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WORKSHOP
PRESENTER
ROOM
8:00 – 10:00 am: Registration Open
Protecting Your Place of Worship: Church Security Basics
Donald Simmons
M7
8:00 am – 5:30 pm: Exhibits Open
Learning to Tell the Story
Delvin Atchison
M8
8:30 – 9:30 am: Workshops – Session 3
New Economic Models for Ministry
Elizabeth Biedrzycki B.J. Ramon Robert Rueda
M9
9:45 – 10:45 am: Business – Session 2
Fight the Fear: Learning to Love Our Muslim Neighbors
Rani Espanioly
M10
Kathryn Freeman
M11
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch Break/Special Meals
Political Disciple: Stewarding our Public Witness in the Age of Tribalism
1:30 – 3:30 pm: Convención Business Session 2
Growing a Generous Congregation
Steve Massey Jerry Carlisle
M12
3:30 – 5:30 pm: Convención Auxiliaries
WORKSHOP
PRESENTER
ROOM
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm: Evening Worship – Session 5
Preaching 101 for Pastors & Ministers
Tim Watson
M7
5-Point Calvinism: Is There a Better Option?
Leighton Flowers
M8
Innovation Lab
Elizabeth Biedrzycki B.J. Ramon
M9
Justice and Mercy: Elements of Missional Ministry
Jim Young
M10
Understanding Grief and Ministering to Those Who Walk Through It
Dowell Loftis
M11
Discipleship: Using Small Groups
Mario Alberto Gonzalez
M12
11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Morning Worship – Session 4
1:30 – 2:30 pm: Workshops – Session 4
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Family Gathering Arlington, Texas Proceedings July 29, 2018 Sunday Evening Worship Session 1
July 30, 2018 Monday Morning Business Session 1
1. Executive Director David Hardage welcomed messengers and visitors to the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT).
9. BGCT President Reeves declared the 133rd Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas come to order.
2. A video was shown of seven fellowship and convention leaders discussing the significance of the Lord’s Supper.
10. Fernando Rojas, Committee on Annual Meeting (COAM) member, Iglesia Bautista Azle Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Worth, read from Psalm 133.
3. Congregational worship led by Chris and Diane Machen, music evangelists. 4. President Danny Reeves thanked the Machens for leading worship. President Reeves recognized the diversity of Texas Baptists gathered. In preparation for the Lord’s Supper, the following leaders read scripture: President Reeves; Elmo Johnson, African American Fellowship president; Peter Le, Vietnamese Baptist Fellowship president; Rolando Aguirre, Hispanic Baptist Convention of Texas president; Richard Ray, Texas Baptist Bivocational/Small Church Association executive director; Pakon Chen, Chinese Baptist Fellowship president; and Jason Bryant, Texas Baptists Western Heritage consultant. 5. Prayer led by President Reeves. 6. Executive Director Hardage shared his personal salvation experience. He then said, “together, those of us who are followers of and believers in Jesus Christ, we understand the observance of and ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.” Hardage continued, “We come together as our Texas Baptist family in an act of remembrance and step of obedience.” 7. The congregation participated in the observance of the Lord’s Supper. 8. Benediction by Executive Director Hardage.
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11. Prayer by Chad Bertrand, COAM member, First Baptist Church, Gatesville. 12. President Reeves reminded messengers the taking of votes during business meetings would be conducted by the Chair by asking Messengers to raise and lower ballots, or by standing, unless a ballot vote was necessary. He recognized Jeff Gravens, chair, Committee on Credentials, for a report. 13. Gravens announced as of 9:20 a.m., July 30, there were 837 messengers enrolled and 738 visitors duly registered. He moved that the messengers who have been enrolled as of this time be seated. Motion was approved. 14. Cary Hilliard, chair, COAM, moved the Standing Rules of the Convention as printed on page 33 of the Program be approved for the Annual Meeting. Motion was approved. 15. Hilliard then moved that the Order of Business as printed on pages 8-13 of the Program be adopted for the Convention. President Reeves mentioned the times stated were general orders and were intended for guidance only. The order of business was adopted. 16. President Reeves asked anyone planning to make a nomination for president, first vice president or second vice president
to come to the stage. All voting would be conducted by raising the ballot, or as otherwise determined by the Chair. 17. President Reeves reminded the messengers that anyone planning to make a motion should refer to page 34 of the Program for information on that procedure. He also noted on page 35 a motion will not be considered unless submitted to the delegates during the Annual Meeting. 18. President Reeves recognized students from San Marcos Academy for serving as pages at the microphones. 19. President Reeves reminded messengers that anyone who desired to offer a resolution should remember that a resolution defined as an expression of opinion as opposed to a motion calling for action. Additional information was in the Program on page 32. Any resolution must be received by the Resolutions Committee no later than noon on Monday. Representatives of the Resolutions Committee would be available at the front of the stage following the business meeting. 20. President Reeves announced the time for the election of the BGCT President for the year 2018-2019. According to the rules, three minutes were allowed for each nomination. 21. President Reeves recognized Dennis Wiles, messenger, First Baptist Church, Arlington. Wiles nominated Michael Evans, pastor, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Mansfield. There were no other nominations for president. Evans was elected by acclamation for the 2018-2019 term. 22. President Reeves recognized Dennis Young, chair, BGCT Executive Board for the Executive Board Report. 23. Chairman Young shared at the February BGCT Executive Board meeting, the board voted to remove the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as a cooperative giving option and the CBF Global Missions as a special missions offering option. The board voted to reallocate JK Wadley funds to support ministry endeavors. A recommendation to study changes to the Annual Meeting as a biennial meeting was approved, with a report to
be forthcoming. At the May meeting, the board affirmed a statement by Executive Director Hardage encouraging Texas Baptists to seek peace in the midst of violent times. 24. Jill Larsen, Texas Baptists Treasurer/CFO, presented the Treasurer’s Report for 2017. The assets of the BGCT as of 2017 were $179 million, an increase of $11.5 million from 2016. The change in assets was due to a strong market increase. Liabilities decreased to $26 million in 2017 from $26.6 million in 2016. Total giving to the Cooperative Program decreased by $1.3 million to $40.6 million in 2017. Giving to Texas Baptists CP in 2017 was $28.6 million, compared to $29.2 million in 2016. Gifts to Special Mission Offerings in 2017 totaled $16.5 million, a decrease from $17.9 million in 2016.
and Bylaws. Further information could be found on page 34 of the Program. Motions to amend the Constitution and Bylaws could also be made at that time. Motions made on Monday would not be acted upon until the business meeting on Tuesday; they would be discussed in the order in which they were made. No motions were presented. 27. Daniel Downey, chair, Committee on Committees, moved for the election of the persons nominated by the Committee found on page 41 of the Program. The persons nominated were elected. 28. Rodger Teaff, chair, Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors (CNEB), moved for the election of the persons nominated by the CNEB found
Institutions: San Marcos Academy President Jimmie Scott, and his wife, Janet, and Howard Payne University President Bill Ellis, and wife, Diana. 31. Hardage introduced new leaders of Texas Baptists Institutions: Baptist Standard Editor Eric Black, and his wife, Dalese, and San Marcos Academy President Brian Guenther, and his wife, Christy. 32. President Reeves called for nominations for candidates for first vice president. 33. Joanna Jespersen, messenger, Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church, Dallas, nominated Jason Burden, pastor, First Baptist Church, Nederland. There were no other nominations for first vice president. Burden was elected by acclamation for the 2018-2019 term.
“This year will be all about unity and sharing the Gospel,” said newly-elected President Michael Evans. “We do that from our different platforms, different places and different faces, but the bottom line is Jesus. He binds us together.” 2018-2019 Convention Officers: First Vice President Jason Burden (Nederland), President Michael Evans (Mansfield), and Second Vice President Jason Atchley (Lubbock). 25. President Reeves noted because the Family Gathering was a summer meeting, the 2019 budget would be approved by the Executive Board during its September meeting. 26. President Reeves introduced the time for Miscellaneous Business and opened the floor for messengers to make motions that were germane to the Convention. Motions could be made at that time on any topic except those issues that were otherwise delegated by the Constitution
on pages 41-42 of the Program. The persons nominated were elected. 29. Bill Brown, chair, Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries (CNBAM), moved for the election of the persons nominated by the CNBAM printed on pages 42-46 of the Program. The persons nominated were elected.
34. President Reeves called for nominations for candidates for second vice president. 35. Daniel “Tiny” Dominguez, messenger, Community Heights Church, Lubbock, nominated Jason Atchley, pastor, Bacon Heights Baptist Church, Lubbock. There were no other nominations. Atchley was elected by acclamation. 36. Russell Diwa, COAM member, Biblical Community Church, Richardson, offered the benediction.
30. Executive Director Hardage recognized retiring leaders of Texas Baptists 5
Proceedings Continued Monday Morning Worship Session 2
42. Congregational Worship lead by Chris and Diane Machen.
37. President Reeves opened worship, reading from Psalm 66.
43. Kelile drew upon Philippians 1:27-30 to challenge Texas Baptists to unite and focus on equipping and sending individuals to spread the Gospel.
38. Chris Liebrum, director of Texas Baptists Cooperative Program Ministries, recognized eight churches for giving to the Cooperative Program. “Together as 5,300 churches, you gave over $30 million to support causes in our state,” Liebrum said. A video recognizing Cooperative Program giving was shown. The topgiving churches recognized included: The Fort Bend Church, Sugar Land; Chinese Baptist Church, Houston; Northside Community Church, San Antonio; Christ the King Vietnamese Baptist Church, Hewitt; First Baptist Church, Pecos; Central Baptist Church, Carthage; Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Abilene; and Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler. 39. President Reeves introduced speaker Nebiye Kelile, pastor of Pathway Church, Garland. 40. Scripture reading by Amy Samuel, COAM member, First Baptist Church, McKinney. 41. Prayer led by Lynn Harper, COAM member, Community Missionary Baptist Church, DeSoto.
The Texas Baptists Bulletin is published on the second day of the Annual Meeting by the Communications Department of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. The Bulletin includes announcements, committee reports and proceedings.
44. Cary Hilliard, COAM member, First Baptist Church, Longview, led the benediction.
Monday Evening Worship Session 3 45. President Reeves opened worship, reading from Psalm 47.
in the disciple-making business. We tell people about Jesus.” 49. Executive Director Hardage led the offertory prayer. 50. An offering was taken to support BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery. 51. Executive Director Hardage introduced speaker David Dykes, pastor, Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler. 52. Jud Hardage led in congregational worship.
46. Congregational worship was led by Jud Hardage, choir, praise team and orchestra, The Heights Church, Richardson.
53. Dykes shared from 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 on unity. It is not unison, uniformity, or unification, but a supernatural bond only God can create. “Thank God for the beauty of unity among Texas Baptists,” he said.
47. Carl, Sherri and Tyler Jay, Graceview Baptist Church in Tomball, read scripture from James 1:2-3 and led in prayer.
54. Anyra Cano, COAM member, Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo, Fort Worth, gave the benediction.
48. Executive Director Hardage reported on Texas Baptists making a difference through Hurricane Harvey relief, BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery, the Missionary Adoption Program, and the Mary Hill Davis Offering. “Disciplemaking is who we are, that’s our call,” Hardage said. “That’s our DNA. We are
David Hardage Executive Director
Joshua Minatrea Director, Communications
Steve Vernon Associate Executive Director
Kalie Lowrie Editor/News Director
Jill Larsen Treasurer/CFO/ Recording Secretary
Jeremy Honea Art Director
Coleen Wall Director, Conference & Event Planning
Kristen Clardy Graphic Designer Kirsten McKimmey News Writer Jordan Parker Multimedia Specialist
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2019 T E X A S B A P T I S TS A N N UA L M E E T I N G
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