Last December, I made some predictions for 2011: Plodders predictions, er, conjectures for 2011
I am hereby holding myself accountable for the rash things I offered then. Here's a look at them one year later.
1. International Mission Board. I predicted that trustees would settle on "a known SBC figure rather than an obscure missions-driven person" to be CEO. I further specified that the individual "will either be a megachurch pastor or have strong mega connections."
I was right by a circuituous route, it turns out. Tom Elliff is a former mega pastor.
I also predicted that there would be continued funding shortfalls. Lottie Moon was down over $3m for 2010.
Plodder hits prediction paydirt on this one (though I wish I had been wrong on the LMCO).
2. North American Mission Board. I predicted that the new CEO would "make some major policy changes, including direct funding to some megachurches." I rate myself as half-right on this, the former true, the latter not true, yet.
I predicted that "the Annie Armstrong offering will yet again fall far short of the goal." Although the totals haven't been released, the goal will almost certainly not be met. I said that "declining Cooperative Program giving will force more staffing cuts." NAMB has stopped funding some positions, mainly as part of the shift in the kickback funds to state conventions.
I give myself a "half-right" on these.
3. Cooperative Program. I predicted that "the decades long decline in the percentage of church offering plate dollars devoted to the CP will continue." Well, the stats aren't in on that. The CP did show the tiniest increase for the fiscal year ending in September which, coupled with an overall decline in church revenues, may actually show an increase in CP church percentages.
I am still not optimistic that the percentage has hit its floor yet.
I rate my prediction "Undetermined."
4. Great Commission Resurgence Recommendations. I predicted that "Even though a number of state conventions declared they would move towards a 50/50 state/national CP split, little movement in this direction will actually occur."
Some state conventions made what I would term major moves in this direction. The South Carolina Baptist Convention made substantial and significant cuts to in-state stuff and even budgeted to send funds directly to the IMB, bypassing the Executive Committee. Overall, state conventions are still in the mode of making declarations. The checks haven’t been written.
I give myself a "undetermined" on this one.
5. Assorted odd stuff.
An SBC megachurch pastor will be involved in a major scandal. Nope. Not that I am aware of. Plodder strikes out on this one.
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will continue to eke out an existence but will not find their ‘revisioning’ sufficiently visionary to infuse new life into an organization that still has the identity of being the anti-SBC. I’ll renew this one for 2012. They’re still working on it.
The Southern Baptists of Texas convention will surpass the Baptist General Convention of Texas in revenues. Nope. Didn’t happen. The BGCT has stabilized somewhat and in 11 months has received more than the SBTC’s entire budget. It will happen one day but I'm Texas toast on this one.
GuideStone, recognizing that their health insurance product is struggling, that their pool of insured is older and sicker, and that they will soon to be priced out of the market, will make changes to keep it from total collapse. Premiums will nonetheless go up. Yep. Premiums up. Benefits cut. Same old story.
Frank Page will prove to be less hands-on with Baptist Press than his predecessor, even though he made BP part of his PR office. I don’t know about this prediction although BP has noticeably avoided certain stories.
OK, so I picked the low hanging fruit from last year's predictions. Next week I'll promise to go out on a limb with predictions for 2012.
Showing posts with label BGCT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BGCT. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Some Not-Too-Shabby Baptist Blogs and Bloggers
As a group, bloggers certainly score high on the scale of self-importance. I suppose it probably is so internalized that no blogger ever asks him/herself, “Why wouldn’t the whole galaxy want to know what I think about stuff, seeing that I am such a witty, insightful, and provocative guy?” Bloggers instead presume that the world awaits their next display of brilliance.
Indeed.
Plodder admits to a degree of that, the self-importance part, not the witty, brilliant, insightful part. OK, I own up to the provocative part.
Here are a few blogs that I enjoy reading and have found to be more than the usual tepid blogfare, annotated of course with my witty, brilliant, and provocative thoughts:
FBCJax Watchdog Tom Rich’s story about FBCJax, his banishment, lawsuit, and settlement was a prime example of how a church member, when denied any effective voice through proper church channels, can easily go public. Tom’s case just happened to be one of the more exaggerated examples of church conflict and a pastor and church’s inept response to it. Since then, Rich blogs about his version of abusive, manipulative, and misbehaving men-of-the-cloth. Sure, some may think it is just a pastor-hate site, but I encourage my colleagues to read it. They might learn something. I don’t buy all of his stuff but I read it all.
