[1]JACKSON, Miss. (BP)–Messengers to the 172nd annual meeting of the Mississippi Baptist Convention on unanimously adopted a record Cooperative Program budget during their Oct. 30-31 sessions at First Baptist Church in Jackson.
The 2008 CP budget of $34,263,763 reflects an overall 3.24 percent increase over the current budget. Giving to Southern Baptist Convention causes, remaining at 35 percent of the total budget, likewise will increase by the same 3.24 percent in the new budget.
The ministries of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, such as church planting, collegiate ministry and stewardship, will receive an increase of 3.57 percent to $12,808,144, or 37.37 percent of the total budget. Mississippi institutions and agencies, such as the Baptist Children’s Village and the Board of Ministerial Education, will receive a 3.15 percent increase over last year, for a total of $8,479,302, for 24.75 percent of the budget.
Church retirement and protection will be unchanged, at $944,000, or 2.88 percent of the total budget.
Mickey Dalrymple, pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Columbus, was chosen by acclamation as the new MBC president — the fifth consecutive time the MBC president has been elected with unanimity.
Dalrymple has been serving as president of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville. He succeeds two-term MBC President Clarence Cooper, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Grenada.
[2]David Hamilton, pastor of West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc and the convention’s second vice president, was elected as the new first vice president. He replaces Joel Medina, pastor of Iglesia Internacional Church in Carthage and the convention’s first-ever Hispanic officer, who is completing his second term as first vice president.
Hamilton defeated Tommy King, president of Baptist-affiliated William Carey University in Hattiesburg, by a vote of 370-160.
Steve Mooneyham, missions director for the Gulf Coast Baptist Association in Gulfport, was elected second vice president over Truman Scarborough, missions director for the Yalobusha Baptist Association in Water Valley, by a vote of 240-221.
Longtime MBC recording secretary Gus Merritt, a retired pastor from Newton, was re-elected by acclamation.
Messengers unanimously approved the lone resolution proposed during the meeting, which expressed appreciation to First Baptist Church in Jackson for hosting the annual meeting. The resolution also thanked the speakers, singers, and instrumentalists; MBC President Clarence Cooper, who completed his second and final term in office; and “all of the officers, members of all boards, trustees of all agencies and institutions, committee members, and volunteers who have served this Convention faithfully as a labor of love.”
The theme of the 2007 MBC annual meeting was, “Ye shall be my witnesses in all Judea …,” from Acts 1:8. A total of 979 messengers registered for meeting.
According to the 2006 Annual of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, there are currently 2,123 churches in friendly cooperation with the convention, with 706,038 total members. A total of $33,588,632 in CP gifts was received last year by the convention.
The 2008 MBC annual meeting will be Oct. 28-29 at First Baptist in Jackson. Barry Corbett, pastor of First Baptist Church in Kosciusko, was chosen to deliver the convention sermon.
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William H. Perkins Jr. is editor of The Baptist Record, newsjournal of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.