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‘This ain’t Texas,’ says Arkansas Baptist leader in support of SBC

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (BP)–The president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention’s executive board declared his support for the Southern Baptist Convention and messengers lashed out at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship during the convention’s annual meeting at Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock.

“The fellowship of Arkansas Baptists is strong,” said Jim Lagrone, president of the executive board. “This ain’t Texas.”

Lagrone’s jab at Texas was directed at the Baptist General Convention of Texas and reported in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

On Oct. 30 messengers to the BGCT annual meeting in Corpus Christi, voted overwhelmingly to reduce funding to the SBC, six seminaries and totally defund the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Arkansas Baptists, on the other hand, approved an $18.7 million annual budget

Messengers passed a resolution to remain loyal to the Cooperative Program and “resist the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship,” an organization founded in 1991 in opposition to SBC leadership.

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“They’re not in agreement with us, so as far as I’m concerned they’re another denomination,” said Sam Moore in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. “The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship takes money away from the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Moore is a member of the ABC’s resolution’s committee.

“The Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention is our primary missions agency,” Moore added. “Every church in our denomination chooses on their own what percentage to give to the Cooperative Program. I believe it’s the greatest mission endeavor of any denomination in the world.”
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