Featured Mission Agencies (From Independent Baptist Thread)

SBC churches are required to support the cooperative program. There is a minimum of about 250.00 required. If you are not supporting the cooperative why claim to be affiliated? Doesn't make sense.

 

Here is the post by BB member "DocCas" to which Salty is referring, regarding differences between Independent and Southern Baptists:

 

This person doesn't know what they are talking about.

 

Yes, those concerns about the SBC's Cooperative Program were made by 'DocCas' in 2002:

Could someone explain how each of those concerns have been addressed in the SBC program over the last 15 years?
Something a little more specific than "a lot of changes have been made"?

 

Revmitchell, where does the $250 requirement come from? I didn't find it in the SBC Constitution or By-laws. Maybe I missed or it is somewhere else? Also, the "and/or" language in the Constitution seems to imply that the "undesignated, financial contribution(s)" could go through the Cooperative Program or Executive Committee or to any Convention entity (i.e., not solely the CP). Is this clarified elsewhere or interpreted by the lawyers or parliamentarians elsewhere?

Thanks.

 

The $250 minimum was jettisoned when the SBC Constitution was amended several years ago.

Presently, a church that had made any "undesignated, financial contribution(s) through the Cooperative Program, and/or through the Convention’s Executive Committee for Convention causes, and/or to any Convention entity during the fiscal year preceding" gets two messengers, plus an additional messenger for each full percent of the church's undesignated receipts given, or each $6,000 given, as described above. Maximum of twelve messengers per church.

http://www.sbc.net/aboutus/legal/constitution.asp

 

That's the way I understand it as well, Jerome. No $250 minimum and not necessarily to the Cooperative Program. If you want more messengers, give more money.

 

The key word in it for this thread is "undesignated". Only undesignated contributions qualify a church to have a say in the Convention.

 

One possibility (I am aware of such cases in other groups) is that the church enjoys the fellowship of the local churches, the local association, and/or even the state convention, but prefers directed support over CP giving. They wouldn't have representation at the national level, but would probably would be accepted as "SBC" by their local peers.

 

You are required to give. the fact that some have not given recently does not change that fact. It just doesn't get enforced which is a shame. There are some IFB pastors come in and spend years belittling and undermining the SBC then eventually work to pull the church out. It is a requirement.

 

You need to look at the state and or associational levels.

 

Just because someone expresses their "concern" doesn't mean it actually exists.

 

State and local associations will have their own rules, but I have not seen any requirement in the SBC Constitution and By-laws that a church must participate in a state or local association to send messengers to the SBC, or that there is any minimum placed on the giving -- only that (in regards to giving) it must be undesignated through the Cooperative Program or through the Executive Committee or to any Convention entity.

 

You cannot become part of the SBC without going through the local association.

 

I remain unconvinced without seeing something in the Constitution and Bylaws, or a legal/parliamentary interpretation of the same.