Cover Story for December 8, 2005
By Robert Dilday
Associate Editor
Virginia Baptist leaders said Nov. 30 they expect a new partnership between the Virginia Baptist Mission Board and Virginia Baptist Foundation to result in significantly more funding for Virginia Baptist missions.
At its Nov. 29-30 meeting, the Mission Board accepted a proposal from the Foundation to establish and provide seed money for an endowment fund for Baptist General Association of Virginia ministries.
The Foundation's offer would provide, over a five-year period, $250,000 for a director of development to be employed by the Mission Board; $100,000 for marketing and promotion; and up to $150,000 in matching grants for the endowment fund.
The partnership “will advance the Foundation's Christian stewardship mission while perpetually supporting the ever-widening ministries of the Baptist General Association of Virginia,” said Foundation president Ron Hall in a Sept. 26 letter outlining the proposal.
Hall had presented the offer at the Mission Board's October meeting. At the time, Mission Board members accepted it “in spirit” and appointed a subcommittee to examine the proposal and perform what Mission Board leaders called “due diligence” for the BGAV.
The subcommittee, which included six former BGAV presidents and the current one, said it reviewed the Foundation's recent history, practices and protocols.
“We received full disclosure on all matters that were before us and feel assured that the organization has conducted itself in a professional, responsible and appropriate manner,” said Darrell Foster of Virginia Beach, a former BGAV president who chaired the subcommittee, in a statement released by the Mission Board. “This included a thorough discussion and resolution of the facts and circumstances surrounding changes in leadership at the Foundation.”
The Mission Board's executive committee reviewed the subcommittee's report and recommended that the board accept the Foundation's offer, with six suggestions.
“We believe these suggestions will strengthen the relationship between the the Foundation and the Mission Board,” said Richard Smith, a former BGAV president from Falls Church who presented the executive committee's recommendation.
“We were careful to ask questions about what the proposal meant,” said Smith, an attorney and member of Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church. “… We concluded that we can look forward with comfort and confidence in working with the staff and trustees.”
In response to a question, Smith offered a rationale for each of the suggestions, which follow:
• “It is suggested that the Foundation evaluate changing audit firms.” Smith said the Foundation's auditor “is the same used by the Mission Board until recently and we changed firms. … There were reasons for making that change in the BGAV context.”
• “It is suggested that the Foundation seek proposals on a regular basis to determine who will serve as their consultant in fund manager selection.” Smith said the committee understands that “the same person has been their consultant for 15 years. We think it's a good idea to get proposals from other consultants. It's good business practice.”
• “It is understood that the Foundation make every effort to implement its commitment to encourage and motivate gifts and donations to advance the work and mission of the Baptist General Association of Virginia.” This statement is consistent with the Foundation's original 1923 charter, said Smith.
• “It is urged that the Foundation provide information concerning potential donations to the BGAV's director of development.” Smith said communication will help avoid duplication in soliciting gifts and would allow “joint efforts.” “We won't get at cross purposes.”
• “It is suggested that the Foundation strengthen the financial capability of its staff through ongoing professional development.” Smith said, “We're putting our ‘Good Housekeeping seal of approval' on the Foundation and we want them to stay on the cutting edge. Ron [Hall] says they're doing it already, but we wanted to assure it.”
• “It is suggested that the Foundation carefully review the rate of return on the various Foundation investments and that the Foundation consider using donations received by the Foundation to lower the fees charged to investors.” Smith repeated that the Mission Board is giving the Foundation its endorsement and “we want them to get the best rate of return.”
The executive committee also recommended, and the board agreed, that the board “will suggest to potential donors that they consider using the Foundation to manage donations and make reasonable efforts to provide opportunities for the Foundation to promote their capabilities to Virginia Baptists throughout the Commonwealth.”
The board also suggested that the partnership be reviewed annually.
Trustees of the Foundation, at a regularly scheduled meeting Dec. 1, agreed to study the suggestions andconsider them at their January meeting, Hall said.
“This partnership reflects the original mission of the Foundation as outlined in 1923, when it was charged to ‘encourage, receive and manage gifts and bequests for the ministries of the Baptist General Association of Virginia,' ” said Ken McFarlane Smith, chair of the Foundation's trustees. “The wisdom of our Baptist predecessors speaks to us today as we seek to secure the future for Christ's work through Virginia Baptists.”
In other action, the Mission Board:
• Elected new officers. The board's bylaws require that the BGAV's president and first and second vice presidents serve as its chair and first and second vice chairs, but Virginia law requires that they be elected. Bert Browning, pastor of Huguenot Road Baptist Church in Richmond will serve as the board's chair. First vice chair is Boyce Braddock, an attorney and member of First Baptist Church in Waynesboro, and second vice chair is Barbara Filling, pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Charles City.
Fred Anderson, executive director of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society, was elected recording secretary and Janice Mahone, a board member who attends First Baptist Church in Newport News, was elected assistant recording secretary.
• Heard that BGAV receipts were $924,091 below the budget goal at the end of October. As of Oct. 31, a total of $12,275,909 had been given toward the $14.4 million budget for fiscal 2005, which ended on Nov. 30.
BGAV treasurer Eddie Stratton reported that an additional $1,008,441 had been received between Oct. 31 and Nov. 23.
Stratton said Virginia Baptists gave more than $2.5 million this year for to assist victims of the South Asia tsunami and the Gulf Coast hurricanes, which in part explains lower budget receipts.
Receipts collected by churches on Sunday, Dec. 4, will be included in fiscal 2005, said Stratton. A full report of this year's budget receipts will be included in next week's Herald.
• Allocated funds for a variety of mission causes around the world:
– $2,500 for church repair and construction projects in the Caribbean.
– $2,500 to construct a chapel for the Parana Baptist Convention in Brazil.
– $8,000 for scholarships and planning for the India Baptist Convention's pastors' missions conference.
– $2,000 to fund a China Bible Ministry Exhibition in the United States in the spring of 2006.
– $3,250 for shelter for victims of the earthquake in Pakistan.
– $3,250 to rent space for a new church in Poland to provide an after-school club and soup kitchen for impoverished children.
• Provided $44,812 in grants to six congregations and $76,500 in salary assistance to 12 pastors.
• Adopted a resolution of appreciation for Herbert Hare, who is retiring as caretaker of the Virginia Baptist Resource Center.
• Learned that Tim Madison, pastor of Madison Heights Baptist Church in Madison Heights, will serve as budget chair for the next year. The appointment was announced by BGAV president Bert Browning.
• Received an annual report from the Ray and Ann Spence Network for Congregational Leadership, known as RASNet, a Virginia Baptist leadership development network. Bob Dale, director of RASNet's leadership commission, said that during 2005 the network has recruited teams, planned retreats, expanded its endowment, piloted programs and expanded its leadership communities.
• Heard executive director John Upton list a series of “core values” that describe Virginia Baptists:
“Virginia Baptists don't build fences. … Other denominations will box you in … but we build pools of living water and people voluntarily come to to drink the water of life. … We invite all to come and drink in everything we do.”
Other words that define Virginia Baptists, he said, are Christ-centered, congregationally-focused, biblically-based, collaboration, multicultural, transformational, relevance and excellence.
Staff report