DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (ABP) — Only teetotalers will be allowed to serve as trustees of the Florida Baptist Convention's agencies and boards, as a result of a vote at the convention's annual meeting.
With no discussion and less than half a dozen opposing votes, messengers approved a bylaw revision that requires all nominees for the role of trustee to “agree to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages and using any other recreational drugs.” The bylaw already requires nominees sign a pledge in support of the Southern Baptist Convention's doctrinal statement, which, like alcohol, has been an issue in other states recently.
The new measure was approved easily by the 1,258 messengers attended the annual convention meeting, held Nov. 12-13 in Daytona Beach.
The abstinence provision resulted from a pledge announced by John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention, at the state's 2006 annual meeting. Reacting to a prolonged debate at the 2006 SBC annual meeting over the use of beverage alcohol, Sullivan said he was “embarrassed” by the protracted discussion and wanted to clarify Florida Baptists' position on the issue.
The bylaw amendment, which came as a recommendation from the convention's State Board of Missions, was added to an existing bylaw that stipulates nominees must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, be a member of a church that contributes to the convention's budget, demonstrate good stewardship, and support the “Baptist Faith and Message.” Persons nominated for leadership roles are required to sign a document stating their support of the statement.
Florida messengers also heard a sermon by Southern Baptist Convention president Frank Page and re-elected Clearwater pastor Willy Rice for a second one-year term as convention president. He was unopposed.
The convention approved a budget goal of $41,023,077 with the following distributions: Florida Baptist Convention causes, 52.75 percent; Southern Baptist Convention causes, 40 percent; church-planting assistance 4.25 percent; and church annuity, 3 percent.
A new budget plan that continued the 40/60 distribution of CP gifts between national and state causes, drew discussion from Joel Breidenbaugh, pastor of CornerStone Baptist Church in Panama City Beach, who urged Florida Baptists to give a larger portion to the SBC. The budget plan was approved with only his dissenting vote.
The Panhandle pastor and State Board of Missions member later offered a motion asking the board to study Cooperative Program giving and move toward increasing national funding over the next five years.
Speaking to the motion, Breidenbaugh explained, while “we are a great mission state and we need to be doing more here, there is also some 5 billion lost people in the rest of the world.” Increasing funding for global missions, he added, would set a great example for other state conventions.
His motion was referred to the State Board for consideration.
Messengers unanimously re-elected Rice, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, to a second one-year term as president of the Florida Baptist State Convention.
Other persons elected to serve for the next year, also without opposition, were: Elbert Nasworthy, pastor of Myrtle Lake Baptist Church in Land O' Lakes, first vice president; Jim Brown, layperson from First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, second vice president; and Randy Huckabee, pastor, First Baptist Church, Okeechobee, recording secretary.
The next annual meeting of the Florida Baptist State Convention is set for Nov. 10-11 in Lakeland.
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— Based on reporting by Barbara Denman of the Florida Baptist Convention.