BGCT messengers focus adopted GC2-focused budget
By Jessica King/BGCT
ABILENE, Texas – Just over 2,000 messengers and visitors gathered in Abilene Nov. 16-18 to take part in the 140th Annual Meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT), focusing on the theme, “Live Out GC2: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples.”
Messengers considered several motions dealing with the convention’s partnership with outside organizations, including the Baptist World Alliance and Baylor University.
For Baptist Standard reports on those motions, go here and here.
Julio Guarneri, executive director of Texas Baptists, recognized international guests representing Argentina Baptist Convention, Brazilian Baptist Convention, Baptist Convention of Mexico, Baptists Churches of Tanzania, the Ukrainian Baptist Union, Peru and Romania.
Convention officers elected
Two individuals were nominated for the role of president. Debbie Potter, children’s pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio and first vice president of the Convention, was nominated by Ronny Marriott, messenger from First Baptist Church Richardson and outgoing Convention president.
Kevin Burrow, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Eastland, was nominated by Shawn Brewer, messenger from First Baptist Church Paradise.
Results of the balloted vote for president were announced at the conclusion of the business session. Potter won the vote, 430 to 320 votes, and was elected president for the 2025-2026 term.
Joseph Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, was elected first vice president of the Convention. Adams served as second vice president from 2024 to 2025.
Ariel Martinez, pastor of Del Sol Church in El Paso, was elected second vice president.
Adams and Martinez were unopposed and were elected following a vote by the 1,039 messengers who were registered at the time of voting, as announced by the registration secretary.
At the time of writing, 1,129 messengers and 1,989 total guests had been registered.
Executive Board report
Heath Kirkwood, chair of the BGCT Executive Board, gave an update on three major actions taken by the Board since the previous Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in November 2024.
The Executive Board approved the 2024 proceedings of the 139th annual session at the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting on Nov. 10-12 in Waco, a recommendation to organize a Texas Baptists Insurance Program and the creation of the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program, Texas Baptists Risk Management and Covenant Solutions, each of which are separate from the BGCT but each company’s board of directors is elected by the Executive Board. The board also approved a recommendation for at least one director of missions and one BGCT pastor to serve on the board of each company.
Kirkwood also reported on other business considered by the board, including a recommendation to affirm the convention’s longstanding practice to receive into harmonious cooperation churches that affirm traditional Baptist beliefs as generally stated in either the 1963 or 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, or a similar Baptistic confessional statement. The board also approved two recommendations related to institutional relations: the adoption of a special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists and the restated articles of incorporation of STCH Ministries. The board approved recommendations from the Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Task Force and approved recommendations to fill vacancies on various institution boards and committees.
For a report on the indemnity program, go here.
Treasurer Wawrd Hayes pointed to a total budgeted revenue of $47.9 million, which is 105 percent of the 2025 budget. Per Hayes, a new budget design has been implemented to incorporate the GC2 Strong initiative of strengthening churches, leaders and missions.
Expenses in the new year included health insurance costs and increased investments in the GC2 Strong Initiative, Church Starting, Baptist Student Ministry, Theological Education and each of five Ministry Centers.
Each BGCT church determines the allocation of its financial gifts among the BGCT, BGCT institutions and national and international Southern Baptist Convention causes. According to a BGCT spokesperson, Last year’s church-directed giving reflected about 50 percent to BGCT, 26 percent to SBC, and 24 percent to BGCT institutions.
Recommendations
Following a financial report, Executive Board recommendations were considered by messengers.
After discussion, the proposed 2026 budget of $37.5 million was adopted.
The proposed 2026 allocation of $1.1 million in Texas Baptists Worldwide Missions Initiatives and Partnerships was also adopted.
A recommendation to adopt the special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists was adopted.
A recommendation to affirm the convention’s longstanding practice to receive into harmonious cooperation churches that affirm traditional Baptist beliefs as generally stated in either the 1963 or 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, or a similar Baptistic confessional statement, was adopted.
The 2026 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15-17, 2026, in Waco.
Read an additional wrap-up story here.
Virginia Baptists gather to learn, serve
By Baptist Paper Staff
ABINGDON, Va. – Virginia Baptists spent three days building on their long foundation of ministry during the Baptist General Association of Virginia (BGAV) annual meeting Nov. 10-12 at Highlands Fellowship Church.
They elected new officers, approved a new budget, and experienced a new Learning Lab format for exploring topics relevant to local churches.
They also literally got to work, building out the inside of a tiny house in shifts as part of a new effort by Impact Missions Disaster Response.
New budget
The 2026 budget approved by messengers matched the 2025 budget based on anticipated giving of $17,357,836. Highlights of the budget proposal include a 2026 Cooperative Missions budget allocation of $7,193,750, to be allocated between Virginia missions and ministries ($4,750,000), world mission causes ($2,014,250) and BGAV partners in Virginia ($429,500).
The 2026 goal for the Alma Hunt Offering for Virginia Missions is $800,000.
New officers
Messengers elected Chief Stephen R. Adkins, a layperson from Samaria Baptist Church, Providence Forge, to serve as the next president of BGAV.
The election of Adkins, principal chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, was historic, as he will be the first Native American to serve as BGAV president, outgoing BGAV President Shelton Miles said following the ballot.
Also elected to serve:
- First vice president: Mark Mofield, senior pastor of Melrose Baptist Church, Roanoke
- Second vice president: Jim Bunce, pastor of Marlow Heights Baptist Church, Front Royal
- Clerk: Tim Madison, pastor of Emmaus Baptist Church, Providence Forge, (re-elected).
Mission Forward theme
During his report, BGAV Executive Director Wayne Faison encouraged Virginia Baptists to become “greater agents of mission.”
“As I think about Mission Forward and where God is leading us, I’m reminded of the vision that God has given us over the last year or two,” Faison said. “That vision is becoming greater agents of mission, together with our networks of churches, partners, and leaders, impacting the kingdom locally, nationally and globally with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Learning Labs
This year, the annual meeting moved from including breakout sessions to a Learning Lab format.
“The gist of it is really simple — our previous breakout model always had a bunch of things that were important to our churches but not foundational,” said Gary Long, BGAV’s chief marketing officer. “We really wanted to change that to feature things that would help our churches and answer the questions they were asking.”
Topics included using AI in productive yet ethical ways, transforming a church hunger ministry into a collaborative community, discipleship, religious liberty, navigating uncertain times and talking to children about death. Some labs were offered in person, and others were hosted online.
Tiny house build
Volunteers also worked in shifts during the meeting to finish the drywall work on the inside of Tiny 2, the second tiny house put together by Impact Disaster Response.
The idea to build tiny houses came about after Hurricane Helene as disaster relief volunteers encountered homeowners whose homes were a total loss.
After some conversations, they came to an arrangement with a local manufacturer who began building the shell of a tiny house that IDR volunteers would then work to complete.
“This is something we could build five or six of and keep offsite until a disaster happens, so we can get people in those homes more quickly if we see that their home is a total loss,” said Glenn Maddox, BGAV national missions director.
It also could provide a missions project at home that churches could host in their parking lot, Maddox said.
The Wednesday evening missions offering for the tiny house project totaled a little more than $2,400, Maddox reported.
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