Spiritual Samurai David Montoya is the little Latino pit bull whose persistent small voice exposed one of the SBC’s largest scandals. Give a little guy with a high level of indignation a big bullhorn and see what might happen. There could be nothing better for the SBC at every level than an understanding that, ‘No, you’re not going to get away with untoward behavior and decisions, even if all the people who “count” busy back slapping, glad handing, and looking the other way.’ I don't get the samurai stuff.
SBC Voices is a group thing (six guys without a life, perhaps? Don’t they know that six is a bad number?) where a bunch of people contribute, including moi, occasionally. The blogs they feature have introduced me to a few interesting subjects and writers. The pieces written for SBCV are a mixed offering. As in the OT, I wave on a few, burn a few, and consume a few, and scratch my head over a few. I am told this is a Calvinist site but am awaiting divine judgment about that. Until then, I don't hold it against them. One of the calvinists there even has a sense of humor. Quite rare.
The Big Daddy Weave/ comes from Aaron Weaver who is a few light years to my left and a few decades below me in age. He writes well, is quite informed on church/state stuff, and hasn’t learned to trash mouth everyone who disagrees with him. He is a Georgia Bulldawg, which always helps. I don't get the Big Daddy stuff.
SBC Tomorrow. I like Peter Lumpkins. He has the finest hair in the SBC for one thing; however, he seems to generate some ire amongst the brethren. I confess to not quite understanding why. He is zeroed in on Calvinism and such things as ACTS29, et al. He writes well and thinks deeply about SBC stuff. I appreciate his stuff.
From Law to Grace is Howell Scott's blog, former lawyer, something he reminds us of about once a day, so I try and toss in a few ex post factos, certioraris, and a posterioris for him. Howell is far from being a posterior and writes widely on interesting things and I like his stuff.
I'd list other blogs I read but someone might get the idea that I don't have a life.
Indeed.
Plodder admits to a degree of that, the self-importance part, not the witty, brilliant, insightful part. OK, I own up to the provocative part.
Here are a few blogs that I enjoy reading and have found to be more than the usual tepid blogfare, annotated of course with my witty, brilliant, and provocative thoughts:
FBCJax Watchdog Tom Rich’s story about FBCJax, his banishment, lawsuit, and settlement was a prime example of how a church member, when denied any effective voice through proper church channels, can easily go public. Tom’s case just happened to be one of the more exaggerated examples of church conflict and a pastor and church’s inept response to it. Since then, Rich blogs about his version of abusive, manipulative, and misbehaving men-of-the-cloth. Sure, some may think it is just a pastor-hate site, but I encourage my colleagues to read it. They might learn something. I don’t buy all of his stuff but I read it all.
Spiritual Samurai David Montoya is the little Latino pit bull whose persistent small voice exposed one of the SBC’s largest scandals. Give a little guy with a high level of indignation a big bullhorn and see what might happen. There could be nothing better for the SBC at every level than an understanding that, ‘No, you’re not going to get away with untoward behavior and decisions, even if all the people who “count” busy back slapping, glad handing, and looking the other way.’ I don't get the samurai stuff.
SBC Voices is a group thing (six guys without a life, perhaps? Don’t they know that six is a bad number?) where a bunch of people contribute, including moi, occasionally. The blogs they feature have introduced me to a few interesting subjects and writers. The pieces written for SBCV are a mixed offering. As in the OT, I wave on a few, burn a few, and consume a few, and scratch my head over a few. I am told this is a Calvinist site but am awaiting divine judgment about that. Until then, I don't hold it against them. One of the calvinists there even has a sense of humor. Quite rare.
The Big Daddy Weave/ comes from Aaron Weaver who is a few light years to my left and a few decades below me in age. He writes well, is quite informed on church/state stuff, and hasn’t learned to trash mouth everyone who disagrees with him. He is a Georgia Bulldawg, which always helps. I don't get the Big Daddy stuff.
SBC Tomorrow. I like Peter Lumpkins. He has the finest hair in the SBC for one thing; however, he seems to generate some ire amongst the brethren. I confess to not quite understanding why. He is zeroed in on Calvinism and such things as ACTS29, et al. He writes well and thinks deeply about SBC stuff. I appreciate his stuff.
