Same Song, Second Verse?

A couple of months ago, I received a letter from the new CFO of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. She stressed the fiscal responsibility of the new regime.

So, I gave her time to settle in. Then I sent an e-mail to her asking for an accounting of the $27,000,000 in reserves that disappeared during the last administration. I stressed that I knew she had nothing to do with it, but certainly a paper trail could establish broad categories of where the money went.

To this day, I have had no response to my e-mail--not even a "we'll get back to you on this, thanks for writing." Nope, nothing! Nada! The address is correct, at least it is what was at the bottom of the letterhead.

So, I wonder,"Is this new administration really going to make a different in the trust level of the churches?" If they don't even acknowledge the receipt of mail, how can we move forward. At least the last administration bothered to give one the run-around. This one, nothing.

Why is this important? Well, for several reasons,actually.
First, it is important because the actual amount of misuse and fiscal irresponsibility is larger than $27,000,000. Up to $3,000,000. was wasted in the Valleygate fiasco. Now I sit on a board of trustees that is affiliated with the BGCT and I was notified last week their portion to us was dropping yet again. This time it will settle out about a little under what was wasted in the Valley. So, the point is that institutions are moving through cuts in support from the BGCT because money was misused, churches have reacted with mistrust and withholding funds and the institutions must tighten their belts. The $27,000,000 is also important because these reserves represent over half of the annual BGCT budget just flittered away.

While it did not happen on this administration's watch, they have questions to answer to help folks like me trust again.

Apparently, I am not alone. The money is not rushing in. I suggest it will not unless or until all the leadership truly demonstrate fiscal transparency by telling us where all the money went. From my point of view, even if one had little to do with the redirection and misspending of tithes and offerings from the churches, to know what happened and remain silent is to be a part of a lingering conspiracy--which will taint the BGCT for years to come.

If the current leadership waits too long, they will face the unrestrained tide of irrelevance.