As of print time for this issue of SBC LIFE, the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention plans to present eight recommendations for consideration by messengers to the 2017 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona. As is the usual practice, each recommendation will be printed in the SBC 2017 Book of Reports and posted on the SBC app. Any other recommendations proposed during the EC’s June 12, 2017, meeting will be published in the SBC Daily Bulletin and posted on the app.

Amendment of SBC Bylaw 18. The Executive Committee, Expanding Representation

The EC will recommend that four defined territories encompassing six states that currently do not qualify for EC membership under SBC Bylaw 30 be granted one member each on the Executive Committee. The recommendation would amend SBC Bylaw 18 to exempt the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota-Wisconsin, and Montana from SBC Bylaw 30’s requirement that states of defined territories have fifteen thousand members in their cooperating Baptist churches to qualify for initial application for EC representation. If approved by messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Phoenix, SBC Bylaw 18 will be amended to include the following paragraph:

(2) In addition, and solely for the purpose of providing representation on the Convention’s fiduciary for cooperating areas which are not yet qualified as provided above, there shall be one Executive Committee member from each of the four following geographical areas: the Dakotas, Iowa, Minnesota-Wisconsin, and Montana.

Amendment of SBC Business and Financial Plan XIX. Film, Publication, and Merchandising Policy

The EC will recommend that Article XIX of the SBC Business and Financial Plan be amended from its 640-word description of media resources, many of which were produced prior to the digital age, to a briefer 180-word statement as follows:

XIX. Publication and Merchandising Policy: All entities of the Convention should give priority to using the services of LifeWay Christian Resources for editing, publishing, and distributing published materials that are to be sold. Entities may publish their own materials in print or digital form promoting their assigned ministries. No entity other than LifeWay Christian Resources should be authorized to operate physical book stores at any location other than its principal office.

The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention may review the financial agreements entered into by LifeWay Christian Resources and other Convention entities and should, whenever appropriate, recommend changes in Convention policies and revisions of existing policies related to such agreements. At the request of any Convention entity, this committee should also suggest to LifeWay Christian Resources and other Convention entities steps they should take to resolve any disagreements that arise concerning financial agreements.

No entity shall publish a printed or digital format periodical, for general distribution to the churches or to members of the churches, if the Convention or its Executive Committee votes to request the periodical not be published.

2017–2018 CP Allocation Budget

The EC will recommend that the SBC adopt the 2017–2018 Cooperative Program Allocation Budget of $192,000,000, as follows:

The proposed budget maintains current allocations to the Convention’s ministries, including 50.41 percent of receipts to the International Mission Board and 22.79 percent to the North American Mission Board, for a total of 73.20 percent allocated for world missions ministries. The Convention’s six seminaries will receive 22.16 percent; 1.65 percent is allocated for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; and 2.99 percent will go to the SBC Operating Budget. The latter encompasses the SBC annual meeting costs, the work of the Executive Committee, Convention committees, and various other SBC-related costs.

The formula for distributing any overage of gifts above the CP Allocation Budget goal would increase the IMB’s portion from 50.41 percent to 53.4 percent and decrease the SBC Operating Budget portion from 2.99 percent to 0 percent.

SBC Annual Meeting: Future Convention Sites, 2026 and 2028

The EC will recommend that Orlando, Florida, be selected as the site for the 2026 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention contingent upon satisfactory contract negotiations with the convention center and area hotels. The convention dates would be June 9–10, 2026.

The EC will also recommend that Indianapolis, Indiana, be selected as the site for the 2028 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention contingent upon satisfactory contract negotiations with the convention center and area hotels. The convention dates would be June 13–14, 2028.

IMB: Request to Change its Fiscal Year

The EC will recommend that IMB’s request to change its fiscal year to October 1–September 30 be approved and that the Convention amend the SBC Business and Financial Plan to reflect the change.

2017–2018 Proposed Executive Committee and SBC Operating Budget

The EC will recommend that the SBC adopt a 2017–2018 SBC Operating Budget of $7,450,000.

SBC Calendar of Activities Recommendations and Amendments

The EC will recommend the 2021–2022 SBC Calendar of Activities to the SBC, along with amendments to the calendars for 2016–2017, 2017–2018, 2018–2019, 2019–2020, and 2020–2021.

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