JACKSON, Miss. (BP)–Messengers to the 167th annual session of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Oct. 29-30 at First Baptist Church in Jackson treated Frank Pollard to a standing ovation after his re-election by acclamation to a second one-year term as MBC president.
Pollard, who retired in December 2001 from the pastorate of First Baptist Church in Jackson, used his opening remarks to urge the 1,319 registered messengers to stay focused on the most important reason for the convention to exist: the missions effort to spread the gospel around the globe.
“I pray that there will be no issue in this convention other than we love Jesus and love to tell others about the love of Jesus in world missions,” he said.
Bill Hardin, pastor of First Baptist Church in Picayune, was re-elected by acclamation for a second term as MBC first vice president. Archie Herrin of Columbia, an associational missions director for a three-county area in southwest Mississippi, was elected by acclamation to a first term as second vice president. Gus Merritt, retired pastor of Clark Venable Church in Newton, was re-elected by acclamation to the post of recording secretary.
An unanticipated motion to amend the convention’s constitution to prohibit Cooperative Baptist Fellowship supporters from serving in MBC roles sparked a lively procedural debate in the final session of the annual meeting.
Messenger Ralph Henson, pastor of Arrowood Baptist Church in Meridian, had previously proposed the motion that stated, “I move that the Mississippi Baptist Convention not allow anyone to be employed, elected, or appointed to positions with the Mississippi Baptist Convention if that person is currently serving in an employed, elected, or appointed position with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.”
The motion passed overwhelmingly when proposed during the earlier session, but in the final session Kermit McGregor, pastor of First Baptist Church in Mendenhall and MBC immediate past president, rose to a point of order and asserted that the earlier vote violated established constitutional amendment procedures.
Convention parliamentarian John McCall of Clinton, retired pastor of First Baptist Church in Vicksburg and a former MBC president, advised that the first vote was “null and void” based on a Robert’s Rules of Order section dealing with items that appear to violate an organization’s constitutional procedures.
Hardin, who was presiding at the time, agreed with McCall and ruled the vote null and void.
After about 20 minutes of discussion on parliamentary procedures and the future of Henson’s motion, messengers acted to send the motion to the MBC constitution and bylaws committee as specified in the constitution.
The committee will deliver a report on the motion to the 2003 MBC annual meeting, at which time a two-thirds vote by messengers present is required for passage.
The only other item to generate debate was a resolution proposed by Sandra Gunn, a messenger from First Baptist Church in Biloxi and member of the convention board’s executive committee. The resolution stated in part, “… [W]hile we affirm the Biblical and historical position of male pastors, we also support, encourage, and thank God for the millions of women who serve in our churches and ministries around the world….”
The MBC received its first woman pastor earlier this year when Carla Street was called by Rivercrest Fellowship in Flowood, a suburb of Jackson. She had served Rivercrest for several years as co-pastor along with her husband Steve Street, and was called as pastor when Steve Street resigned to become coordinator of Mississippi CBF.
Prior to this year’s annual meeting, at least one Mississippi Baptist pastor had publicly announced his opposition to Rivercrest’s action but the issue was not raised at the meeting.
Chuck Poole, pastor and messenger from Northminster Baptist Church in Jackson, told messengers he was not opposed to the resolution but did take exception to the paragraph describing the pastorate as male.
The resolution passed as written by a wide margin.
Other resolutions approved by messengers included affirmation of the “commitment of Mississippi Baptists to our mission” of obeying the Great Commission; recognition of the need for Christian ministry to “God’s children who have mental retardation and to their caregivers”; and appreciation for the late Jack Winton Gunn, who served for many years as an instructor at Baptist-affiliated Mississippi College in Clinton and as executive secretary of the Mississippi Baptist Historical Commission.
Messengers unanimously adopted a record Cooperative Program 2003 budget of $31,592,787, an increase of 3.51 percent. Of that amount, 35 percent will continue to be sent to Southern Baptist Convention causes.
Native Mississippian Jerry Rankin, president of the SBC’s International Mission Board, detailed for messengers the Southern Baptist worldwide missions effort that now supports more than 5,000 missionaries.
In a later session, Robert E. Reccord, president of the SBC’s North American Mission Board, likewise described his entity’s efforts to reach North America for Christ. Like IMB, NAMB supports more than 5,000 missionaries.
Both mission board leaders applauded Mississippi Baptists for their consistent prayer, financial and volunteer support for the two missions programs, and appealed to messengers for continued support in the future.
P.J. Scott, pastor of First Baptist Church in Olive Branch, delivered the convention sermon. Jim Futral, executive director-treasurer of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, provided the program emphasis, casting a vision for the convention board to the year 2020.
Next year’s annual meeting will be Oct. 28-29 at First Baptist Church of Jackson.
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