The main (non BP) material in the Record this week is dedicated to the proposed 2007 Mississippi CP budget. I encourage all of you to read the guest opinion written by Scott Wiggers, chairman of the CP Budget Committee. If you do not get the Baptist Record and are a member of TMBC contact the church office and it will be sent to you.
I am struggling with one of the proposals. The SBC will get a 5.99% increase. This is in keeping with the general increase in the budget but it still hits me hard. I don't want to deprive missionaries on the field but the current climate in the SBC requires critical reflection on how MS-CP money is used.
Our church invests in the CP but we are also taking a more direct approach. We are directly supporting the Brodie Road Baptist Church in D'Iberville and have voted to directly support two church plants, the South Mountain Community Church (sub. NY) and Iglesia Esperanza (Pearl, MS). Mississippi Baptists may need to adopt this approach in the future.
Remember Ole Doc Causey and the state line?
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About Me
- Matt Snowden
- My wife's name is Meredith and together we have a beautiful daughter named Molly Katherine and a tough little guy named Wes. I am the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Waco, TX. I received a B.A. from William Carey College an M.Div from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a D.Min from George W.Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University.
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10 comments:
Matt!
Hope all's well with you and your family. How's the IGS reading coming? I just started my own blog, and put a link to your site on it. Then, I thought I should ask your permission to do that. Is it ok? If not, I'll remove it. You can check it out at http://pastormarksremarks.blogspot.com Later, buddy. Mark Rotramel
Yes it's OK.
My IGS reading is going ok. I have a bunch of reviews to write from notes I have taken. I've been to two learning events that were great and I'm meeting with my field super. How are you doing with it?
On a personal note. We are going to have a boy! Steven Wesley Snowden.
I'm glad you've got a blog. It will be easier for us to keep in touch.
I feel your pain. Our missionaries on the field doing global church planting for the glory of God will only receive approximately $.17 out every dollar if we give to the CP through the MBC. 17 cents!! that would be $17 out of every $100. I do not believe that Mississippi can continue to get a free pass. I don't have my paper with me but the point is simple. we are giving millions for the purpose of spending it on our state which has an existing gospel witness with thousands of Baptist churches not to mention the other thousands of Evangelical gospel churches besides the SBC.
Perry,
One of my concerns is the corporate climate in the SBC. CP dollars are currently being used to build powerful personal kingdoms. I don't want tithes from limited social security incomes going to fund bloated institutions. I think the best use of money may be the traditional holiday offerings. What do you think?
I was just thinking about that today. If the % doesn't start heading in the direction of 50/50 in the next year or so (heading, I don't expect overnight change) I am definitely going to recommend a change in our giving. I think I might like the idea of doing it through the offerings instead of direct giving. Although, the funds that come through ex. comm. distribution do cover the org. cost. I think all of it needs to be apart of a significant flattening of the conv. I think this is esp. important at the local/state level. We are spending millions of dollars on ourselves. The whole premise behind a convention/assoc. is gathering for missions and encouragement. We simply do not need a full service bureaucratic Conv. to pamper local churches and provide an advertising arm for Lifeway material.
Again, I don’t expect overnight change. But I have reached the point that the only reason to continue with the head ache of SBC baggage is our missions work . We are the heirs of a special gift from God with the recovery and protection of the Cov. from neo-orthodoxy and in some cases rank liberalism. One only has to view the CBF and many of the “identity” partnering schools to see why the resurgence was so important and necessary. As heirs of this gift we have a duty to God and our heritage to lead us forward. Many of the older generation of leaders simply do not understand just how easily a mass exodus of conservative, evangelical, inerrantist, baptist pastors and churches could occur if the continued pettiness of power control continues. If a viable conservative Baptist option were to be made available I afraid that end result could be devastating. I am not for it. I am simply stating the danger. I think the death will be a slow one of increasing irrelevance and disintrest.
Perry,
Good to hear from you. We may disagree on some specifics in regard to the resurgence but I agree that another split could occur that would leave the SBC a shell of its former self.
I would not go to some of the CBF schools you mention. I have chosen to work on a degree at Truett and have found it to be a wonderful school.
Thanks for your comments. You always give me something to think about.
dude,
I just read the ABP article on "identity" partnership. I hope you know that I was not refering to Truett. I was not aware of that connection. That's why I stated "many" instead of all. Please take no offense.
No offense taken. I wouldn't attend most of them. I think Truett is kind of like Beeson in a number of ways. Most of the Texas guys in my cohart are BGCT guys. There churches also give to the SBC. They are conservative but not fundamentalist. You would like all of them. Pastor Mark Rotramel is one. He pastors FBC Edinburg, TX.
When I was in MS only two years ago, the convention did a 65/35 split with the majority staying in the state. I was wondering if the increase you're talking about is a percentage or if its a dollar amount based on an increased budget. I know of several MS pastors who keep their mouth shut about SBC stuff because 65% stays in MS. I sympathize with your feelings, but most MS churches either don't know or care about changes in the denomination. Keep it real.
Danny,
I was told that the money division dates back to Dr. Causey. I know the same pastors you are talking about. I wonder how much more they will be able to take before they start to care about the SBC and its connection to MS. I think MS needs to cultivate some more direct partnerships and giving options, the kinds that were slammed by Ida South in the "Southern Baptists of Mississippi Herald" (November, 2005). Her second-degree separatism was both creative and sad. Enjoy the mountain ole boy!
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