal leaders originally recommended using a “shared ministry” approach which had the approval of the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) Executive Committee (EC). That approach recognizes that certain ministries benefit the SBC and the state convention equally so expenses for those items can be evenly divided between the two causes.
Using that approach Alabama Baptists achieved the 50–50 division two years ago. However, the approach produced confusion in some quarters and was difficult to explain.
State leaders decided to take a different approach in order for the process to be transparent for all Alabama Baptists. It was agreed to work toward simply dividing all CP receipts evenly between SBC and the state convention. The idea became workable when Samford University agreed to reduce its annual allocation by $400,000 a year for four years with that money redirected to SBC causes. The 2017 budget is the second year in that approach.
The SBC portion of the $40 million budget is 48 percent. Lance said it will take two more years to reach the 50–50 goal.
Again messengers adopted the budget without discussion or visible opposition.
Even though the goal of sharing CP receipts evenly between state and national causes has not yet been achieved, Alabama Baptists still give more to national SBC causes than any other state convention. According to SBC figures, for the last year of record, Alabama Baptists gave $17,623,899.73 to national CP causes. That was almost $350,000 more than the second place state convention.
When CP and designated gifts are combined Alabama Baptists led the way again giving $36,858,762 to SBC causes according to SBC EC reports. That is more than $1.7 million above the second place state convention.
The International Mission Board (IMB) recently released giving by state conventions to IMB work and when giving through CP, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the World Relief offering are combined, Alabama gave more to IMB work than any other state convention — $22,598,122.
Alabama Baptist culture
Alabama Baptists work together and give together because we do things transparently. Pressure, manipulation, power plays, rush to vote and the like are not a part of Alabama Baptist culture. That is why there is cooperation among the churches, the associations, the entities and every aspect of convention life.
The recent annual meeting was only the latest demonstration that transparency and trust go together and that is the best way for Christian believers to do business.
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