Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps –
intentions, in one case – to tie themselves closer to the state denomination
last week.
Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message,
the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home and the Baptist Retirement Center
all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies
will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists.
Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps –
intentions, in one case – to tie themselves closer to the state denomination
last week.
Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message,
the Louisiana Baptist Childrens Home and the Baptist Retirement Center
all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies
will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists.
Concerns about that arose after agencies in several other states
had acted to sever ties from their state convention and move to self-perpetuating
boards.
In response, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board
appointed a study committee to examine the charters of denominational agencies
and determine what – if anything – needed to be done to ensure the
same scenario did not occur in this state.
The committee worked with each agency to draft necessary changes
and guarantees. Trustees of all but the Louisiana Baptist Foundation approved
the changes prior to last weeks annual convention.
Then, at last weeks meeting, messengers affirmed the
changes for the agencies.
Among other things, the changes stipulate that future charter
changes must be approved by convention messengers. That guarantee prevents agency
trustees from acting on their own to change their charters and move to self-perpetuating
status.
Messengers approved the proposed changes for the Louisiana
Baptist Childrens Home and the Baptist Message without debate or opposition.
Approval was not needed for changes made by Baptist Retirement Center trustees.
They already were in place.
In addition, messengers approved a resolution for Louisiana
College. President Rory Lee explained the resolution was chosen because changing
the charter would have forced the college back into an expensive reaccreditation
study and could have affected bonds the school has issued.
The resolution affirms the schools ties to the school
and was approved by both college trustees and members of the LBC Executive Board
before being presented to convention messengers last week.
Messengers approved it without debate.
Only one agency remains to take action on the issue of convention
ties.
Louisiana Baptist Foundation trustees declined to adopt changes
proposed by the Executive Board study committee after their attorney raised
some concerns.
During his report to messengers, foundation Executive Director
Wayne Taylor said the board anticipates acting on the charter proposals in January.
He assured messengers that the board intends to adopt language
that will require convention approval to any future changes.
Despite the assurances, messengers later approved an Executive
Board recommendation to encourage the foundation to adopt proposed changes.
Earl Hogan from Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Oak Ridge, spoke
against the recommendation. “We are putting pressure on the trustees of
the foundation to do their job the way we want them to do it,” he said.
He suggested allowing foundation trustees to do their work
and then have the convention either accept or reject it.
Howard Cole from Providence Baptist Church in Shreveport, also
spoke to the recommendation. Cole is president-elect of the foundation board
of trustees.
“The trustees were not in opposition to the spirit of
the motion in tying our two institutions together,” he explained. “But
we were opposed to violating what our attorney said. So, thats why I feel
like we should not deal with the motion but let the trustees deal with it when
the time comes.”
Mike Raspberry from First Baptist Church of Slidell, also addressed
the issue.
“Given the situation that has taken place in other states,
Id like to encourage us to encourage them (foundation trustees) to act
most expeditiously in this matter,” he told convention messengers.
Messengers then voted easily to approve the recommendation.
On a final note, Executive Board leaders also presented proposed
charter changes to solidify its convention ties as well.
However, since the changes need six months notice prior to action, approval
will have to wait until next years convention, leaders explained.