I have heard recently of more cuts, now reported by Baptist Press, of 16 people and two vacant slots.
Things are tough.
Baptist Press says,
The fourth round of staff cuts since 2009 has now reduced the state missionary staffing level from a high of 202 to 150. Staffing at the convention's Atlanta-area headquarters has now fallen from 133 to 103 and field personnel has declined from 69 to 47.
That's the elimination of 72 jobs, more than one-third of the total.
Any way you slice it, this is serious business.
The GBC had a $50+ million budget as recently as 2007-2008. The cuts last month were designed to reduce revenue needs for this budget year to under $40 million, $1.5 million below what was approved at last November’s GBC annual meeting. Going from over fifty to under fourty million dollars in about four years is pretty steep.
And, best I can tell, there is no controversy swirling around the GBC. Churches are just giving less.
Better shelve those plans to get out of the pastorate for a nice denominational job.
Memo to Great Commission Resurgence folks: Don’t expect the state conventions to jack up the percentage forwarded to Nashville anytime soon.
At least here in Georgia the goal is just to stay current on payments.
Things are tough.
4 comments:
William,
Does GCR giving have anything to do with this?
Ron
I don't see that it does but I haven't seen the 2011 ACP reports. Generally, Nashville reports that the designated offerings have not declined as much as CP gifts and for some periods have increased.
Here in GA a study (I asked to see it but was refused, 'internal study') was done on the 50 largest CP giving churches. GBC folks said that it revealed little issue-driven CP decline.
In my opinion the culprits are the economy and an continuation of the decades long decline of CP percentages.
If you look a little deeper at who was "laid off" you'll see that all but one of the state missionaries was of retirement age. There is a lot of confusion as to why a 30's something guy in youth ministries was let go instead of his 60's something boss. The guy let go is the same one that helped with the five stones presentation. Wonder what is really happening behind the scenes.
" best I can tell, there is no controversy swirling around the GBC. Churches are just giving less".
You're kidding right? With all that has happened within the GBC in the last few years, they are lucky to even have a Ga Baptist Convention!
Ever heard of Mike Everson? Need I say more?
An then there is his disciples....
Come on, this has everything to do with declining numbers AND dollars!
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