From Law to Grace is Howell Scott's blog, former lawyer, something he reminds us of about once a day, so I try and toss in a few ex post factos, certioraris, and a posterioris for him. Howell is far from being a posterior and writes widely on interesting things and I like his stuff.
I'd list other blogs I read but someone might get the idea that I don't have a life.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Money woes, budget woes, job woes
Woe is us, and about everyone else these days, when we look at receipts, budgets, salaries, and jobs. Things are tight. Things are tough.
NAMB cut 99 jobs, part of Kevin Ezell's plan to cut HQ personnel by 25%. I suppose one could attribute cuts to both lower income and the latest reorganization. Any way you slice it, it's drastic.
I commented back in November on our Georgia Baptist Convention's deep cuts in budget and staffing. They described it as rolling the budget back to 2000 levels. Staffing has gone from 168 to 103. That's deep, steep, drastic.
For those who watch or participate in The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, their national budget was cut, again, with about 25% of their national staff positions being eliminated. Their budget was almost $20 million just seven years ago. With the latest cuts it's around half that.
The Baptist General Convention of Texas, competing with the new Southern Baptists of Texas convention, dealing with assorted management issues and the economy, has lost tens of millions of from their halcyon budget years.
Pick a Baptist organization and get some of the same.
Most of us have more concern for our own church budget and mine was cut about 10% for this year. We are blessed not to have to take more drastic steps than we have. Other churches and pastors have had to endure serious cuts in pay and budget.
Of more concern to me is the reality that we may not make our goal for the Lottie Moon offering for our International Mission Board. While I was overseas last fall, I was asked by some of our field people and administrators what the attitude and feeling was about this year's offering. I responded that we would do our best to give a little more than last year. We're not there and this Sunday I will make one final appeal. We may make it. We may not.
I have some compassion for those employees of our state and national entities whose jobs have been lost but budget woes do cause these organizations to ask hard questions that otherwise would not be asked. Let's be honest enough to say that bureacratic inertia is a long time SBC staple. Unless the money flow is reduced budgets grow, staff grows.
That we have all these financial woes is probalby a good thing in the long run. Organizations at every level have to demonstrate the value of their mission and their competence. Churches take a good look at the association, state convention, and national entities and ask if these are wise expenditures - some are, some aren't. Those that aren't get cut or supplanted by those that are. This contributes to denominational health and is good.
Consider it all painful, but providential.
NAMB cut 99 jobs, part of Kevin Ezell's plan to cut HQ personnel by 25%. I suppose one could attribute cuts to both lower income and the latest reorganization. Any way you slice it, it's drastic.
I commented back in November on our Georgia Baptist Convention's deep cuts in budget and staffing. They described it as rolling the budget back to 2000 levels. Staffing has gone from 168 to 103. That's deep, steep, drastic.
For those who watch or participate in The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, their national budget was cut, again, with about 25% of their national staff positions being eliminated. Their budget was almost $20 million just seven years ago. With the latest cuts it's around half that.
The Baptist General Convention of Texas, competing with the new Southern Baptists of Texas convention, dealing with assorted management issues and the economy, has lost tens of millions of from their halcyon budget years.
Pick a Baptist organization and get some of the same.
Most of us have more concern for our own church budget and mine was cut about 10% for this year. We are blessed not to have to take more drastic steps than we have. Other churches and pastors have had to endure serious cuts in pay and budget.
Of more concern to me is the reality that we may not make our goal for the Lottie Moon offering for our International Mission Board. While I was overseas last fall, I was asked by some of our field people and administrators what the attitude and feeling was about this year's offering. I responded that we would do our best to give a little more than last year. We're not there and this Sunday I will make one final appeal. We may make it. We may not.
I have some compassion for those employees of our state and national entities whose jobs have been lost but budget woes do cause these organizations to ask hard questions that otherwise would not be asked. Let's be honest enough to say that bureacratic inertia is a long time SBC staple. Unless the money flow is reduced budgets grow, staff grows.
That we have all these financial woes is probalby a good thing in the long run. Organizations at every level have to demonstrate the value of their mission and their competence. Churches take a good look at the association, state convention, and national entities and ask if these are wise expenditures - some are, some aren't. Those that aren't get cut or supplanted by those that are. This contributes to denominational health and is good.
