PHOENIX (BP)–Arizona Southern Baptists experienced a quiet annual meeting in which only one ballot vote — for convention president — was taken.
Despite a new abbreviated format that featured three rather than four sessions, the Nov. 10-11 program ran ahead of schedule much of the time. The annual meeting drew an estimated 500 messengers representing the convention’s 410 churches and missions.
Paul Kinnison, pastor of Grand Canyon Baptist Church in Grand Canyon National Park, was elected president in a three-nominee ballot. Elected by acclamation were Fernando Amaro, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Emanuel, Phoenix, as first vice president and Donald Carrothers, pastor of Greenlaw Baptist Church, Flagstaff, as second vice president.
Reports from both the Arizona state mission board and the North American Mission Board highlighted the fact that metropolitan Phoenix has been selected as one of two strategic focus cities for the year 2000 by the North American Mission Board.
As a strategic focus city, Phoenix will receive about $2.5 million in special funding for evangelism, church planting, media and ministry from NAMB. In addition, thousands of volunteers from across the nation are expected to participate in special projects in the city throughout the year.
Messengers unanimously adopted a 1999 composite convention budget of $143 million, which is comprised of the following: ASBC executive board, $1,527,721, including designated funds of $667,988; Arizona Baptist Children’s Services, $5,710,570; Arizona Church Growth Board, $966,481; Arizona State Mission Board, $2,063,638; Baptist Foundation of Arizona, $110,906,818; and Grand Canyon University, $21,780,002.
The 1999 Arizona Cooperative Program goal is $3,332,613, with a basic budget of $3,029,648, a 6.75 percent increase over 1998, and an advance budget of $302,965. Twenty percent of the basic budget — the same percentage as in 1998 — and 18 percent of the advance budget will be sent to Southern Baptist Convention ministries in North America and internationally.
In other business, resolutions expressed appreciation to the Baptist Foundation of Arizona and Grand Canyon University on their 50th anniversaries; to Truett Baker, president of Arizona Baptist Children’s Services, on his upcoming retirement; to Charles Tyson, director of evangelism/missions in Yuma Baptist Association, on his retirement; to David Johnson, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church, Phoenix, for his two terms as convention president; and to First Southern Baptist Church, Phoenix, for hosting the annual meeting.
Next year’s annual meeting will be Nov. 9-10 in Flagstaff.
