BGCT messengers elect officers and approve budget

GALVESTON—Texas Baptists elected officers and approved a nearly $34.6 million budget during the first business session at the Baptist General Convention of Texas annual meeting in Galveston on Nov. 15.

They also approved a slate of directors and trustees for boards, and they allowed messengers to introduce motions for consideration during the Nov. 16 business session. One motion called for the creation of a task force to facilitate greater Millennial and Generation Z participation in the BGCT.

The meeting’s hybrid format allowed messengers to participate online via Zoom, as well as in person at the Galveston Island Convention Center.

Messengers to the annual meeting re-elected as president Jason Burden, pastor of First Baptist Church in Nederland, and as first vice president Julio Guarneri, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in McAllen.

They elected Nebiye Kelile, pastor of Pathway Church and Orchard Hills Baptist Church in Garland, as second vice president. The incumbent second vice president, Jordan Villanueva, now a professor at Howard Payne University, did not seek a second term.

Approved the 2022 budget

Messengers approved a $34,588,280 total Texas budget for 2022, a $321,592 increase over the 2021 budget.

The 2022 budget, recommended by the BGCT Executive Board, projects a $32.8 million net Texas budget based on Cooperative Program giving and investment income. It depends on $27.37 million in Texas Cooperative Program receipts from churches.

Next year’s budget anticipates slightly more than $5.4 million in investment income and more than $1.77 million in additional revenue from conference and booth fees, product sales and other sources.

Messengers also voted to continue the division of undesignated receipts from affiliated churches, with 79 percent allocated for the BGCT and 21 percent for worldwide causes. Each church determines the recipient or recipients of its worldwide giving.

An anticipated $1 million in worldwide missions initiatives and partnerships will be allocated in this manner: $340,000 for missions mobilization, $200,000 for River Ministry and Mexico missions, $100,000 for Texas Partnerships, $55,000 for the Baptist World Alliance, $5,000 for the North American Baptist Fellowship, $50,000 for intercultural international initiatives, $200,000 for Go Now Missions, $20,000 for the Hispanic Education Task Force and $30,000 for chaplaincy.

Messengers to the annual meeting approved a slate of directors to the BGCT Executive Board and trustees of affiliated institutions nominated by the Committee on Committees, Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors and the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries.

Miscellaneous business

Chris McLain, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bandera, submitted a motion calling for the formation of a task force that will recommend ways to involve individuals age 40 and younger in BGCT life and ministry.

The motion states: “I move that the president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas appoint a task force to study and recommend ways to increase involvement of Millennial and Gen Z Baptists in the life of the convention and its cooperating churches. The task force will have a budget of up to $10,000 to cover the expenses of the committee. The task force will report its findings and recommendations at the September 2022 Executive Board meeting for review and to the 2022 annual meeting of the convention for consideration.”

Chad Edgington, pastor of First Baptist Church in Olney, introduced a motion calling for the GC2 statement of faith to be amended to include a reference to the Ascension of Christ.

GC2—an emphasis of BGCT Executive Director David Hardage focusing on the Great Commission and Great Commandment—is envisioned as a movement to share the gospel and show the love of Christ.

The BGCT Executive Board in September approved the statement, designed to establish the theological parameters for cooperation with others outside of Texas Baptist life who want to cooperate with Texas Baptists.

Messengers will consider the motions, as well as resolutions, during the Tuesday morning business session on Nov. 16. That session also will include the president’s address and various reports.