Steps already taken to implement recommendations
Posted: 11/17/06
Steps already taken to
implement recommendations
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
DALLAS—All of the recommendations made by an investigative team regarding misuse of church starting funds in the Rio Grande Valley will be implemented—and some were initiated long before the Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board mandated them, Executive Director Charles Wade said.
At a closed-door meeting Nov. 13, the board voted to implement the recommendations “expeditiously and in full.” The board also instructed Chairman Bob Fowler to name an ad hoc committee to monitor implementation and report to the Executive Board at its February meeting.
| Executive Board Chairman Bob Fowler speaks at the BGCT annual meeting. (Photo by Jim Jackson) |
“Now we’re going to sit down with key staff, identify everything in the Executive Board motions, break the items down and develop plans, assign responsibility and set timelines,” Wade said. “We are prepared to give an accounting. We’re going to work on that.”
 • See complete list of convention articles |
Wade once again stressed his commitment to leading the BGCT Executive Board staff through the process, dismissing rumors of any imminent retirement announcement.
In an interview immediately following the BGCT annual meeting, Wade outlined his plans for carrying out the seven recommendations presented to the board by the investigators who uncovered mismanagement and misuse of church starting funds in the Valley.
• Church starting guidelines should be reviewed and revised.
The process review began in February—before the investigative team even started to work, Wade noted. Chief Operating Officer Ron Gunter worked with Tim Randolph—former associational director of missions and now a BGCT congregational strategist—in the review process. (See related story on page 16.)
At its Nov. 13 meeting, the Executive Board approved a motion that the guidelines be elevated to “policy” status and be incorporated into the BGCT policy manual. Policies are mandatory provisions established by the Executive Board that can be modified only by the board. Guidelines are developed by staff and can be revised by the chief executive officer.
• Develop more accurate and accessible mortality rates for new churches.
Personal contacts by congregational strategists around the state and calls by service center personnel will help verify whether church starts survive and thrive, Wade noted.
• Integrate and coordinate record keeping.
The BGCT Executive Board staff already has adopted two software programs—one related to finances and the other designed to help track church relations, Wade said.
 • See complete list of Valley funds scandal articles |
Staff also is “making headway” toward consolidating more than 80 databases previously maintained by individual offices in the Baptist Building, he noted. The largest ones have been completed, and staff continues to work on eliminating duplications and errors.
• Develop better internal controls over disbursements.
“We’re going to make sure there’s adequate oversight over checking” and related accounting issues, Wade said. “We don’t have to wait for the board to do that.”
• Control and design of BGCT reporting systems should be performed by the accounting department.
The specifics of how to implement that recommendation have not been determined yet, Wade noted.
However, he pointed out a related matter—implementing an internal audit function—already was in process long before the investigators brought their report. The Executive Board’s audit committee introduced the idea at the board’s May meeting.
• Response to allegations must be immediate.
“We are going to create a culture of accountability,” Wade said. “When we hear anybody complain, we’re not going to just dismiss those complaints out of hand.”
• Trust, but verify.
The internal audit function will help the BGCT Executive Board staff verify not only financial information but all quantifiable data, Wade noted.
Rebuilding trust and correcting problems demands high priority, and Wade pledged to give it the deserved attention. However, the problems revealed by the investigators’ report cannot become an all-consuming passion, he stressed.
“As grievous as this matter is and as committed as I am to resolving these issues, this cannot be the focus of all our energies,” Wade said. “We have ministry to do, churches to encourage and a missions vision to implement.”