This is an interesting time in denominational life in North America and even Southern Baptists are feeling the affect of huge changes.
In Orlando, at the Southern Baptist Convention, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force reported that baptism rates among SBC churches are in decline. This is after the conservative takeover. They reported that Southern Baptists are baptizing, even with 17,000 additional churches, less people now than in 1950. Southern Baptists are baptizing half the number of teenagers they were baptizing in 1972.
John Upton
|
The Great Commission Task Force also noted in their report that the generational patterns are in radical shift — from the World War II generation claiming 65 percent to be Christian to the Millennials who have fallen to 15 percent. Furthermore, the report stated that the giving patterns of Baptists are in radical decline. The average Baptist today gives only 2.5 percent of annual income to the local church and beyond, while the local Baptist church is giving an average of 6 percent of annual receipts to the Cooperative Program. That is a huge drop from 10 percent just 20 years ago. In light of this, and with a sense of urgency for change, the Task Force presented its report to the SBC in annual session for approval, which it received by a wide margin.
I’m reporting this to you because the decision of the SBC to approve the recommendations of the Task Force could have direct implications for Virginia Baptists. I say “could” because we don’t know at this point what the individual trustees of the SBC entities might decide to do with the approved report. SBC entities are trustee-governed so each entity’s board must decide its own implementation of the report. We will not know those for some time yet.
Personally, I love change and have always found myself attracted to new movements of the Spirit of God and I have always enjoyed a fresh expression of faith. So it was surprising to me that I felt so uncomfortable with the GCR recommended changes and their potential implications.
The questions the Task Force raised were the right questions and should be addressed by everyone. It was the recommendations that I found woefully inadequate. The recommendations I found lacking were not the ones publicly discussed. Most of the discussion at the convention was about the importance of the Cooperative Program and the introduction of an additional category called Great Commission Giving. I did not find that recommendation a particular problem because we have four giving options in Virginia. A local church is going to do what its thinks is right with its funds so attempting to dictate to it how it should give changes the focus from local church to denomination, and that is not Baptist. I found it interesting that now even the Southern Baptist Convention is finding ways to allow churches to give according to their convictions.
It was some of the other recommendations that didn’t receive much attention that baffled me. For example, I found the recommendations overly confident that the SBC from a national level could develop a strategy effective to start churches all over the U.S. while eliminating partnership agreements with state conventions. What would be the effectiveness of such a strategy? Who knows best how to start churches in Virginia — Virginia Baptists or folk in Atlanta?
The report also asked state conventions to make the “pie bigger while making it smaller.” State conventions are being asked to do more while receiving less. The report recommended that state conventions increase their CP commitments by giving 50 percent of their receipts to the SBC while at the same time making up the difference they were receiving from the North American Mission Board. This recommendation forces each state convention to decide what it will do to make up the financial differences. Will the states absorb the loss and dismiss staff or will they be forced to retain more at home to make up the loss of NAMB funds? I know of a few states that could lose the majority of their staff if this is implemented as presented. None of this was discussed from the floor.
How would this specifically affect Virginia Baptists if this report were implemented as it was presented? First, the BGAV and NAMB have a partnership agreement that is 50/50. The BGAV receives matching funds from NAMB. For example, the partnership agreement budget this year is $886,584. The BGAV contributes $443,292 and NAMB contributes $443,292. Those funds are about evenly divided between church planting and personnel. We have been slowly moving away from funding personnel over the past few years due to the uncomfortable restrictions with which we were asked to comply. The good news is we will be less affected regarding staff than other state conventions. The overall implication of the GCR report is that we could lose approximately $443,292 annually if the report is implemented by NAMB as it was presented. The phase-out is recommended to take place over a seven-year period.
The funds would currently affect 21 Virginia Baptist personnel. Most of the personnel are on associational staffs across the Commonwealth. Several are working with Latino communities or other language groups in the state and four are on the staff of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Each of these positions is strategic in reaching the lost and in serving others in the name of Christ in Virginia.
Obviously, Virginia Baptists will have to make strategic decisions in the days ahead with their financial dollars. I wanted to inform you of the potential impact of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force on our work. It will probably be 2012 before we see changes being implemented. We have time to reflect.
I left the meeting in Orlando very proud to be a Virginia Baptist. I am very proud of the way we proclaim and live out the gospel of Jesus Christ in Virginia and beyond. I love that we have friends around the world with whom we enjoy sharing this awesome calling. I love that we know who we are and find a comfort and peace in being Virginia Baptists without succumbing to the temptation of arrogance and exclusivity. I love that we are an irenic people yet we are bold and passionate about our faith. I am proud that we are committed to impacting the darkness of our world with the light we’ve been given. I love how we are broken-hearted by the brokenness of the world and we will love because we have been first loved. That is the Virginia Baptist spirit. I am proud to be a part of that tradition.
I am more convinced than ever we have a unique calling that is ours and we must be found faithful and obedient. The Task Force has challenged us all to reexamine our calling and implement what we discern. I left the meeting sad in one sense but energized in another. My confidence lies in my faith and in our people.
John Upton is executive director of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.