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A group of young ministers wants to see Texas Baptists adopt a “25 by ’25” goal—aiming for Millennials and Generation Z to represent at least 25 percent of full-time Baptist General Convention of Texas staff and 25 percent of the convention’s Executive Board and committee members by 2025.
Leaders in The Pastor’s Common network plan to submit a motion to that effect at Texas Baptists’ annual meetingin Galveston, Nov. 14-16.
The group also drafted a closely related resolution on generational change—along with others on “unity in essentials” and “affirmation of women”—they have submitted to the BGCT resolutions committee.
Chris McLain, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bandera, led the team on generational change that also included Abraham Quiñones, associate pastor of The Promise Church in Dallas; Scotty Swingler, student pastor at Sugar Land Baptist Church; and David Miranda, director of ministers development with Texas Baptists.
‘Coming from a place of love’
McLain—who plans to make the motion in Galveston—wants to dispel any misperception that the group represents any sort of hostile “takeover” of Texas Baptists.
“These are not outsiders. We are people who are deeply invested in Texas Baptist life—pastors who love the institution and who want to see it thrive and move into what’s ahead,” he said.
“This is coming from a place of love—a desire to serve Texas Baptists and to be a part of preparing Texas Baptists for ministry in the future.”
The motion states: “I move that the Baptist General Convention of Texas set a goal that by the beginning of the 2025 calendar year, no less than 25 percent of individuals working as full-time staff of the convention, excluding full-time staff who raise their own support, be Millennials or Gen Z, and I further move that 25 percent of the Executive Board and committee members be Millennials or Gen Z by the beginning of the 2025 calendar year.”
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Demographers generally define Millennials as individuals born between 1981 and 1996. They typically describe individuals born between 1997 and 2015 as belonging to Generation Z.
‘Have young leaders in the pipeline’
“As the Boomers are retiring in increasing numbers, we need to have younger leaders in the pipeline and provide on-ramps for them to get involved,” McLain said.
The related resolution on generational change notes the median age in Texas is 34 according to U.S. Census data. However, Millennials currently make up only 9 percent of BGCT full-time staff, and individuals from Generation Z represent less than 1 percent of BGCT full-time staff.
The goal is not to have “a bunch of 20-year-olds running things,” McLain stressed. Rather, individuals involved in The Pastor’s Common network hope to see increasing numbers of Millennials and Generation Z ministers begin to serve in “second-chair” roles alongside experienced staff who can mentor them.
“We don’t want to lose all that institutional knowledge” when the current senior staff retires, he emphasized.
Working in cooperation with leadership
The desire is “to be proactive rather than reactive,” beginning now to prepare ministers for leadership roles in Texas Baptist life in the years ahead, Miranda noted.
“Executive leadership is looking at ways to accomplish that already,” he added.
McLain said he met with BGCT Executive Director David Hardage and Associate Executive Director Craig Christina to let them know about the planned motion and resolutions, as well as to seek their input.
Based in part on those conversations, those who drafted the motion intentionally chose to make “25 by ’25” a goal expressing the will of the messengers to the annual meeting rather than present it as a mandate, McLain noted.
Resolutions ‘intentionally broad’
The resolutions on affirmation of women and unity in essentials are less specific than either the motion or resolution on generational change.
“The language is intentionally broad,” McLain said.
The resolution affirming women comes at a time of reckoning regarding sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, he noted. It also is a time when churches continue to hold a variety of views about women in ministry, he added.
“Rather than speak to all the issues, we thought it was important for Texas Baptists to say to women: ‘We see you. We value you. We know what you contribute to the kingdom of God,’” McLain said.
The resolution on unity in essentials recognizes the diversity in Texas Baptist life and the need to welcome collaboration and partnerships with others who want to advance God’s kingdom.
“Our differences often can tend to be the focus. We want to focus on what we have in common. The resolution touches on the themes of the GC2 movement—‘to share Christ and show love,’” McClain said.
A learning experience
An explanation of the motion and resolutions will be part of the program during the Devoted at the Pier rally for Millennial and Generation Z ministers from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 14 in Galveston, prior to Texas Baptists’ annual meeting, McLain added.
Miranda sees the whole process—from the development of resolutions and a motion by The Pastor’s Common network to the involvement of a larger group in Galveston—as a learning experience for young Texas Baptist ministers.
“It’s not just about enjoying fellowship at the annual meeting, but also about equipping generations for years to come,” he said.
“Many of our young pastors know about the missional component of Texas Baptists, but they might not know as much about the business side—preparing resolutions and introducing motions. It’s a learning exercise.”
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