KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting in Kansas City Oct. 28-30 dealt with little business.
In addition to approving the agency restoration group report with no discussion (see ARG related story), messengers passed most business with little input.
They reelected all four officers to another term each. Those serving in 2014 include Wesley Hammond as president, Neil Franks as first vice president, Joshua Hedger as second vice president and David Krueger as recording secretary.
The MBC Executive Board report, including increasing the percentage of Cooperative Program receipts to be sent to the Southern Baptist Convention, was okayed with no discussion.
The Missouri goal for the Cooperative Program, the SBC’s unified funding plan, was set at $14.5 million. Five percent will be allocated to promotion and shared ministry with 60 percent of the remainder to be used for MBC causes and 40 percent to be sent to the SBC. The MBC has committed to increasing giving to the SBC until it reaches a 50-50 split.
Of the MBC portion, the Executive Board budget will use 43.08 percent. Under CP giving plan A, which includes the agency restoration group as a line item, 3 percent will go to the ARG (legal fees), 2.5 percent to the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and 11.42 percent to higher education operations.
Under giving plan B, no money goes to the ARG, and support to the MBCH increases by 1 percent and by 2 percent to higher education.
Messengers approved a change to the convention bylaw on preparation for annual meeting to delete the requirement for setting the time, place and site four years in advance. One reason for the change was because the MBC was having difficulty securing contracts for the 2017 session to be held in Cape Girardeau.
Goals for 2014 special offerings also were set, including the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions at $3.5 million, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions at $2 million, the Rheubin L. South Missouri Missions Offering at $700,000 and the World Hunger Offering at $250,000.
Messengers adopted a resolution expressing disappointment in the U.S. Supreme Court striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, and asking Missouri Baptist churches to make their convictions clear in their church constitutions. It asks pastors to speak out on homosexuality and on the need to protect marriage, and it asks churches to love and pray for people regardless of “perceived sexual orientation.”
A resolution on the change in the Boy Scouts’ membership policy prompted some response. The resolution affirmed the right of families and churches to decide whether to continue a relationship with the Boy Scouts.
One messenger suggested the resolution “had no teeth” and gave no direction to churches on how to deal with the Boy Scout organization. Another disagreed with allowing boys with same-sex tendencies to participate in Scouting but not to become Scout leaders as an adult.
Messengers also passed a resolution in support of the 60/40 Cooperative Program split.
