September board passes increased budget, clarifies call for next season of ministry

The September meeting of the Texas Baptists Executive Board was held on Sept. 23-24 in Dallas, TX. Board Directors approved the 2025 proposed budget, elected officers, heard ministry reports and considered 25 unique recommendations during the busy two-day business meeting.

Guarneri: Nehemiah’s calling and the next season of ministry 

During his Monday evening address, Executive Director Julio Guarneri spoke from a passage in the book of Nehemiah and updated board directors on progress made through the “clarified calling” process. 

Referencing Nehemiah 1, Guarneri identified three points that can help to clarify what God is calling Texas Baptists to in the next season of ministry. Nehemiah’s calling came through interested inquiry (Nehemiah 1:2-3), intense concern (Nehemiah 1:4, Matt. 9:36) and intercessory prayer (Nehemiah 1:5-10).

“I hope that whatever God calls us to do, that we will step out in faith and do it, that we will deepen our concern, that we will grow in our prayer, and most of all, that we may move to action for the sake of the Kingdom, his Kingdom agenda,” said Guarneri.

Guarneri suggested seven pairings that he said “represent who we are…as we seek clarity.” The pairings included: Purpose—Great Commandment and Great Commission; Strategy—Church Driven and Cooperative Missions; Network—Local Churches and Kingdom Partners; Scope—Texas and Beyond; Focus: Evangelism and Compassion; Leadership—Clergy and Laity; and Education—Christ-centered Liberal Arts and Theological Education.

Guarneri also recognized a number of recent director-level hires, including Sergio A. Ramos, director of the GC2 Initiative, and Bennye Bryant, director of Women in Ministry.

Ramos will work with convention leadership and the Executive Director’s GC2 Study Group to help define and give strategy and structure to the GC2 Initiative and lead its implementation to help build networks of churches and Kingdom partners.

Bryant will focus on connecting and resourcing women in vocational ministry. The newly created role aligns with a motion passed by messengers to the 2023 Family Gathering, a report on listening sessions delivered by CLC and Center for Cultural Engagement Director Katie Frugé, and a related Executive Committee recommendation passed in May.

Guarneri also shared a brief update related to a meeting between Texas Baptists and NAMB representatives that took place Aug. 15, noting that “our mutual understanding has increased,” but also that “there has not been any significant change in the way we relate at this time.” He pledged to keep board members informed.

Marriott: ‘God’s heart’ that all might know him 

In his Tuesday morning address, Convention President Ronny Marriott spoke about what the Kingdom of God looks like. He shared two pillars that sustain the foundation of the convention of churches: unity amidst diversity and the radical, transformational love of Christ. 

Marriott highlighted that we are called by scripture to be unified even with the knowledge that the Kingdom is diverse and we are to promote and demonstrate Jesus’ radical love.

“We realize we are not of the world. But don’t forget, we are in this world for a reason and that’s to make a difference. It is to advance the Kingdom of God. It is to promote and highlight the goodness of his Kingdom [and the] necessity of being a citizen,” said Marriott. “And this, as we think about his Kingdom agenda, is God’s heart–that all might know that his Kingdom exists and they have an opportunity to be a part of it.”

“His Kingdom Agenda” is the theme for the 2024 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting taking place Nov. 10-12 in Waco, TX. Marriott, who will preside over the meeting, is scheduled to deliver his President’s Address during the fourth session on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Increased budget to support ‘areas of need’

The board approved the proposed 2025 Texas Baptists missions and ministries budget of $36,716,950. The proposed budget consists of $27.8M in Cooperative Program (CP) giving, $7.4M from investment income and $1.5M from conference and booth fees and product sales. 

The total budgeted revenue for the new year’s budget is set at 102% of the 2024 budget and includes a forecasted 2.5% increase in CP giving as well as increases to investment income. Ward Hayes, Texas Baptists treasurer/CFO, noted during his report that budget increases will be allocated to “areas of need” including Church Starting, the GC2 Initiative and a slight increase in health insurance costs.

