Messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention's annual meeting Nov. 14-15 surprised some observers by rejecting candidates and causes endorsed by the state's conservative political group.
Messengers voted to amend a budget-cutting proposal that would have had a disproportionate impact on the Baptist Message, the convention's newspaper.
Messengers also defeated, on a show-of-hands vote, a proposal to dissolve the paper's independent board of directors and move it under the control of the convention's executive board.
And, for the first time, messengers defeated officers in a contested race who had been endorsed by a pro-Southern Baptist Convention group in the state calling itself the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship (LIFe).
Messengers approved a $21 million 2006 budget-down from $22 million for 2005-after voting to restore a proposed $52,500 cut for the Baptist Message.
Leaders explained the convention-wide reduction was needed due to the expected impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Messengers approved the motion to change the allocation percentage for the newspaper, 687-607.
The Baptist Message will continue to operate under a separate board of trustees after messengers soundly rejected a proposal to move the newspaper within the state convention structure.
A show-of-ballots vote appeared to be at least two-to-one against the plan.
Earlier this year, new LBC executive director David Hankins proposed moving the newspaper within the convention as part of a newly-formed communications team.
The paper's trustees initially rejected the idea, but then revisited it a few months later and approved it as part of a package approach.
Under the plan, then-Oklahoma Baptist Messenger editor John Yeats would be elected director of the new LBC communications team. In turn, Baptist Message trustees would propose making the paper part of the communications team, with Yeats as editor.
For convention president, Bill Robertson, pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Winnsboro, beat Jerry Chaddick, an evangelist from DeQuincy, 792-540.
The election marked the first time a presidential candidate endorsed by the LIFe had not been elected. The group had endorsed presidential candidates since 1999, proving successful in electing a trio of pastors who served two one-year terms each.
However, this year, divisions within the most conservative wing of the state convention emerged.
Both announced nominees affirmed LIFe's view of biblical inerrancy and emphasized the importance of taking the gospel to all of Louisiana and beyond. They also cited their support of Louisiana Baptist convention agencies and the Southern Baptist Convention.
Both also agreed with the recent shift in the state convention to a more conservative stance. However, Robertson added that he has a problem with some of the ways changes were implemented.
Associated Baptist Press