Consider it all painful, but providential.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Plodders predictions, er, conjectures for 2011
Doesn't cost a thing to make predictions. Even if you're wrong, people forget about them and you can always trumpet the lucky few you get right. Here are mine on SBC stuff:
International Mission Board:
The 96 trustees will finally settle on a new leader who will be a known SBC figure rather than an obscure missions-driven person like Jerry Rankin was way back when he was tapped to be the leader.
The IMB will not make the Ezell mistake and choose a person whose support of the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon was virtually nonexistent, forcing their new leader to continually explain an apologize for the non-support; however, believing that the key issue with the IMB is funding and that megachurch pastors know how to rake in cash, the trustees’ new man (dare anyone even think a woman will even be considered?) will either be a megachurch pastor or have strong mega connections. This will prove to be a mistaken belief.
The IMB even with the new leader will still have funding shortfalls.
North American Mission Board
Having cleared the decks of 99 employees at his Alpharetta HQ, Kevin Ezell will focus his attention on planting churches and will make some major policy changes, including direct funding to some megachurches. This will be hotly criticized. The Annie Armstrong offering will yet again fall far short of the goal. That and declining Cooperative Program giving will force more staffing cuts. The plan to end the Cooperative Agreements with the states will go forward but without yielding much additional money for NAMB.
Cooperative Program:
The decades long decline in the percentage of church offering plate dollars devoted to the CP will continue.
Great Commission Resurgence Recommendations:
Even though a number of state conventions declared they would move towards a 50/50 state/national CP split, little movement in this direction will actually occur.
Assorted odd stuff:
An SBC megachurch pastor will be involved in a major scandal.
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will continue to eke out an existence but will not find their ‘revisioning’ sufficiently visionary to infuse new life into an organization that still has the identity of being the anti-SBC.
The Southern Baptists of Texas convention will surpass the Baptist General Convention of Texas in revenues.
GuideStone, recognizing that their health insurance product is struggling, that their pool of insured is older and sicker, and that they will soon to be priced out of the market, will make changes to keep it from total collapse. Premiums will nonetheless go up.
Frank Page will prove to be less hands-on with Baptist Press than his predecessor, even though he made BP part of his PR office.
Plodder will continue his incessant blogging and will acquire an audience beyond even what he can count on his fingers, and toes.
International Mission Board:
The 96 trustees will finally settle on a new leader who will be a known SBC figure rather than an obscure missions-driven person like Jerry Rankin was way back when he was tapped to be the leader.
The IMB will not make the Ezell mistake and choose a person whose support of the Cooperative Program and Lottie Moon was virtually nonexistent, forcing their new leader to continually explain an apologize for the non-support; however, believing that the key issue with the IMB is funding and that megachurch pastors know how to rake in cash, the trustees’ new man (dare anyone even think a woman will even be considered?) will either be a megachurch pastor or have strong mega connections. This will prove to be a mistaken belief.
The IMB even with the new leader will still have funding shortfalls.
North American Mission Board
Having cleared the decks of 99 employees at his Alpharetta HQ, Kevin Ezell will focus his attention on planting churches and will make some major policy changes, including direct funding to some megachurches. This will be hotly criticized. The Annie Armstrong offering will yet again fall far short of the goal. That and declining Cooperative Program giving will force more staffing cuts. The plan to end the Cooperative Agreements with the states will go forward but without yielding much additional money for NAMB.
Cooperative Program:
The decades long decline in the percentage of church offering plate dollars devoted to the CP will continue.
Great Commission Resurgence Recommendations:
Even though a number of state conventions declared they would move towards a 50/50 state/national CP split, little movement in this direction will actually occur.
Assorted odd stuff:
An SBC megachurch pastor will be involved in a major scandal.
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will continue to eke out an existence but will not find their ‘revisioning’ sufficiently visionary to infuse new life into an organization that still has the identity of being the anti-SBC.
The Southern Baptists of Texas convention will surpass the Baptist General Convention of Texas in revenues.
GuideStone, recognizing that their health insurance product is struggling, that their pool of insured is older and sicker, and that they will soon to be priced out of the market, will make changes to keep it from total collapse. Premiums will nonetheless go up.
Frank Page will prove to be less hands-on with Baptist Press than his predecessor, even though he made BP part of his PR office.
