fbpx
News Articles

1,009 messengers attend 100th annual BGCO meeting


Click here for a roundup of all state annual meeting reports.

OKLAHOMA CITY (BP)–The 100th annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma was attended by 1,009 messengers Nov. 13-14 at Quail Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

Messengers adopted a record budget, endorsed partnership agreements for Bangladesh and Utah-Idaho and passed 11 resolutions.

They also heard a report of a $1 million gift given to the capital campaign for the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center.

Before leaving to celebrate the convention’s centennial at First Southern Baptist Church in Del City Tuesday night, messengers adopted a $23.5 million budget for 2007, the largest in the convention’s history, up from the current $22.7 million budget.

The 2007 budget will continue to allocate 60 percent of Cooperative Program receipts received for Oklahoma missions causes and 40 percent for Southern Baptist Convention causes after 1 percent is allocated for statewide stewardship and CP education.

In a three-way race for BGCO president, Alton Fannin, pastor of First Baptist Church in Ardmore, was elected over Buddy Hunt, pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church in Duncan, and Walter Mullican, pastor of Portland Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City.

Tim Richardson, pastor of Waterloo Road Baptist Church in Edmond, was elected first vice president, and Mario Zamarron, Hispanic pastor at Exchange Avenue Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, second vice president.

BGCO Executive Director-Treasurer Anthony Jordan joined leaders from Bangladesh and Utah-Idaho who signed mission partnership agreements for the next three years. Bangladesh is a country with 150 million people in an area the size of Arkansas. In some counties in Utah and Idaho, meanwhile, there is no evangelical work and not a single church, messengers were told.

Resolutions ranged from support of the U.S. military to encouraging parental involvement in education in the God-initiated choice of public, private or home schooling to ensure the child’s physical, moral, emotional and spiritual well-being. All 11 resolutions passed without discussion or opposition.

A resolution on family benefits called upon businesses, organizations and governments to provide family benefits only to traditional families, which, it was explained, includes single-parent families. “Doing otherwise, defies biblical principles and moral standards for the family,” the resolution states.

The resolution on a return to biblical holiness called upon Christians and church leaders to live a lifestyle of purity, moral integrity and Christian accountability as instructed in James 5. “While always maintaining biblical standards, we extend grace and forgiveness to those who have fallen and encourage personal confession, repentance and restoration,” the resolution states.

Other resolutions centered on Oklahoma Baptists’ first 100 years as well as the centennial celebration of Oklahoma’s statehood; prayer for state and national leaders; appreciation to Oklahoma Baptists who helped provide relief to hurricane victims; and biblical stewardship.

Jordan announced that a $1 million gift to Falls Creek has been received from Oklahoma City businessman Jack Humphreys and his wife Bonnie, bringing total commitments in the capital campaign to $25 million. Humphreys traveled around the world for 26 years training counselors for Billy Graham crusades.

Jordan also announced that Falls Creek’s tabernacle is expected to be finished and dedicated during the Memorial Day weekend in 2007.

The 2007 convention will meet Nov. 12-13 at First Baptist Church in Moore.
–30–

    About the Author

  • Dana Williamson