I noted with some sadness the article in the May 17 issue of the Herald announcing Virginia nominees to Southern Baptist Convention agencies. Once again, members of churches belonging to the Baptist General Association of Virginia are in scant evidence among the nominees. If my count is correct, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia garnered eight nominees, including one nominee (and the only woman) from a dually-aligned church. Only two BGAV church members—both men—were nominated, one to the credentials committee and one to the committee on committees.
The June 30, 2005, issue of the Herald contained a similar report to which I addressed a similar complaint. At the risk of belaboring the point, I stated the following:
“I would call your attention to another item on page 2 of the same issue of the Herald, ‘Virginians named to SBC posts,' reporting that ‘a number of Baptists from Virginia were elected to committees and boards of trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention last week.' Presumably with some pride, it is reported that 11 Virginia Baptists—all men—were elected to two SBC committees, one agency, the International Mission Board, and three SBC seminaries. And with one exception, all the churches represented are affiliated with the breakaway state convention, Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. The one exception, Green Ridge Baptist Church, Roanoke, apparently is dually affiliated with both the BGAV and SBCV.
“Once again, the SBC has taken Cooperative Program money contributed by more than 1,000 BGAV churches and has awarded to a far fewer number of SBCV churches all of the Virginia Baptist appointees to SBC committees, boards and agencies. When will Virginia BGAV churches wake up and stop funding the very group of Baptists that insult our BGAV members by ignoring their contributions to the Kingdom cause? Apparently, contrary to [then SBC president] Bobby Welch's evangelism theme, “Everyone Can,” in his opinion and that of his fellow SBC leaders not everyone can. Bear in mind that the SBC president appoints the members of the committee on committees who nominate those who serve on the SBC committees, boards and agencies. President Welch could easily have called for the nominations of Virginia Baptists to be proportionately representative of BGAV and SBCV membership.”
In the Sept. 14, 2006, issue of the Herald, you reported on your interview with the new SBC president, Frank Page, and you asked him whether BGAV could expect him to appoint an SBC Executive Committee member from its ranks. You pointed out that since 1989 the BGAV has sent more than $160 million in Cooperative Program funds on to the SBC without having a single individual committed to the BGAV appointed to the Executive Committee. According to your article, Page responded, “It's not fair. I would feel the same way. I will make sure that people from both Virginia conventions and both Texas conventions are included.”
I don't know how many BGCT church members have been nominated from Texas for SBC agencies and boards but in view of the strategic partnership between the Religious Herald and the Texas Baptist Standard, I hope that the editorial staff of both papers will follow up on this issue with SBC President Page. For too long BGAV Virginia Baptists have been “taxed” without equitable representation.
Daniel A. Polk, Richmond