David

My anti-spam word was “Love”. Therefore, in love I would like to tell you that your opening statement placed me in a defensive mode. It is such statements that keep us apart. I am struggling with whether to answer you because you truly desire dialog, or whether to blow you off because all you are looking for is a last word to win an argument. I choose the first because I truly desire to dialog.

I, the author you have chosen to label as one that does not desire to live peaceable, chose to write this article for one reason. It seemed to me to be very clear that some were calling and chastising others for the lack of funds to send M’s to the mission field. Those doing this were featured at the SBC Pastors conference and is sitting on the GCR Task Force but his church gives over half as much to Acts 29 as it does to the CP. (According to the formula of the Acts 29 covenant) I was told by Scott Thomas Acts 29 does not receive the ten percent money. Technically he was correct. However, he later posted a new covenant at Acts 29 that stated we will give 10%, surprisingly this is the same wording of the same outdated covenant he said I used. However, there was an addition to this covenant. Now, instead of 10% it was 9% going to church planting and 1% goes to the bureaucratic network of Acts 29. In all fairness we are told this is voluntary giving but the covenant does not word it as voluntary. Either there is a discrepancy in wording, or there is an integrity issue of placing a covenant out there that says one thing but the practice is different. I choose to believe the first.

I am not knocking Acts 29, I just do not believe the we as Southern Baptist should partner with them. You received $24 from SBC to plant your church. Praise God. However, isn’t it the responsibility of the mother church to subsidize the rest of the funds instead of going to a network of churches that restrict the church to a particular soteriology?

I pray that God continues to bless your work.

Blessings,
Tim

I wanted to tell a brief version of my story, because I think it is the the growing story of a lot of guys. I have spent my entire life in SBC churches, all of them fairly traditional. Five years ago I felt the very clear call to plant a church, which started three years ago in Eureka, MO. We were sent with support and blessing from the SBC church I’d served in for fourteen years, and we were supported by the Missouri Baptist Convention and that church. I found out about A29 and met with Darren Patrick to learn about their vision, mission, etc. My pastor and my Director of Missions encouraged me to check it out. I was impressed with their missional mindset, and that grew when I had several opportunities to have dinner with Ed Stetzer at A29 events. Short story, we joined the network. Their process of testing and affirming me as a planter was amazingly valuable. I am a 40+ guy planting a church, so I am one of the old guys in the network, but the funny thing is that when I attend stuff associated with Southern Baptists, I am one of the young guys.

I was told about the 10%, and informed that the guideline is that as a church we are to be involved in missions and church planting, and that our giving to CP could be considered part of that percentage. From day one we have given 5% to CP, 2.5% to Association, and 2.5% to a fund that we use to support a church plant. Right now we are helping to plant a church in the Bevo neighhborhood. We have never sent a dime to Seattle! But we keep giving to Cooperative Program as an extension of our commitment to give 10% to missions and church planting. The point being, this entire blog is incorrect and based on false information.

But here is the greater issue for me, and I believe for a lot of guys. Every time I read a blog, and hear that this kind of stuff ends up on Baptist publications (It seems like every other issue of the MBC Pathway has an article about Driscoll or A29 with completely incorrect and even slanderous information), it doesn’t draw me closer to SBC, it drives me farther away. My deep hearts desire is to function with both groups, to continue to be a SBC Cooperative Program church, while continuing relationship and partnership with A29. Yet, I am being driven away. Because of stuff like this, the MBC pulled our funding. After my previous pastor left the church I’d been in for fourteen years, a few of the “old timers” started reading all this baloney and used it to create division in that church. They decided to defund us as well as an attempt to keep peace during an interim. We basically lost $24 grand in funding, although I never moved or changed. I know in my conversations with other guys, there are a bunch like me, and they are all younger, and most of them are ready to bail on SBC. I keep trying to talk them in to hanging in there hoping that we will see attempts toward reconciliation. But then I read another blog, find another story, have another headache. The end for most of us will be that we will give up on SBC because of attrition. And if these young leaders leave in mass, where will it leave missions. My two cents.

The bottom line is if our convention sees every different approach, vision and calling as contrary to our structure influence and income we will miss the mighty hand of God as he blesses other churches and the expansive heart of God for the lost.

Peace be with the SBC and peace be with Acts 29. “Satan loves for churches (or denominations) to compete with one another but God intends them to complete one another”

“May your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

I read your post and praise God for your efforts in planting a church. I also have also worked with a church plant in Perkins Oklahoma and we received funds from NAMB. My experience was different from yours. Never was I told that we were required to give 10% back to the cooperative program. In fact, I know of some church plants that were giving as little as 3 % to the cooperative program. The difference in experience between us may be our state conventions. Even though Oklahoma has their own church planting division, it is funded directly from NAMB. The BGCO directly managed the monies offered from NAMB. So, I don’t know if it was the GBC telling you this or someone directly employed with NAMB. Either way, it was unfortunate that you were told this.

I don’t remember ever being told of a 10% requirement, but we were strongly encouraged to give to the cooperative program.

Again, may the Lord bless you as you serve Him in a new work.

In 2007 as I was planning to plant New City Church downtown I attended Church Planter Orientation at the GBC. We were advised that funds were available through NAMB for SBC churches in the amount of +/- $14,000. We were then advised that any church taking those funds would be ‘REQUIRED’ to give 10% of all funds coming into the church to the CP. (with the exception of support from other churches). We were told that NAMB would check our giving records regularly and at any time to make certain that we were giving our required 10% back to the CP.
I told the instructor that we had no other support – what if money was tight? I wasn’t sure if I would have to have a full time job while I planted – be bi-vocational, or perhaps full time with many reductions to my family’s life. It sounds to me, I said, that NAMB and the CP is more worried about their 10% than me, my family, or the church plant.
The instructor responded that they cared very much for all of those things – and that they expected the 10% no matter what.

I looked into A-29. I read their covenant. I asked Scott Thomas what was expected. I was told that A-29 is a church planting network who is planting other planting churches. 10% is expected to begiven toward church planting.
How do A-29 churches do that? Scott answered – not through A-29 in Seattle, but by YOU giving to other church plants and planters – with A-29 planters being tops on the list.
I asked – what if I am to give 10% to the CP as an SBC church?
I was told – by all means give to the CP – you are giving to church planting. Then help your A-29 brothers.
I must say that this article is neither good nor true. In fact, I would say from my own first hand knowledge and experience I have not found A-29 to be overly demanding, or difficult – it is the treatment that I received from NAMB representatives at the GBC that was overly demanding and difficult.
I would also add as a church planter that in almost 2 years of working in this plant I have NEVER been called by my local association, the GBC, or the SBC to see how I was doing or if there was anything that I needed. I am regularly called by my A-29 brothers for that reason.
As a 41 year old adult who grew up and loved the SBC, I am finding it more and more difficult to live in the midst of such nonsense.