Plodder will continue his incessant blogging and will acquire an audience beyond even what he can count on his fingers, and toes.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
BGCT future forseen...
...by a small church pastor with some characteristic oddities, one who has less than a snowball's chance in Gehenna of ever being appointed or elected to anything ...so how does he come to be the source for what is happening behind the scene and for what will happen in Texas?
People know he will speak up and not shut up?
I don't know that David Montoya, who blogs as Spiritual Samurai2 has ever explained exactly how he came to be the source of the most significant news in the BGCT, but it seems that he has.
Today in The Fix is In, Montoya explains who will be the next Baptist General Convention of Texas CEO, who gets to be mentioned as being in the running, though they really aren't, and how it will happen.
If I were in Texas and had not already fled the dysfunctional BGCT for the upstart Southern Baptists of Texas, I'd be watching.
People know he will speak up and not shut up?
I don't know that David Montoya, who blogs as Spiritual Samurai2 has ever explained exactly how he came to be the source of the most significant news in the BGCT, but it seems that he has.
Today in The Fix is In, Montoya explains who will be the next Baptist General Convention of Texas CEO, who gets to be mentioned as being in the running, though they really aren't, and how it will happen.
If I were in Texas and had not already fled the dysfunctional BGCT for the upstart Southern Baptists of Texas, I'd be watching.
Monday, November 8, 2010
BGCT a precursor of the SBC as a whole?
Although I have never lived or pastored a church in Texas, the things that have transpired in the state have an interest to me. The BGCT, the SBCT, TBC, ValleyGate have provided some of the more entertaining news for Southern Baptists over the past decade or so.
Last week when I put a brief blog up that commented on the BGCT's budget, and salaries in particular (David Montoya provided the link to it) I had more visits to the blog than ever before (an admittedly small number). Folks are interested in such things.
I found the recent editorial by Marv Knox in the Baptist Standard quite interesting. Budget cuts, annual meeting coming up, etc.
A few quotes that struck me:
My friend and former Texan Lee said in his blog
Knox didn't say that in this editorial. Maybe Lee was referring to previous stuff.
So...the BGCT as SBC precursor:
Less churches actively involved.
Less churches actively supporting financially.
Less churches even reporting their stuff through the Annual Church Profile.
Stronger churches foregoing SBC channels to do their ministry (see Kevin Ezell's church for the freshest example) leaving smaller, weaker churches to shoulder the load.
I don't have the answer but Knox's editorial seems to ring true, perhaps prophetic.
Last week when I put a brief blog up that commented on the BGCT's budget, and salaries in particular (David Montoya provided the link to it) I had more visits to the blog than ever before (an admittedly small number). Folks are interested in such things.
I found the recent editorial by Marv Knox in the Baptist Standard quite interesting. Budget cuts, annual meeting coming up, etc.
A few quotes that struck me:
Last year, only 11.6 percent of all eligible congregations sent messengers [to the annual meeting].
In one respect, the BGCT’s challenge reflects macro economics—the widening gulf between the haves and the have-nots. Every time a strong church votes to cut its contribution, the BGCT becomes more of a convention for the churches that rely upon the convention’s resources but can’t afford to contribute much. And so the convention increasingly becomes the burden of churches that can’t bear it.
My friend and former Texan Lee said in his blog
Knox says there are 5,600 churches left in the BGCT, though only about 4,000 of those have financially supported the convention during the past two years, and fewer than that have sent their annual church letter.
Knox didn't say that in this editorial. Maybe Lee was referring to previous stuff.
So...the BGCT as SBC precursor:
Less churches actively involved.
Less churches actively supporting financially.
Less churches even reporting their stuff through the Annual Church Profile.
Stronger churches foregoing SBC channels to do their ministry (see Kevin Ezell's church for the freshest example) leaving smaller, weaker churches to shoulder the load.
I don't have the answer but Knox's editorial seems to ring true, perhaps prophetic.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
BGCT 2011 Budget: Who gets the $100k+ salaries?
My friend David Montoya, the little Japanese/Texas bulldog, links the BGCT's proposed 2011 budget, the detailed one, 177 pages long. Whatever their faults and sordid recent history, give credit to the BGCT for giving access to a detailed budget.
