2025 Messengers elect officers, hear Indemnity Program report, adopt increased budget centered on GC2-focused giving

During the Monday morning business and worship session of the 2025 Texas Baptists Annual Meeting, messengers elected Convention officers, heard reports, passed recommendations and introduced motions during miscellaneous business. 

317 Collective led worship, Gregory Love, founder of MinistrySafe, brought a message on "Love your Neighbor: Protecting Children,” and Rolando Aguirre, associate pastor of teaching and Spanish language ministries at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, brought a message on "Love your Neighbor: Justice, Mercy and Humility."

Julio Guarneri, executive director of Texas Baptists, recognized international guests representing Argentina Baptist Convention, Brazilian Baptist Convention, Baptist Convention of Mexico, Baptists Churches of Tanzania, the Ukrainian Baptist Union, Peru and Romania. 

Convention officers elected

Two individuals were nominated for the role of president. Debbie Potter, children’s pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio and first vice president of the Convention, was nominated by Ronny Marriott, messenger from First Baptist Church Richardson and outgoing Convention president. 

Kevin Burrow, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Eastland, was nominated by Shawn Brewer, messenger from First Baptist Church Paradise. 

Results of the balloted vote for president were announced at the conclusion of the business session. Potter won the vote, 430 to 320 votes, and was elected president for the 2025-2026 term.

Joseph Adams, pastor of First Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, was elected first vice president of the Convention. Adams served as second vice president from 2024 to 2025.

Bill Skaar, messenger from First Baptist Church Grand Prairie, nominated Adams.

Ariel Martinez, pastor of Del Sol Church in El Paso, was elected second vice president. 

David Lowrie, messenger from First Baptist Church Decatur, nominated Martinez. 

Adams and Martinez were unopposed and were elected following a vote by the 1,039 messengers who were registered at the time of voting, as announced by the registration secretary.

At the time of writing, 1,129 messengers and 1,989 total guests had been registered. 

Executive Board report

Heath Kirkwood, chair of the Executive Board, gave an update on three major actions taken by the Board since the previous Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in November 2024.

The Executive Board approved the 2024 proceedings of the 139th annual session at the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting on Nov. 10-12 in Waco, a recommendation to organize a Texas Baptists Insurance Program and the creation of the Texas Baptists Indemnity Program, Texas Baptists Risk Management and Covenant Solutions, each of which are separate from the BGCT but each company’s board of directors is elected by the Executive Board. The board also approved a recommendation for at least one director of missions and one BGCT pastor to serve on the board of each company. 

Kirkwood also reported on other business considered by the board, including a recommendation to affirm the convention’s longstanding practice to receive into harmonious cooperation churches that affirm traditional Baptist beliefs as generally stated in either the 1963 or 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, or a similar Baptistic confessional statement. The board also approved two recommendations related to institutional relations: the adoption of a special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists and the restated articles of incorporation of STCH Ministries. The board approved recommendations from the Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response Task Force and approved recommendations to fill vacancies on various institution boards and committees.

Texas Baptists Indemnity Program report 

Craig Christina, associate executive director for Texas Baptists, provided a report updating messengers about TBIP and KingsCover insurance. 

Christina told messengers that the Executive Board approved TBIP and TBRM’s creation and voted to authorize a reserve investment of $12M to establish initial officers and a board of directors for the new corporation at their February meeting. 

Christina said the TBIP Board has partnered with an insurance company called King’sCover to provide insurance for churches. He said the program is open to apply for coverage.

“God rewarded our faith by providing a great partner,” said Christina. “We listened and we learned. We stepped out on faith, and we look forward to solving the insurance problem for you.” 

Christina concluded his report by giving messengers three things to know: TBIP will offer an affordable rate, TBIP will offer coverage adaptive to your needs, and TBIP will be accountable to the churches. 

“Our goal is to provide affordable insurance that is adaptable to your needs,” said Christina. “Ultimately, we are accountable to you… It also means that those of you who participate in this program, you are accountable to your sister churches by helping each other learn how to reduce the risk of loss.” 

Treasurer’s report

Ward Hayes, treasurer and CFO for Texas Baptists, provided a financial report. 

He noted that Cooperative Program giving for 2024 was “lower at 98% of prior year level.” Mission offerings for Lottie Moon and Texas Baptist Hunger Offering were slightly higher, while Mary Hill Davis, Annie Armstrong and Worldwide were slightly lower. Cooperative Program expenditures were below budget due to careful stewardship. Texas Baptists’ cash and investments totaled $267 million at the close of 2024, a $19 million increase from the prior year.

Through September of 2025, Hayes shared that Cooperative Program giving was at 96.3% of the prior year, investments were up 10% year to date and net assets had increased by $22 million.

Outlining the 2026 proposed budget, Hayes pointed to a total budgeted revenue of $47.9 million, which is 105% of the 2025 budget. Per Hayes, a new budget design has been implemented to incorporate the GC2 Strong initiative of strengthening churches, leaders and missions.

Expenses in the new year included health insurance costs and increased investments in the GC2 Strong Initiative, Church Starting, Baptist Student Ministry, Theological Education and each of five Ministry Centers.

Recommendations

Following the financial report, Executive Board recommendations were considered by messengers. 

After discussion, the proposed 2026 budget of $37.5 million was adopted.

The proposed 2026 allocation of $1.1 million in Texas Baptists Worldwide Missions Initiatives and Partnerships was also adopted.

A recommendation to adopt the special relationship agreement between Dallas Baptist University and Texas Baptists was adopted.  

A recommendation to affirm the convention’s longstanding practice to receive into harmonious cooperation churches that affirm traditional Baptist beliefs as generally stated in either the 1963 or 2000 Baptist Faith and Message, or a similar Baptistic confessional statement, was adopted.

Miscellaneous business

Two motions were received from the floor during miscellaneous business.

Mike Miller, messenger from Central Baptist Church in Jacksonville, moved that “the messengers to the BGCT 2025 Annual Meeting directs the Institutional Relations Committee of the Executive Board to evaluate a special relationship agreement with Baylor University, specifically with respect to Baylor's endorsements of and partnerships and affiliations with, any organizations that advocate or affirm the LGBTQ lifestyle and agenda and report back any findings, actions, or recommendations to the messengers to the BGCT 2026 Annual Meeting.” The motion was seconded. 

Kody Alvarez, messenger from Oak Grove Baptist Church in China Springs, moved that “The Baptist General Convention of Texas direct the Institutional Relations Committee to examine all BGCT affiliated educational institutions for alignment with the GC2 Summary of Faith as adopted and amended by the messengers in the 2021 Annual Meeting, and to require that all professors in Religion and Theology departments sign and affirmation of the GC2 Summary of Faith as a content addition of continued cooperation in rejecting funding institutions out of alignment shall have two years to make necessary corrections, after which any school that refuses or chooses to retain professors who reject the GC2 summary of faith shall forfeit all institutional funding and scholarship support provided by the convention.” The motion was seconded. 

The motions will be brought to the floor during the second business session on Tuesday morning.

Other business included the approval of nominations from the Committee on Committees, the Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries and the Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors.