By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
NASHVILLE — In addition to approving the 10-year goals outlined by Tennessee Baptist Convention Executive Director Randy C. Davis (see story on page 1), the Executive Board approved a new partnership with the Guatemalan Baptist Convention, approved allocations for the 2014 Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions, and heard an update from the Vision 2021 Transition Team during its June 24 meeting held at Forest Hills Baptist Church here.
The meeting took the place of the Executive Board’s regularly scheduled meeting in April that was postponed due to the threat of tornadoes across the state.
The June 24 session marked the first meeting since the Board vacated its former office space at 5001 Maryland Way in Brentwood.
The Board will meet at neutral sites while the offices are housed temporarily in its current location at Seven Springs Way in Brentwood.
If approved by messengers at the Tennessee Baptist Convention annual meeting in November at Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, the partnership will begin Jan. 1, 2016 and continue through Dec. 31, 2020. Next year (2015) would be a year of preparation for the partnership.
Board members were informed that the Guatemalan partnership would provide opportunities for medical and construction teams in addition to evangelism and crusade teams.
Kim Margrave, volunteer missions specialist for the TBC, noted Tennessee Baptists will work in underserved and under reached areas of Guatemala, especially in remote regions of the country.
Board members approved the following allocations for the 2014 Golden Offering which has a goal of $16,500,000:
Revitalizing Churches, $89,000; Harvesting the Lost, $710,000; Reaching Underserved People Groups, $111,000; Meeting Human Needs, $304,000; Equipping Future Generations, $357,000; and Promotion of the Week of Prayer and the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions, $79,000.
Chuck Groover, pastor of Victory Baptist Church, Mount Juliet, and chairman of the Vision 2021 Transition Team, said the team has been working for a period of time to bring a report to the convention in November.
The report was to have been presented at last year’s annual meeting in Chattanooga but was delayed when it was determined more time was needed for discussion and clarification.
“We have sought to hear and respond to what you have said to us,” Groover said.
Groover said the committee will release its report to the convention in an upcoming issue of the Baptist and Reflector.
In other matters, the Executive Board:
- Approved a recommendation from the TBC Arrangements Committee to select Gene Mims as the alternate to present the convention sermon in November. Larry Robertson was chosen for that role last year but was later elected convention president and will deliver this year’s TBC President’s Address.
- Learned of a property study committee appointed by Executive Board chairman Doug White, pastor of First Baptist Church, Oneida. The committee will consist of Todd Henderson,Wynton Overstreet, and Bob Haynes with White, Corey Cain, and Roc Collins as ex officio members.
- Okayed a recommendation engaging the services of Crosslin and Associates to conduct audits of financial statements of the Executive Board and its various entities for the fiscal years ending in 2014, 2015, and 2016.
- Approved an address change in its charter.
