West Virginia Baptists: Looking for the Door

This is the raw data of the WV Baptist Convention as they look to their future. Readers will recall that the WVBC turned down a resolution to leave the ABC right away and then, minutes later passed a defeated a resolution maintaining the status quo. I believe that WVBC will depart ABCUSA and hope that the "Lombard Movement" will be part of their continuing fellowship with the evangelical majority of the current ABC.

Report of the Working Group
December 2, 2005

A Working Group on Denominational Relationships was formed at the 2005 Annual Meeting of the West Virginia Baptist Convention with the mission of “finding the facts” regarding relationships between the region and the denomination.

An initial orientation meeting took place in Parkersburg on November 10. The purpose of this meeting was to:

A) Grasp a recent history of ABC life and denominational relationships through an interview of Dr. Doug Hill and Dr. Lloyd Hamblin.

B) Divide among Working Group members responsibilities for research and reporting.

C) Establish a Mission Statement for the Working Group.

D) Set time and location of future meetings of the Working Group.

Both Doug Hill and Lloyd Hamblin were helpful in providing an understanding
of the development of our current denominational structure. An outline of SCODS and SCOR, key issues and significant leaders were reviewed.

Members of the Working Group volunteered or were appointed to research the facts on the following relationships and to report to the Working Group their findings at each meeting.

· Legal procedures – James Johnson
· Continuing relationships with like-minded regions – Holley Faulkner
· Relational status of institutions and groups within the WVBC – Paul Ritchie
· Legal status of endowments and funds –Audy Perry
· Constitutional factors – Jean Cunningham
· Channels of continuing relationships – Ed Rogers

The mission statement adopted by the Working Group is:

"The working Group exists to pursue and report the facts and options concerning the WVBC’s future relationship with the ABC/USA for the purpose of making informed decisions."

Three future meeting dates have been set. They are January 6, February 10, and March 10.

All three of these first three meetings will be held in Charleston at Emmanuel Baptist Church.

Regular reports will be made available. The Working Group will discuss how best to make that happen at its January meeting. The desire is to inform the larger body of the group’s progress.

Submitted by
Richard McClure, Chair