COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. (BP)–David T. Bunch, executive director and treasurer of the Colorado Baptist General Convention, announced plans to step down from his post to enter volunteer missions during the convention’s Oct. 26-27 44th annual meeting.
Also during the sessions, attended by nearly 300 messengers at Chapel Hills Baptist Church, Colorado Springs, a partnership with Hungarian Baptists was approved.
“It was in Colorado Springs at the Heart of the Springs Church [formerly Bellvue Baptist Church] in 1994 that I was elected,” Bunch told the annual meeting, “so in Colorado Springs I announce the conclusion of my ministry with you.”
He said he will conclude his post in March 2000, the month of his sixth anniversary on the job. He said he plans to activate previous conversations with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to do volunteer missions along with his wife, Joann.
“The joys [during his service in Colorado] have included seeing the reversal from church decline to church growth; the debt reduced from $2.4 million to $900,000, including liquidating the debt on the convention building; renewed development of the Ponderosa Conference Center; the establishment of the Rocky Mountain Campus of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; and the increased Cooperative Program gifts,” Bunch said.
Rick Lewis, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Sterling, and newly elected convention president, expressed gratitude for all that Bunch has contributed to the convention.
“Because of Dr. Bunch’s ministry, we are poised to face the 21st century and to lead Colorado Baptists,” Lewis said.
“I was part of the search committee that presented Dr. Bunch in 1994,” said James Vaughn, director of missions for the Grand Valley Baptist Association and outgoing CBGC president. “It was our prayer that God would send someone to lead us into the new century. He did.”
In launching a three-year partnership with Hungarian Baptists, Ron Clement, pastor of First Baptist Church of Black Forest, Colorado Springs, and chairman of the task force that studied the idea, said of the initiative, “We don’t come with great resources,” but, “We come to help in a personal way.”
Hungary has very little evangelical Christian work of any kind, Clement said, and Colorado Baptists have opportunities to help in church planting, training and developing small groups of believers.
A total budget of $3,827,784 was approved for 2000, a 5 percent increase over the current year for the convention’s 248 churches and 86 missions. Like last year, 29 percent of receipts will go the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program to support world missions causes.
In addition to Lewis, Jim Sheets, pastor of Mount Tabor Baptist Church, Byers, was elected as first vice president; Tobey Williams, pastor of Bicentennial Baptist Church, Fruita, second vice president; and state convention staff member Ginger LeBlanc was re-elected recording secretary. The presidential election was the only ballot with two nominees.
Resolutions were passed affirming the Hungarian partnership, looking to challenges of the new millennium, seeking an end to community violence and encouraging the Annuity Board of the SBC in providing for the retirement needs of our Colorado pastors.
Next year’s annual meeting will be Oct. 24-25 at Immanuel Baptist Church, Fort Collins.