While I have nothing to do with Texas Baptists, don't contribute a penny to the work there, and am many miles away, it is fascinating to peruse any Baptist entity's detailed budget. A few comments:
Seems like a couple of years ago David linked a previous budget and I was struck by the number of people whose salary was over $100k. I don't have that one to look at and am going on memory. In this budget I find only seven people salaried in six figures. The honcho Executive Director is highest $165k. Of course, add in benefits and most all of the directors are in a package that costs BGCTers over $100k. The pay levels look quite reasonable to me.
The directors of the African American and Hispanic Work departments are among the lowest paid among the three dozen or so listed directors. They are at $69k/yr. There are two others at $53k. To be fair here, there are a dozen or so just a little above the African American and Hispanic directors. Perhaps longevity increases or something.
The director of the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation gets about a 10% raise, to $104k. Must have been a good year.
Stray comments:
This is the first time I've seen a director of "Western Heritage." Must be the cowboy church guy. He is at $73k.
"African Youth Camp" is budgeted for $3,000. Dont' know how you could get to Africa on that. "Asian Youth Camp" gets the same.
"Clergy Sex Misconduct" is budgeted at $3,504. Not anticipating much of this, I suppose.
"Cowboy School for Churches" is at $8,000. Bring your own horse?
One reason so many Baptist entities don't like to release a detailed document like this is because everyone can find something to take a shot at. Although I'm sure some surprises can be tucked away in a 177 page budget, I again give credit to the BGCT for being public on this.
While I have nothing to do with Texas Baptists, don't contribute a penny to the work there, and am many miles away, it is fascinating to peruse any Baptist entity's detailed budget. A few comments:
Seems like a couple of years ago David linked a previous budget and I was struck by the number of people whose salary was over $100k. I don't have that one to look at and am going on memory. In this budget I find only seven people salaried in six figures. The honcho Executive Director is highest $165k. Of course, add in benefits and most all of the directors are in a package that costs BGCTers over $100k. The pay levels look quite reasonable to me.
The directors of the African American and Hispanic Work departments are among the lowest paid among the three dozen or so listed directors. They are at $69k/yr. There are two others at $53k. To be fair here, there are a dozen or so just a little above the African American and Hispanic directors. Perhaps longevity increases or something.
The director of the Texas Baptist Mission Foundation gets about a 10% raise, to $104k. Must have been a good year.
Stray comments:
This is the first time I've seen a director of "Western Heritage." Must be the cowboy church guy. He is at $73k.
"African Youth Camp" is budgeted for $3,000. Dont' know how you could get to Africa on that. "Asian Youth Camp" gets the same.
"Clergy Sex Misconduct" is budgeted at $3,504. Not anticipating much of this, I suppose.
"Cowboy School for Churches" is at $8,000. Bring your own horse?
One reason so many Baptist entities don't like to release a detailed document like this is because everyone can find something to take a shot at. Although I'm sure some surprises can be tucked away in a 177 page budget, I again give credit to the BGCT for being public on this.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Managing rapid decline: Baptist General Convention of Texas
Pity the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Be it a church or a state convention, going through lean times is depressing and no Baptist entity seems to be going through a more demoralizing period than the venerable BGCT.
There are lots of Texas Baptist bloggers but I get heads-up stuff on the BGCT (which state would be right next door to me save for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana) from David Montoya at Spiritual Samurai. Montoya might be the most effective squeaky voice in blogdom. His continual yipping about ValleyGate was eventually heard and consequences continue to be felt.
The BGCT’s downsizing is put in numerical perspective in this Baptist Standard story.
Over one hundred full-time staff positions cut in the last four years. Egad.
The upstart convention in Texas, Southern Baptists of Texas, is due some credit for the BGCT’s woes because the SBT provides an attractive choice for Texas churches. Surely some credit is due the BGCT itself for its propensity for self-inflicted wounds.
In the link above note Samurai’s mention of nepotism at the BGCT. To be fair, Montoya has not always been accurate, but if he is, such would be hard to justify in a time of downsizing.
I see no great revival of enthusiasm for denominational (Cooperative Program) giving and our current SBC president, Bryant Wright, has famously said that state conventions should make drastic, radical cuts in what they keep out of CP gifts. Unless something not anticipated occurrs, other state conventions may be following the BGCT in decline. Call this pessimism if you wish. I rather think it is realism.
