Positive news about the South Carolina Baptist Convention budget greeted SCBC Executive Board members who gathered April 11-12 at White Oak Conference Center for their spring meeting.

Mendel Stewart, chairman of the budget, finance and audit committee, reported that 2011 budget receipts are 3.5 percent ahead of budget needs and that Executive Board ministries, which include the work of the South Carolina Baptist Convention staff, are “about $350,000 to the good.” (SCBC messengers adopted a $29.54 million budget in November 2010.)

He reported the budget committee is working with the board’s scholarship committee concerning increased funding for 2012 and is preparing a new investment statement for all convention funds.

Stewart also reported that the SCBC has received an “unqualified, approved and clean” audit for 2010 from the national accounting and advisory firm of CapinCrouse, as did Connie Maxwell Children’s Home, South Carolina Baptist Ministries for the Aging, and The Baptist Courier. CapinCrouse has been retained by the board for the convention’s 2011 audit.

Working with the board’s administrative committee, the budget, finance and audit committee approved the hiring of an associate director for the SCBC’s church health and Cooperative Program group, Stewart reported. He noted funds for the position were previously budgeted for 2011.

 

Property improvements

Eddie Fulmer, chairman of the properties committee, reported that a subcommittee made recommendations surrounding the naming of buildings and properties, with additional guidelines for the committee’s acceptance of bids on future work. The subcommittee’s report was adopted by the full properties committee.

McCall Royal Ambassador Camp will receive improvements, including harness systems used in rock-climbing activities, a tractor, a four-wheel drive utility vehicle and a new salad bar for the dining hall. The properties committee approved $60,488 for the expenses. Additionally, the purchase of a truck – not to exceed $19,000, already available in a special fund – was approved.

For Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Fulmer reported negotiation of a contract with Mike Ravan of United Carpenters for Christ to manage construction and renovations to BCM property in Spartanburg. The contract will include a $3,500 monthly donation to United Carpenters for Christ for project management, a 30-day cancellation clause, appropriate insurance and other SCBC qualifications, and the use of volunteers from Brotherhood Builders. Also, $8,742 was approved for restroom repairs for the Lander University BCM.

At White Oak Conference Center, the purchase of a $61,000 air conditioning unit for the kitchen was approved. Also, the conference center’s rate structure was approved with no fee increases. The new rates do include, however, penalties for some cancellations and late payments.

 

Baptist building report

Jim Austin, SCBC executive-director treasurer, provided a 2010 year-in-review report, highlighting convention successes in a time when “more than 80 percent of churches are in plateau or [are] declining, and we are faced with an economic recession that is affecting how denominations are organized and serve.”

He pointed to SummerSalt, the four-week summer student camp at White Oak. Camp participation has increased each year since 2008, including 700 more students for the coming 2011 season over the record year of 2010. Registration for the 2011 SummerSalt camps is full.

Steve Rohrlack, youth ministry group director, said the camp’s popularity has grown because of the thematic approach to each week, with everything designed for students and 25 college students hired to mentor and lead the camp each summer. He also pointed to a partnership with the convention’s worship and music office to provide a music and arts track to SummerSalt and announced the addition of a missions track for this summer.

Ken Owens, director of the collegiate ministry group, spoke of an increased response to the gospel among the state’s 30 BCM groups (including Bible study groups) on South Carolina college and university campuses. In 2010, Owens reported, there were 110 professions of faith and “there have already been 90 so far this year. We are going to surpass 110 this year.” He said the spiritual revival is due to a renewed focus on spiritual awakening at the campuses, focusing on building disciples of Christ. Austin said the number of summer missionaries from college campuses has almost doubled since 2008 and almost tripled since 2007.

Austin noted the reduction of Cooperative Program requests for White Oak Conference Center and introduced Jos? and Lynette Stephens, of Campers on Mission, who have been using the recently opened RV park at White Oak and serving as volunteers for the convention-owned facility.

He also reported that baptisms in 2009-2010 were the highest in 25 years in South Carolina. The number of churches participating in the convention’s Church Health Assessment and Mobilization Planning Strategy has already, through mid-April, equaled the total number of churches (21) participating in 2010, Austin said.

In church planting, Austin said 13 new churches have been started in 2011, compared to a total of 27 in 2009, and 26 in 2010. The convention’s Immersion disciple-making process currently has 50 to 60 leaders engaged and has already exceeded the total participants of 2010. Likewise, the number of churches involved in multihousing ministry is on pace to meet or exceed, by mid-year, the 2010 total.

Austin also gave a nod to the work of South Carolina Disaster Relief, which is at the lead of Southern Baptist response to the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, but is also responding as needed among South Carolina churches.

“We have a smaller staff than we’ve had in years,” Austin said. “We have a budget that’s back to 2002 levels, but, despite the declines due to the economy, we are seeing results like never before through the convention’s churches.”

 

Other business

Also at its spring meeting, the Executive Board:

– Heard a follow-up report from a subcommittee of the administrative committee related to personnel issues within the Baptist building (see related story).

– Heard from the planning and ministries committee, which authorized the convention staff to pursue an invitation to partner with 18 Baptist churches in Egypt for evangelism and ministry. The SCBC is currently in a missions partnership with the North Africa/Middle East region. Committee chairman John Keye said the recent popular uprising in Egypt may have opened the door for the partnership, which could involve sending teams this fall and a potential eight-day revival with the 18 churches.

– Heard from the scholarship committee, which reported more than 200 applicants. In 2010 the committee awarded 101 scholarships.

– Heard annual reports from the Baptist Foundation of South Carolina, South Carolina Baptist Ministries for the Aging, Connie Maxwell Children’s Home and The Baptist Courier.

– Heard from SCBC president Sonny Holmes regarding the upcoming 2011 annual meeting in Columbia in November. Holmes said the Tuesday night program will feature a presentation from the South Carolina Great Commission Resurgence Task Force, which is meeting under the leadership of chairman Ralph Carter, pastor of Brushy Creek Church, Taylors. Holmes said the convention’s theme will be “Immeasurably More,” and he encouraged board members to invite people to attend. – SCBC