Texas Baptists Constitution and Bylaws Task Force recommendations explained, other business posted

DALLAS – October 16, 2026 – Messengers to the upcoming Texas Baptists Annual Meeting in Waco, TX, on Nov. 15-17 will have the opportunity to vote on several items of business, including changes recommended by the Constitution and Bylaws Task Force and amended and approved by the Texas Baptists Executive Board at its September meeting.

The Executive Board approved the task force’s assignment to review and provide suggested revisions to the governing documents in its February meeting, noting that “it has been over 10 years since [the Texas Baptists Constitution and Bylaws] were updated.” Executive Director Julio Guarneri announced at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Abilene the intention to create a Constitution and Bylaws task force “to conduct a thorough update and bring recommendations to the executive board for consideration.” 

Proposed changes to the Constitution and Bylaws, along with other business, have been posted one month before the Annual Meeting to provide time for messengers to review. The governing documents recommendation, including a “redline” version and corresponding report authored by the task force chair, Suzie Liner, retired physician and member of First Baptist Church Lubbock, was posted to the Texas Baptists Annual Meeting website at txb.org/am under the tab entitled “Business.”

The following is a brief Q&A with members of the Constitution and Bylaws Task Force aimed at helping messengers to understand the proposed changes as they prepare to cast their ballots November 17 in Waco.

Q: What are the names of the members of the Constitution and Bylaws Task Force?
A: Suzanne Liner (Task Force chair; BGCT Exec. Brd. Chair; retired physician, FBC Lubbock), Joseph Adams (BGCT 1st VP; pastor, FBC Mount Pleasant), Chad Edgington (attorney; pastor, FBC Olney), Elmo Johnson (retired pastor, Rose of Sharon BC, Houston); Edson Lara (Pres., Hispanic Baptist Convention; IB Emmanuel, McAllen); Kyle Jackson (pastor, 3rd Coast Church, Texas City); Steve Wells (pastor, South Main BC, Houston); Janice Bloom (attorney, member FBC Garland); Edward Wagner (pastor, Cornerstone BC, Killeen); Lester Leonares (elder, First Philippine BC, Missouri City); John Litzler (BGCT general counsel and staff liaison, dir. of public policy, member of Canyon Church, Dripping Springs); and Craig Christina (BGCT assoc. exec. dir. and staff liaison; member, FBC Richardson).

Q: What are the most significant changes they proposed?
A: “There are three major recommended changes to the Constitution proposed. The first moves, strengthens, and makes more consistent the definition of ‘harmonious cooperation.’ A church is deemed in cooperation if it identifies and aligns with, and generally endorses, the purposes and work of the convention, and financially contributes during any three previous years to the Texas Baptists Cooperative Program (Article III). The second moves and revises the criteria for sending messengers to the Annual Meeting, including a minimum financial contribution. The number of messengers is further determined by the church’s level of giving. Under this amendment, the minimum contribution was intentionally set low so that even the smallest churches can participate (Article III, Section 1). The third change authorizes the Executive Board, on behalf of the Convention, to determine whether a church is in harmonious cooperation. The Executive Board is also responsible for receiving churches into and removing churches from Convention membership by a vote of no fewer than two-thirds of the board members present. Receiving churches was previously a staff function. Assigning decisions about removing a church to the Executive Board helps prevent a potentially difficult or damaging discussion from occurring in a more open setting (Article VII, Section 1, Part D).” - Suzie Liner, chair and member of FBC Lubbock

Q: At a practical level, what do these changes mean for Texas Baptists churches?
A: “Practically speaking, a periodic review of the Constitution and Bylaws is helpful to providing clarity, consistency, and fewer friction points for those attending the Annual Meeting. For example, giving the Executive Committee the duty of determining whether a church is in harmonious cooperation protects the Annual Meeting from becoming a chaotic trial. Floor challenges to messenger seating can be emotionally charged and there isn't enough time to conduct fact-finding and ensure due process for the challenged churches. Additionally, the proposed giving requirements ensure fair representation for larger and smaller churches. At the Annual Meeting, we vote on how the funds entrusted to the BGCT will be spent. If a church doesn't contribute, it doesn't get a say in the budget process. However, the threshold for sending two messengers is so low [$300] that it is attainable for just about any church that can afford to send messengers to the convention.” - Chad Edgington, pastor of First Baptist Church Olney 

