The Anderson University board of trustees, meeting May 21, unanimously endorsed a call for a one-year evaluation period to allow Southern Baptists more time to consider the final report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force (GCRTF).
With their action, Anderson trustees embraced a position similar to one adopted by trustees of Connie Maxwell Children’s Home on May 6. On April 15, trustees of North Greenville University called on GCRTF members to “reconsider” some of the major proposals contained in the report.
Anderson trustees called for a one-year evaluation period to allow Southern Baptists ample time to “become educated about and evaluate the potential long-term impact of significant changes proposed in the GCRTF final report,” according to a press release from the university.
The release said the Anderson board also encourages all South Carolina Baptists to take time to “read, pray over, and thoughtfully study the report as they form their thoughts about how they feel” about the GCRTF recommendations.
In identical letters to Ronnie Floyd, GCRTF chairman, and Johnny Hunt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Anderson trustees stressed the following statement:
“The trustees of Anderson University deeply desire to see the Great Commission accomplished and are totally committed to that great mission. Desiring more time to carefully reflect on the work of the Task Force, we are taking care to neither condone nor disparage the spirit or letter of the report, but we agree with other Baptist institutions and Baptist leaders of good will that to adopt or reject a document that represents such sweeping changes with roughly six weeks to review it essentially denies Baptists the opportunity to fully understand the scope of what they are considering. We further encourage our denomination to utilize the intervening year to educate Baptists in a spirit of openness, thoughtful discussion and the positive exchange of ideas so that all messengers to the 2011 Southern Baptist Convention can enter into a time of deliberation having been thoroughly informed.”
The letter continues: “The GCR Task Force has worked diligently on its May 3, 2010 final report and it has issued its recommendations roughly six weeks in advance of the June 15-16 Southern Baptist Convention, but practically speaking, most grass-roots Southern Baptists have not had time to ‘process’ in their hearts and minds how they ultimately feel about everything the report recommends. This is an extremely important matter and we believe it deserves the thoughtful, unrushed reflection of all Southern Baptists.”
James Lusk, chairman of Anderson’s board of trustees, said, “Several of our trustees have observed that many members of their churches are simply not up to speed on – and in many cases are substantially unaware of – the GCR Task Force’s report and recommendations, and they are not likely to have time to process and evaluate the recommendations before the vote is scheduled in June.”
Anderson University, North Greenville University and Connie Maxwell Children’s Home are among the seven institutions affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The others are Charleston Southern University, The Baptist Courier, South Carolina Baptist Ministries for the Aging, and the South Carolina Baptist Foundation.