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Rio Grande pastors to BGCT: ‘Tell them we are not thieves’


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DALLAS (BP)–Controversy over the alleged misuse of Baptist General Convention of Texas church-starting funds by three pastors in the Rio Grande Valley has tarnished the reputation of many honorable pastors in far south Texas, BGCT President Michael Bell said at the convention’s annual meeting in Dallas Nov. 13.

Bell, pastor of Greater St. Stephen First Baptist Church in Fort Worth, said he had traveled throughout the region recently, coming into contact with several pastors who told him stories of how they had been told that they and other Baptists were “a bunch of thieves.” Another pastor, he said, began to cry when his son suggested removing the name “Baptist” from the church’s sign.

In October, a special BGCT investigative panel reported that as much as $1.3 million had been misused by pastors Otto Arango of McAllen, Aaron de la Torre of Hidalgo and Armando Vera of Pharr. The men claimed to have planted 258 of the BGCT’s 357 church starts in the Rio Grande Valley from 1999-2005, according to the panel’s report. Only five of the churches are in existence today.

Bell said the pastors in the area had sent him back to the BGCT annual meeting with a message. “They said, ‘Tell them that we are not thieves. Tell them that our commitment to evangelism, missions and ministry is stronger than ever. Tell them we are content to raise our families and do God’s work here in a wonderful place called the Valley,’” Bell said.

Amid the controversy, Bell said, the BGCT must not allow itself to be distracted from its mission. He cited a need to provide for the victims of AIDS, for the hungry and for the needy.

He likened the trouble experienced over what Texas Baptists are calling “Valleygate” to a rough flight on a Boeing 737 airplane, when he said he learned that “turbulence is often integral to the trip.”

“There is a message in there somewhere for Texas Baptists. Right now we are experiencing turbulence and we just have to ride it out,” Bell said. “But God will take care of you.”

Steve Vernon, pastor of First Baptist Church of Levelland in West Texas who was elected BGCT president for 2007, said in a news conference that much of the work in his term will be directed toward correcting problems and perceptions in south Texas. He said he has confidence in the convention’s executive board and BGCT executive director Charles Wade to rectify problems.

“I have real confidence in the reorganization of the executive board and think they’re prepared to handle the investigation,” Vernon said. “It will demand we listen. A lot of people have been doing good work for a lot of years. We need to affirm those pastors.”

During a closed-door meeting of the BGCT’s executive board Nov. 13, the board agreed to address the problems in the Rio Grande Valley that stem from the misuse of convention funds. Board members agreed to raise church-starting guidelines to the “policy” level. The convention leadership will present those policies to the executive board in February.

Ron Gunter, the BGCT’s chief operating officer, said the move to create tighter policies was necessary because “a disconnect exists between church planters, starters, associations and the BGCT.” Andre Punch, who serves as director of the convention’s congregational strategists team, said new efforts to more tightly regulate church starts “will provide a consistent, repeatable and accountable process.”

According to the BGCT, the new church-starting process will involve an online application for BGCT assistance, a phone call from a BGCT church starter, a subsequent resource assessment to find areas where the BGCT can assist and finally the enlistment of leaders to develop the new congregation.
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  • Gregory Tomlin