If so, the most valuable people in the SBC might be those who have the skills to shepherd our entities in a time of radical reprioritization, er, decline. One cannot say that the BGCT has done this well, but it has done it.
Maybe lessons can be learned from it.
There are lots of Texas Baptist bloggers but I get heads-up stuff on the BGCT (which state would be right next door to me save for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana) from David Montoya at Spiritual Samurai. Montoya might be the most effective squeaky voice in blogdom. His continual yipping about ValleyGate was eventually heard and consequences continue to be felt.
The BGCT’s downsizing is put in numerical perspective in this Baptist Standard story.
In 2006, the BGCT employed 406 staff, with 315 in full-time positions. After the latest cuts take effect, staff will number 268, with 213 full-time positions.
Over one hundred full-time staff positions cut in the last four years. Egad.
The upstart convention in Texas, Southern Baptists of Texas, is due some credit for the BGCT’s woes because the SBT provides an attractive choice for Texas churches. Surely some credit is due the BGCT itself for its propensity for self-inflicted wounds.
In the link above note Samurai’s mention of nepotism at the BGCT. To be fair, Montoya has not always been accurate, but if he is, such would be hard to justify in a time of downsizing.
I see no great revival of enthusiasm for denominational (Cooperative Program) giving and our current SBC president, Bryant Wright, has famously said that state conventions should make drastic, radical cuts in what they keep out of CP gifts. Unless something not anticipated occurrs, other state conventions may be following the BGCT in decline. Call this pessimism if you wish. I rather think it is realism.
If so, the most valuable people in the SBC might be those who have the skills to shepherd our entities in a time of radical reprioritization, er, decline. One cannot say that the BGCT has done this well, but it has done it.
Maybe lessons can be learned from it.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Chelsea, BWA, Ground Zero mosque and other Friday random plods
The Baptist World Alliance just met in Hawaii. Many in the SBC would love to rejoin the BWA for no other reason than they meet in neat places. We are a convention of conventioneers if nothing else.
Tokyo’s oldest citizen was thought to be an 111 year old man. When someone went to interview him, they couldn't get a syllable out of him. He was dead in his home and had been so for at least thirty years! “Who is thy neighbor?” Jesus asked.
My dear alma mater, The University of Georgia, has been voted the nation’s top party school. Perhaps that ranking had something to do with the fact that downtown Athens, which adjoins the main campus, has dozens and dozens of bars. In somewhat of a reversal of roles, my son has told me, “Daddy, you don’t want to go downtown at night.” The UGA mascot is a bulldog that is usually named ‘Uga.’ I hear they are changing it from ‘Uga’ to ‘Chugga.’
Quotes on the Ground Zero mosque: Newt Gingrich says, There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia. Richard Land says, …I strongly support religious communities' right to have places of worship within reasonable distance of where they live…However, no religious community has an absolute right to have a place of worship wherever they choose, regardless of the community's objections. Melissa Rogers, Wake Forest Divinity School professor, says that it would be counterproductive to deny such a symbolic project which she calls a high-profile efforts by Muslims who condemn terrorism to reclaim their faith… Gingrich is the only one in this trio who doesn’t have a good point. We don’t condition religious freedom in America on such in Saudi Arabia.
Samurai says heavy layoffs are in store for the formerly venerable Baptist General Convention of Texas, the outfit that, according to some, spends about 3/4ths of its revenue on itself and is in budgetary freefall. He asks a very good question: “Will they require the folks who are about to be canned to sign a “non-disclosure” document?”
Chelsea Clinton, now wed to a Jewish gentleman, was exhibited as the most prominent case of interfaith (“mixed” to many SBCers) marriage. I confess to sharing marriage duties with Methodists and other mainline protestants (many times), with fellow Baptists (many times), and even with a Roman Catholic Padre (once), but never with a rabbi. It would be a delicate matter, but I’d have to decline that one.
Tokyo’s oldest citizen was thought to be an 111 year old man. When someone went to interview him, they couldn't get a syllable out of him. He was dead in his home and had been so for at least thirty years! “Who is thy neighbor?” Jesus asked.
