DALLAS (ABP) — After extensive debate, the Baptist General Convention of Texas executive board voted 52-28 to approve a $50.1 million budget recommendation — a move that eliminates as many as 30 staff positions for Baptists' largest statewide body.
The board will recommend to the BGCT annual meeting in Oct. 29-30 in Amarillo, Texas, a $50,126,356 total budget for 2008, which is a $473,644 reduction from the 2007 budget. It includes $43,326,356 from the Cooperative Program budget and an anticipated $6.8 million from investment earnings and other sources.
The budget requires approval by messengers to the convention's annual meeting. However, staff cuts will be implemented immediately, BGCT Executive Director Charles Wade said. Staff members who lose their jobs will receive a severance package, counseling and placement assistance. The 2008 recommended budget provides no salary increases for remaining staff.
During transitions related to changes in governance and organizational reorganization — and following a period when fewer churches contributed funds — the BGCT relied on earnings and interests from reserves, Wade noted. But the executive leadership team was committed to decrease reliance on off-budget income sources, he added.
Wade, who retires Jan. 31 as executive director, said it would not be fair to pass on to his successor the responsibility for cutting staff.
Much of the discussion during the board meeting centered on where cuts appeared and which areas received increases during a year when some people would lose their jobs.
The missions, evangelism and ministry area shows the largest cut of any section: a $505,813 reduction in the 2008 budget. Areas showing apparent losses include $338,184 from missions; $21,892 from ministries; and $13,825 from evangelism.
Promotion costs such as postage, printing and advertising accounts for $211,000 of the $505,813 apparent cut.
A portion of the $294,813 remaining net loss will be offset by funds made available through the Mary Hill Davis Offering for Texas Missions and by money received from the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, said Ron Gunter, chief operating officer.
The total promotion budget transferred from individual programs to the communications office totals $602,000. Without considering that a portion of the losses shown in the 2008 budget summary reflect those transferred dollars, other areas posting reductions include:
— $188,321 cut from the congregational ministries area, with $109,372 coming from field staff areas including church starters and congregational strategists.
— $64,986 cut from institutional ministries. The category includes chaplaincy, theological education and the Texas Baptist Historical Collection. Actual support to schools, childcare and family services ministries and hospitals dropped $172,742.
— $94,118 cut from Texas Baptist Men.
— $68,014 cut from associational ministries.
The communications office showed a $412,593 increase, but it included the $602,000 in promotional money from other program areas. Excluding the transfer, the area lost $189,407.
Several areas posted increases in the 2008 budget:
— $461,171 added for financial management. In addition to changes in technology and building support, the increase is due to an internal audit function in the area.
— $102,610 for the BGCT Christian Life Commission.
— $94,804 added to the leadership area for the intentional interim program, deacon training and emergency assistance to terminated ministers.
— $26,366 added to the chief operating officer's office and $8,004 to the executive director's office budget.
In other business, the board:
— Elected John Petty, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Kerrville, Texas, as chairman and Steve Dominy, pastor of First Baptist Church in Gatesville, Texas, as vice chair.
— Recommended to messengers at the annual meeting a special agreement between Baptist Child & Family Services and the BGCT. Under the agreement, the agency would elect two-thirds of its own board, and the BGCT in annual session would elect the remaining one-third.
— Created a full-time staff position for a Hispanic educational advocate to help Texas Baptists address the high school dropout rate among Hispanics.
— Conferred the title “executive director emeritus” on Charles Wade, effective Feb. 1.
— Heard an explanation regarding BGCT involvement in the New Baptist Covenant meeting in Atlanta in January. Kenneth Jordan from First Baptist Church in Alpine, Texas, asked why BGCT participation in the event was not decided by a vote at the state convention's annual meeting.
Wade responded that the BGCT was invited to participate because of its membership in the North American Baptist Fellowship as part of the Baptist World Alliance.
“I didn't feel it was necessary to bring it to a vote,” Wade said.
The New Baptist Covenant convocation, which includes a joint assembly of the four largest historically African-American Baptist conventions in the United States, grew out of that initial meeting. When prominent Democrats, particularly former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, signed on as participants, it sparked controversy and charges that it had become a partisan political platform.
But several Baptist Republicans have also agreed to participate, including Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa. Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor and a GOP presidential candidate, initially agreed to take part, but he later withdrew his endorsement of the meeting.
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— EDITOR'S NOTE: Additional coverage from the BGCT Executive Board meeting, including a report on alleged misuse of church-starting funds in Weslaco, Texas, will follow.