“[God has] also provided for us, I think, the ingredients to bring before you a budget that is a 2.5% increase over the prior year,” said Hayes. “Those [ingredients] are the strong shoulders of those that have gone before us, which we stand [on] and which we are blessed in so many ways, understanding that we do better together and more together than we do apart.”

Hayes noted the Convention is fiscally sound, fiscally focused, and fiscally strategic.

The board also voted to continue the percentage allotment of the adopted budget at 79% Texas Baptists and 21% Worldwide, with each church selecting the recipient(s) of the Worldwide portion, and $1.1M in Worldwide Missions Initiatives and Partnerships allocations as follows: Missions Mobilization, $340,000; River Ministry & Mexico Endeavors, $200,000; Texas Partnerships, $100,000; Baptist World Alliance, $55,000; North American Baptist Fellowship, $5,000; Intercultural International Initiatives, $50,000; Go Now Missions, $200,000; and GC2 Initiatives, $100,000. 

Officers, captive insurance and Church Starting increases

Heath Kirkwood, lead pastor of First Baptist Church Lorena and Executive Board director from Sector 30, was elected to serve as Executive Board chair in 2025, and Suzie Liner, retired physician and Executive Board director from Sector 2 representing First Lubbock, was elected to serve as vice chair.

The board passed a recommendation from the Administration Support and Finance Committees that seeks to assist churches through collaboration in a captive insurance pool. The recommendation, aimed at providing relief amidst the “dire” property insurance environment, allows for a feasibility study and Executive Committee review. Pending review and approval, Executive Leadership would be authorized to “take all necessary steps” to implement the program. Interested churches are encouraged to contact their directors of missions.

The board also voted to increase the maximum amount that may be approved for any new church start from $75,000 to $125,000. The recommendation came from the Missions Funding Council by way of the Center for Missional Engagement Committee.

Sexual Abuse Task Force report and recommendations

The board heard a report and received recommendations from the Sexual Abuse Task Force (SATF) chaired by Janice Bloom, vice chair of the Executive Board. Bloom reviewed the Task Force’s assignment and members, presented an updated version of the abuse response web pages of the Texas Baptists website and outlined a series of recommendations.

“The more people in your church that become educated and knowledgeable on this issue through this [Ministry Safe] training…they [can] then start to go out into the world and apply this knowledge [outside the church],” said Bloom.

The recommendations are as follows:

Create an awareness program that includes: 

• Developing or directing the development of resources to help churches implement a comprehensive church safety team.
• Encouraging churches to engage in ANNUAL training about sexual abuse and related issues.
• Dedicating a Sunday in conjunction with National Child Abuse Awareness month (April) to include availability of materials and sermon outlines to help pastors highlight this issue.
• Developing or directing the development of a list of attorneys and counselors with knowledge of this issue who are willing to be referrals in each Texas Baptists sector.

The Convention:

• Develop a model policy for dealing with sex offenders who desire to attend church.
• Include a speaker at its 2025 Annual Meeting to address the importance of this topic and what the church needs to know.
• Amend the bylaws to provide a disciplinary measure for members of the Executive Board, including removal from office by the Board with rights of due process and appeal to any disciplined member.

The Executive Board:

• A code of conduct for staff, executive board members, volunteers, affiliates and vendors (Much of this will involve converting undocumented practices into written policy).
• Review Texas Baptists Policy Manual and recommend additional abuse prevention and response policies
• Evaluate whether additional policies/guidance are necessary for the Emergency Response Council to add consistency of response
• Assess the need for additional job responsibilities to formalize the year-round proactive approach.

Bloom noted that all recommendations are in keeping with Texas Baptists’ three-pronged proactive approach to protect the vulnerable through awareness and education, report instances of abuse to appropriate authorities and care well for survivors through counseling and other services.

The revised abuse response web pages, organized around a new “Speak L.I.F.E.” theme and featuring English and Spanish language content, are scheduled to go live on Monday, Sept. 30 at txb.org/abuseresponse.

Following the SATF report, Steve Bezner, senior pastor of Houston Northwest Church and Executive Board director for Sector 19-22, brought a recommendation to create an implementation task force to carry out the SATF’s recommendations. The recommendation to create an implementation task force passed, and the incoming board chair and vice-chair will select the new task force’s members after they assume their positions following the Annual Meeting.