My dear alma mater, The University of Georgia, has been voted the nation’s top party school. Perhaps that ranking had something to do with the fact that downtown Athens, which adjoins the main campus, has dozens and dozens of bars. In somewhat of a reversal of roles, my son has told me, “Daddy, you don’t want to go downtown at night.” The UGA mascot is a bulldog that is usually named ‘Uga.’ I hear they are changing it from ‘Uga’ to ‘Chugga.’
Quotes on the Ground Zero mosque: Newt Gingrich says, There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia. Richard Land says, …I strongly support religious communities' right to have places of worship within reasonable distance of where they live…However, no religious community has an absolute right to have a place of worship wherever they choose, regardless of the community's objections. Melissa Rogers, Wake Forest Divinity School professor, says that it would be counterproductive to deny such a symbolic project which she calls a high-profile efforts by Muslims who condemn terrorism to reclaim their faith… Gingrich is the only one in this trio who doesn’t have a good point. We don’t condition religious freedom in America on such in Saudi Arabia.
Samurai says heavy layoffs are in store for the formerly venerable Baptist General Convention of Texas, the outfit that, according to some, spends about 3/4ths of its revenue on itself and is in budgetary freefall. He asks a very good question: “Will they require the folks who are about to be canned to sign a “non-disclosure” document?”
Chelsea Clinton, now wed to a Jewish gentleman, was exhibited as the most prominent case of interfaith (“mixed” to many SBCers) marriage. I confess to sharing marriage duties with Methodists and other mainline protestants (many times), with fellow Baptists (many times), and even with a Roman Catholic Padre (once), but never with a rabbi. It would be a delicate matter, but I’d have to decline that one.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wright, salaries, lottery and odd thoughts
Baptist Press reports that clergy salaries are outpacing inflation. Really?
Bryant Wright iscalling for Southern Baptists to get busy with the Gospel and missions. The guy is a workhorse, not a showhorse. He calls for every SBC church to send their pastor on a mission trip "annually." I'm for that.
Here in Georgia, one of the worst states for foreclosures and bank failures, the economy is quite bad...but our state sponsored lottery is doing just great, thank you. The lottery, our tax on poor and stupid people, is effectively transferring money from po' folks to educated middle class folks by paying for their kids' college education.
Back in the mid-1990s long before I could afford a cell phone, people were coming by the church asking for assistance, uh, money to pay their bills. How long before someone shows up at my church with an Iphone needing help to keep their water turned on?
We're deep into indirect losses from the BP oil disaster. Maybe the BGCT, whose revenues are way, way down, can put in a claim. I think Texas has a good bit of land that borders the gulf.
The little Texas Japanese bulldog, David Montoya, can't seem to get answers about just how much BGCT employees are paid. Good luck, David. Don't give in or give up. It's your money. You deserve to have your questions answered.
An observation: Church conflict blogs that are successful, as in seeing the pastor resign (Two Rivers BC, Nashville) disappear. Those that don't achieve that success (FBC Jax, Bellevue) stick around and morp into sort of a watchdog and commentary function.
I'm still waiting for Frank Page to tell me what I need to do Sunday...
Bryant Wright iscalling for Southern Baptists to get busy with the Gospel and missions. The guy is a workhorse, not a showhorse. He calls for every SBC church to send their pastor on a mission trip "annually." I'm for that.
Here in Georgia, one of the worst states for foreclosures and bank failures, the economy is quite bad...but our state sponsored lottery is doing just great, thank you. The lottery, our tax on poor and stupid people, is effectively transferring money from po' folks to educated middle class folks by paying for their kids' college education.
Back in the mid-1990s long before I could afford a cell phone, people were coming by the church asking for assistance, uh, money to pay their bills. How long before someone shows up at my church with an Iphone needing help to keep their water turned on?
We're deep into indirect losses from the BP oil disaster. Maybe the BGCT, whose revenues are way, way down, can put in a claim. I think Texas has a good bit of land that borders the gulf.
The little Texas Japanese bulldog, David Montoya, can't seem to get answers about just how much BGCT employees are paid. Good luck, David. Don't give in or give up. It's your money. You deserve to have your questions answered.
An observation: Church conflict blogs that are successful, as in seeing the pastor resign (Two Rivers BC, Nashville) disappear. Those that don't achieve that success (FBC Jax, Bellevue) stick around and morp into sort of a watchdog and commentary function.
I'm still waiting for Frank Page to tell me what I need to do Sunday...
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