At its final meeting of 2010, held Dec. 9 in Columbia, the Executive Board of the South Carolina Baptist Convention approved an interim convention staff reorganization plan and elected board officers for 2011.
New SCBC Executive Board officers, from left: vice chairman Tom Tucker, chairman Keith Davis and secretary John Helms.With 10 SCBC employees – including five group or office directors – opting to take early retirement at the end of December (see related story), the Executive Board approved an interim staff reorganization plan that leaves open the possibility for input from the state’s Great Commission Resurgence Task Force.
The task force was appointed in November and will begin its work in January. Jim Austin, SCBC executive director-treasurer, said the interim nature of the staff reorganization will allow the task force to “bring its possible recommendations about future staff reorganization.”
As part of the temporary reorganization, Austin said, some retiring employees will continue working on a one-year contract basis in order to provide uninterrupted service to churches. Cliff Satterwhite, assigned to South Carolina Disaster Relief and McCall Royal Ambassador Camp, will serve in a contract position similar in scope to a staff director position. Don Matthews, assigned to church health assessment and mobilization planning strategy; Bobby Jackson, assigned to evangelism; Mark Jeffcoat, assigned to the convention’s annual meeting; and Joe Mack, assigned to public policy, will serve in contract positions similar in scope to staff associate director positions. Dianne Cockrell will serve as a part-time special assistant in the communications and mission development team office.
Members of the Executive Board elected Keith Davis as chairman for 2011. Davis is pastor of Zion Hill Church, Spartanburg. He previously served as 2010 board secretary. Davis succeeds 2010 board chairman Ed Carney, pastor of Riverland Hills Church, Columbia.
Other 2011 officers include vice chairman Tom Tucker, pastor of Sisk Memorial Church, Fort Mill; and secretary John Helms, pastor of Antioch Church, Hartsville.
In other news, the board:
– Approved the hiring of Pam Carroll as the SCBC’s new chief financial officer.
– Heard a report from administration committee chairman D.J. Horton, pastor of Anderson Mill Road Church, Spartanburg, who said the work of a subcommittee researching personnel issues within the convention staff is “well on its way” and that a full report will be made in April 2011. Horton announced that Jack Blankinship is the new campus minister at Winthrop University. Horton also reported a change in policy for White Oak Conference Center that will allow leadership there more flexibility in the hiring of part-time staff.
– Approved, on recommendation from the nominations committee, Steve Cartin, pastor of Red Oak Grove Church, Graniteville, as 2011 vice chairman of the budget, finance and audit committee.
– Approved a recommendation from the nominations committee to amend the board’s standing rules for placing members on the board’s five standing committees. Previous rules called for a minimum of 18 board members serving on the administrative; budget, finance, and audit; planning and ministries; properties; and scholarships committees. The new rule moves from a minimum of 18 board members per committee to a minimum of 20 percent of the board members per committee.
– Heard from executive director-treasurer Austin seeking to explore how South Carolina Baptists can “strategically take the gospel from the cities to the very last tribe” in the area around New Delhi, the capital of India and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. “As Southern Baptist international missionaries drop from 5,600 (in 2008) to 5,000 today, we are seeing an era when the gospel is being received in record numbers,” he said. “South Carolina Baptists need to support the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions so we can increase our missionary count. At the same time, we need to step in as a state convention and help with international missions, and I believe it’s strategically important for us to target this area of New Delhi. Through this area, we can impact 5 percent of the world’s unreached people groups.”
In closing the meeting, outgoing board chairman Ed Carney said, “This has been a year of adjusting to change. We are now ready to look to the future. I pray that you will join me in praying for a direction from God that will take us far into the future.” – SCBC