Additional business

The following individuals were elected to fill vacancies on councils, committees and boards of affiliated ministries:

• Institutions Audit Council: Jill Axton, Indiana Avenue Baptist Church, Lubbock; Gene Potts, First McKinney Baptist Church, McKinney; Larry Post, Sugar Land Baptist Church, Sugar Land; Stacy Leonard, First Baptist Church Garland, Garland.
• Theological Education Council: Dan Upchurch, Sunset Canyon Baptist Church, Dripping Springs; Van Christian, First Baptist Church Comanche, Comanche.
• Texas Baptist Missions Foundation Council: Jim Newman, First Baptist Church Frisco, Frisco; Jason Davidson, The Heights Baptist Church Richardson, Richardson; Janice Bloom, First Baptist Church Garland, Garland; Merritt Johnston, First Baptist Church Brenham, Brenham; Ben Raimer, First Baptist Church Galveston, Galveston; Pat Hyde, First Baptist Church Kenedy, Kenedy; Sharon (Sheri) Price, First Baptist Church Amarillo, Amarillo; David Paul, Sugar Land Baptist Church, Sugar Land. 
• Affinity Ministries Council: Felicia Omoni, African Evangelical Baptist Church, Grand Prairie.
• Chaplaincy Endorsement Council: George Will Bearden, First Baptist Church San Antonio, San Antonio; James Robert Pipkin, Calvary Baptist Church, Emporia, VA; Rochelle Binion, Invitation Church, Sioux Falls, SD; Sarah Hester, First Baptist Church, Oneonta, AL. 
• Christian Life Commission: Alice Ward, Westside Baptist Church, Lewisville; Emmanuel Roldan, Primera Iglesia Bautista, Waco; Kalie Lowrie, First Baptist Church Brownwood, Brownwood; Chad Chaddick, First Baptist Church San Marcos, San Marcos; Darrin Moore, TrueVine Missionary Baptist Church, Spring.
• Hispanic Education Initiative Council: Jose Gamez, Iglesia Bautista Alfa, Dallas; Enrique Soto, El Buen Pastor, Dallas; Pablo Juarez, First Baptist Church Kaufman, Kaufman; David Reyes, Fielder Church, Arlington; Joe Rangel, Alamo Heights Baptist Church, San Antonio; Olivia Gomez, Calvary Baptist Church, McAllen. 
• GC2 Press Advisory Council: Amy Wilkins, Valley Ranch Baptist Church, Coppell; Justin Hamby, First Baptist Church Lubbock; Sarah Sensenig, Trinity Baptist Church, San Antonio; Todd Atkins, Salem Institutional Baptist Church, Dallas. 
• Missions Funding Council: Fernando Rojas, Azle Avenue Baptist Church, Fort Worth.
• Missional Engagement Coordinating Council: Billy Reed, Dallas County Cowboy Church, Balch Springs; Veronica Griffith, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Arlington. 
• Baptist Student Ministry Council: Keith Durham, First Baptist Church San Angelo, San Angelo. 

Other business included passage of the following recommendations:

• A recommendation to revise Policy 804: Fair Employment Practices to clarify hiring practices as it relates to Texas Baptists’ mission, purpose and beliefs.
• A recommendation to appoint Bill Arnold as interim secretary of the corporation to serve until an election can be held at the upcoming Annual Meeting.  
• A recommendation to authorize Executive Leadership to utilize a portion of unused budget funds remaining at the end of year 2024 to make needed adjustments to the compensation matrix of Convention personnel.
• A recommendation to revise Policy 846: Family Medical Leave Act by removing Maternal Leave since it is discussed at length in Policy 842. 
• A recommendation to revise Policy 842: Time Away from Work to clearly define parental leave and its conditions, as well as clarifying Adoption leave. 
• A recommendation to secure Batts, Morrison, Wales & Lee to conduct the financial audit for the year 2024. 
• A recommendation to adopt the Restated Certificate of Formation of the Valley Baptist Missions and Education Center.