Q: Why did the task force choose to focus on these particular areas of the governing documents?
A: “Most of our changes were focused on allowing our governing documents to be clearer. By allowing our documents to be clearer, we can create more consistency and clearly communicate expectations of harmonious cooperation to our churches. We want to create standards that we as a convention feel are fair and allow us to deal with issues when they come up. By asking for our churches to give to the convention within three years, we can tell the difference between a church that used to cooperate with Texas Baptists and one that currently cooperates with Texas Baptists. Three years is a fair amount of time to allow our churches to show that they want to work with Texas Baptists. It’s not about how much they give, but if they are willing to cooperate with our convention.” - Joseph Adams, first vice president and pastor of First Baptist Church Mount Pleasant

Q: Why give the executive board the authority to declare churches in or out of harmonious cooperation instead of the messengers?
A: “The world outside the church seems to know much more about what Baptists are against than what we are for. Voting churches out of harmonious cooperation means dealing with difficult family business in public. It also means the news coming out of the Annual Meeting will not be about missions, ministry or the Gospel. The news will be salacious family gossip. By moving to the Executive Board, we allow both a more fulsome discussion of difficult matters and the focus of the Annual Meeting to be the good work of Texas Baptists over the prior year.” - Steve Wells, pastor of South Main Baptist Church, Houston.  

Q: When was the last time the Constitution and Bylaws were updated?
A: “The BGCT Constitution was last updated on November 10, 2015, following the first adoption on November 18, 2014. Click here to view the current version of the Constitution. The BGCT Bylaws were last updated on November 18, 2014. Click here to view the current version of the Bylaws.” - John Litzler, BGCT general counsel and staff liaison

Q: Will messengers have the opportunity to learn more about or further discuss these changes prior to the vote?
A: “Yes. The Constitution and Bylaws Task Force will lead a workshop on the topic during Workshop #1 at Annual Meeting on Monday, November 16 at 8:00 a.m.” - John Litzler, BGCT general counsel and staff liaison 

Q: Will messengers have the opportunity to amend the recommended changes?
A: “Yes. Once the question of approving the Executive Board’s motion is put before the messengers at the business meeting on Monday, November 16, they will have the opportunity to discuss and make motions, including moving to amend the motion.” - John Litzler, BGCT general counsel and staff liaison

Q: If passed, what happens next?
A: “Only the proposed amendments to the Constitution will be voted on at this year's Annual Meeting. For the Constitution to be amended, any proposed changes would need to be approved at two successive Annual Meetings by a two-thirds vote of messengers eligible and present. If the proposed motion passes, messengers would vote on the changes again, along with proposed changes to the BGCT’s Bylaws, at the Annual Meeting in Tyler, Texas held November 14-16, 2027.” - John Litzler, BGCT general counsel and staff liaison

Q: If passed, when would these changes go into effect?
A: “If the motion for the proposed changes to the Constitution passes in 2026 and 2027 and motion for the proposed Bylaws passes in 2027, the changes would take effect on November 16, 2027, upon adjournment of the Annual Meeting.”  - John Litzler, BGCT general counsel and staff liaison

There will be a workshop during the Annual Meeting about the Constitution and Bylaws on Monday, Nov. 16 at 8 a.m. for any messengers who would like to receive more information prior to the Business Session. 

Additional business items to be discussed during the Annual Meeting include: Recommendations for 2027 Proposed Budget, for 2027 Texas World Missions Initiatives and Partnerships Allocation, to adopt the revised relationship agreement between the BGCT and Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas (BHSET); motions from the Committee on Annual Meeting to approve the location for the 2028 Family Gathering and 2029 Annual Meeting; and nominations from Committee on Committees, Committee to Nominate Executive Board Directors and Committee on Nominations for Boards of Affiliated Ministries. 

Business and other Annual Meeting related information can be found online at txb.org/am.