La. Baptists asked to withhold funds from LBC

A former leader at Louisiana College and a group of pastors are organizing a new Baptist association, saying they wanted to create a "second option" for Louisiana Baptists that would allow churches to keep most of their money on the local level.

Tim Johnson, former executive vice president with Louisiana College, founded the nonprofit Southern Baptist Association of Louisiana on June 18, according to business filings on the Secretary of State website.

He said "multiple" pastors also are involved but did not want to include their names for fear of retaliation from the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Johnson said his organization is asking churches to withhold funds from the LBC.

"There's too much power in the Baptist Building (LBC office in Alexandria) because there's too much money," Johnson said. "With the amount of money there, the power's there with it. And that's the problem with our state."

LBC officials did not return requests for comments Tuesday.

But Johnson is not asking churches to send their funds to his organization. Johnson wants them to keep what they would normally give to the LBC and use it for missions and evangelism at home.

"We believe the strongest form of missions and ministry is in the church," he said.

He also wants them to remain members of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in addition to joining the Southern Baptist Association of Louisiana.

To remain a part of the LBC, member churches must continue their donations to the Cooperative Program, which is in partnership with the larger Southern Baptist Convention. When local churches donate to LBC missions, 63 cents of each dollar stay in the state while the rest goes to the Cooperative Program for SBC ministries and missions, Johnson said.

"We want churches to stay in the Convention to try and effect change," Johnson said. "If churches sent that 37 cents to Nashville (SBC) and kept the 63 cents at their church for local missions, evangelism and ministry, it could change this state."

Last year's budget allocation records almost $9 million for state missions services, which Johnson described as "staying at the Baptist Building." Another $5 million goes to LBC entities like Louisiana College and the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home in Monroe.

"Use those dollars instead for local missions and ministries," Johnson said. "A lot of times you make change by withholding those resources that fund the power."

Johnson said the Southern Baptist Association of Louisiana came after hearing conversations from pastors around the state wanting to start a second convention in addition to the LBC.

"I don't think we need a second convention or are a large enough state for that," Johnson said. "This was created in an effort to try and give churches an option instead of a second convention. The focus would be on missions and evangelism through local churches and aiding local pastors in that."

Johnson has been in the media since a whistle-blower complaint he filed against then LC president Joe Aguillard. His contract was not renewed after it expired in July 2013. He has since filed suit against the college and Aguillard for unlawful termination.

Although he said his time at LC did not bring him to create a second organization, he said it revealed the amount of power and influence the Convention has on the college and state.

"It opened my eyes to some of the things taking place at the Convention," he said.

He isn't alone in this school of thought. Some LC Board of Trustee members at the time accused LBC Executive Director David Hankins of having undue influence on the board, which also was cited among issues at the school resulting in its being placed back on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Johnson said he has been accused of doing this because he is an "angry man," but he said he is not angry.

"It's not about being an angry man," Johnson said. "It's about wanting things done the right way."