BSC income falters

By Tony W. Cartledge

BR Editor

CARAWAY - The Baptist State Convention (BSC) Executive Committee heard a disappointing financial report and received the resignation of one of the BSC's team leaders April 13.

Cooperative missions giving through the BSC remains below budget goals, even though the 2004 adopted budget of $35.18 million is 6.3 percent less than the 2003 budget.

Reporting to the Executive Committee on April 13, BSC Executive Director-treasurer Jim Royston said income for Jan. 1-March 31 is $612,271, or 6.96 percent, below budget goals for the year. The amount lags behind giving during the first quarter of 2003 by $642,808, or 7.28 percent.

Unlike 2003, when Plan D giving consistently rose while contributions to other giving plans dropped, income for 2004 is down across the board. Unrestricted gifts to Plan A, which retains 68 percent for the BSC and sends 32 percent to the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), was down by 5.71 percent. Gifts to Plan B, which reduces the SBC share to 10 percent and adds other state mission ministries, dropped 5.5 percent. Plan D was down the least, showing a 3.67 percent decline. Plan D sends 32 percent to the SBC, 50 percent to the BSC general fund, and 18 percent to designated N.C. Baptist causes.

Plan C, which generally constitutes about 7 percent of total cooperative mission funds, showed the largest percentage drop, falling almost 20 percent from 2003. Plan C is identical to Plan B except that 10 percent of Plan C funds are sent to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, rather than the SBC.

Royston said that, despite the shortfall, the convention staff is holding down expenses and cash flow remains positive. Royston expressed cautious hope for the future. The BSC staff is making progress toward developing stronger programs for stewardship education and marketing, he said, and has seen an increased desire in the churches for resources designed to promote financial discipleship.

Don Bouldin, executive team leader for the Congregational Services group, announced his retirement effective April 30. Bouldin will join the staff of Carmel Baptist Church, where he was pastor between 1976 and 1989, as "Pastor of Reaching," with responsibility for missions and evangelism.

Bouldin came to the BSC in January 1999 to head up what is arguably the most visible of the General Board staff's six organizational teams. He was the only executive team leader who wasn't already on the BSC General Board staff.

Previously, Bouldin had been pastor at Briarlake Baptist Church in Decatur, Ga., for more than nine years.

Bouldin and his wife, Dwain, have three children, two of whom live in the Charlotte area.

"This came out of nowhere," Bouldin said. "I had expected to work a couple more years and then retire to the Charlotte area, where we would have become members at Carmel, so when this came up it was unreal, but a wonderful kind of unreal."

Bouldin said his present position had also been a surprise opportunity, but a rewarding one, and that he leaves with real ambivalence. "I've worked with a great group of people," he said, "and had the chance to be involved some exciting things, laying the groundwork for the next 10 to 20 years."

"I believe the convention's best days are dead ahead," he said.

Royston told the Executive Committee that he regretted Bouldin's departure, and said the BSC will be hard-pressed to find someone with Bouldin's skills for the job and credibility among the churches.

The Executive Committee authorized Royston and other BSC staff to begin a search for Bouldin's successor immediately.

In other personnel matters, the Executive Committee voted to hire Suzanne Reece as year round program coordinator for Camp Mundo Vista, a ministry of N.C. WMU. Reece worked last year as summer program coordinator, but the camp's ministry has been expanding, Royston said.