South Carolina Baptists put a lot of faith in the work of their committees. Though we might not fully understand all their decisions, we usually go along with them because we feel they have our best interests at heart. Two recent decisions, that pretty much everyone understood, showed to Baptists that always agreeing with their committees might not always be in their best interests. I refer specifically to the decision to sell the retirement facilities Martha Franks and Bethea, and the Great Commission Initiative recently rescinded by the Executive Board, after much vocal sparring in the Courier. The committee seemed blind-sided by this disagreement, culminating in one of the members questioning the integrity of South Carolina Baptists from the platform of the convention on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Perhaps an explanation from a regular Baptist concerning our opposition to this initiative will enlighten them.
First, regarding the proposed sale of Martha Franks and Bethea: South Carolina Baptists were totally caught off guard by this proposed sale. Right or wrong, most Baptists believe that the monies they give in support of our state work cover the costs of running such facilities, and that if they don’t they should. They also see the Mother’s Day Offering as simply a means of giving a little extra to cover, well, extras. Right or wrong, this is the view of your average Baptist. When article after article in the Courier basically said that Baptists hadn’t done what they should to make sure the retirement facilities were taken care of, we were angered, for we believed our monies were enough, and that they were designated to provide for our own, and if they weren’t/aren’t, they should have been/should be.
Second, regarding the Great Commission Initiative, which would take monies from our institutions, and send them to the national convention. Of course we can’t support that. Where is the logic of having us raise money for Ministries for the Aging, and be emphasizing that for months in the Courier, and then present a proposal, such as the Great Commission Initiative, that cuts money designated for that very agency by thousands of dollars? Even your average Baptist like me can see that doesn’t make sense; that is, unless there is still a desire to disengage from this benevolent work.
But what added to my frustration and those around me at the convention Tuesday, was when Marshall Blalock, chairman of the Empowering Kingdom Growth task force, made the statement from the platform, “I believe it is a question of integrity” when referencing Baptists’ lack of support for the initiative. How disappointing and disheartening that such a statement was made.
Our rejection of the Great Commission Initiative does not mean we rejected the task force, nor does it mean we questioned their character or integrity. We simply disagreed with some pertinent parts of the initiative.
-Jim Duncan, pastor, Foreman Memorial Baptist Church, New Ellenton
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