HONOLULU, Hawaii (BP)–Hawaii Pacific Baptists adopted a $3.22 million budget, an increase of nearly 2 percent, during their Nov. 11-12 meeting at the Waialae Baptist Church in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A total of 254 messengers registered for the two-day meeting, along with 104 guests, under the theme of “Pressing On — Reaching Forward,” based on Philippians 3:12-13.
The Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention has a total of 138 congregations on 11 islands of the Pacific.
The 2011 budget anticipates Cooperative Program giving from Hawaii Pacific churches of $1.22 million, 31.5 percent of which will be allocated for Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries. The convention’s budget also includes funding from the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources.
On the first night of the meeting, messengers approved requests for affiliation from four churches: Agape Central Baptist Church in Waipahu, Paradise Park Baptist Church on Hawaii, Tafuna Baptist Church in American Samoa, and New Covenant Baptist Church in Aiea.
To celebrate excellence among the churches, Executive Director Veryl Henderson presented certificates to the Top 10 givers to the Cooperative Program in both total dollar and per resident member categories. Sungho Kang, the convention’s church planting ministries and missions director, presented certificates recognizing churches for their missions endeavors in all four quadrants of the Acts 1:8 Challenge.
A recommendation to amend the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention’s Constitution, Article III, Statement of Faith, was presented to the messengers by President Walt Agena. The change would read, “The Convention shall be founded on a fellowship based on the Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments. Specific doctrinal distinctives are identified in any historic or current Baptist Faith and Message adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention. As of the current Amended Date, any future revision of the Baptist Faith and Message must be reviewed and affirmed by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention for adoption.”
Agena noted that listening sessions were held on each island for discussion prior to the annual meeting. The process for amending the constitution is to reflect a strong allegiance to the Bible with the Baptist Faith and Message as the theological framework as Southern Baptists. It would continue to affirm the autonomy of the local church. The amendment was presented in accordance with Article IX, Amendments, which states, “Article III may be amended by three-fourth majority vote at any annual meeting provided that the proposed amendments were presented to the Convention at the annual meeting of the preceding year.”
The amendment will be voted on at the annual meeting in 2011. An amendment to Article IV, Membership, was tabled due to lack of time.
All four officers were re-elected: Walter Agena, a layman from OlaNui! in Honolulu, president; Steve Irvin, pastor of Pali View Baptist Church in Honolulu, first vice president; Chris Martin, pastor of the Lahaina Baptist Church on Maui, second vice president; and Nancy Whitehead, a member of Cornerstone Christian Fellowship on Hawaii, recording secretary.
Each session involved worship led by the praise and worship teams from the Oahu Baptist Collegiate Ministries, Hawaii Baptist Academy’s handbell choir and Waialae Baptist Church praise and hula teams, and Libby and Tullos Jones from Kona Baptist Church. In a unique presentation, a hand mime team from Hawaii Chinese Baptist Church performed the theme focus using blacklight. Emerson Wiles, pastor the Waikoloa Baptist Church on Hawaii, preached the annual sermon on the final night.
The 2011 annual meeting will be Nov. 10-11 on Kauai, hosted by the Garden Island Baptist Association.
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Adapted from information submitted by Faith McFatridge of the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention staff.
