Board approves new Criswell agreement

IRVING—The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s Executive Board entered into a three-year affiliation agreement with Criswell College as the school enters a new era under new bylaws and a newly constituted trustee board.

Also during the SBTC board’s fall meeting on Nov. 16 in Irving, the board elected new officers and honored SBTC Evangelism Director Don Cass, who will retire next February.

The meeting dovetailed with the convention’s annual meeting, held at the Irving Convention Center Nov. 14-15.

The Criswell College agreement “is a historic moment for us,” remarked Criswell President Jerry Johnson. A board largely appointed by First Baptist Church of Dallas had governed the school, founded in 1970 by renowned Dallas pastor W.A. Criswell. Earlier this year, a separation of the school from the church was formalized along with new governance.

Johnson said the school is aligned with the SBTC doctrinally and missionally, evidenced by the collaboration of the school and convention in a Crossover event that coincided with the SBTC annual meeting where 25 people prayed to receive Christ.

“That’s the kind of thing we want to do with you,” Johnson said.

CASS HONORED
The board also passed a resolution in appreciation of Don Cass, who will retire as director of evangelism at the end of February. Cass was elected to his post eight years ago after a long ministry as a pastor and with conventions in Texas and New Mexico.

Cass was lauded for his leadership in the yearly Empower Evangelism Conference. Under his watch, attendance at the Student Evangelism Conference doubled.
“Thank you for the privilege of serving you. The journey’s been wonderful,” Cass told the board.

NEW OFFICERS
The board elected a new slate of officers.

Hal Kinkeade, pastor of First Baptist Church of Springtown, succeeded two-term chairman John Meador of First Baptist Church of Euless. Kinkeade previously was vice chairman. The new vice chairman is Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville. The secretary is Jo McGuire, a member of Cornerstone Fellowship in Haskell.

FINANCIAL REPORT
Chief Financial Officer Joe Davis reported that Cooperative Program giving through September was $478,237 shy of budget but $422,202 ahead of the same period last year. However, with spending below budget, total net operating income through September was $694,206.

Giving through the Annie Armstrong Offering for North America was up $167,282 compared to last year; Lottie Moon giving was up $458,067 compared to last year; and Reach Texas giving was $11,729 higher than last year through the same period.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS
New board members include: Kie Bowman, Hyde Park Baptist Church, Austin; Amy Joslin, Community Baptist Church, Royse City; Chris Moody, First Baptist Church, Beaumont; Mary Margaret Norman, First Baptist Post; Jeremy Rogers, Hillcrest Baptist, Kemp; Keith Sanders, First Baptist Keller; Paul Sanders, Houston’s First Baptist; Larry Bailey, McCombs Baptist, El Paso; Robert Welch, Rock Hill Baptist, Brownsboro; Terry Turner, Mesquite Friendship Baptist; and James Nickell, First Baptist Quitman.
Turner, convention president, and Nickell, recording secretary, serve by virtue of their office.

CROSSOVER REPORT
Jack Harris, SBTC evangelism associate, reported that three churches and Criswell College participated in the Crossover evangelism effort preceding the annual meeting, resulting in 54 professions of faith, including one woman who had just hours earlier attempted suicide.

This year, ethnic churches in urban settings were heavily involved.  “We have a huge, huge field of ethnic people that we need to reach,” Harris told the board.

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In addition, the board approved affiliation requests from 25 churches.