PRESENTED TO THE  ALABAMA BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION 
Tuesday, November 17        Whitesburg Baptist Church              Huntsville, Alabama
RESOLUTION NO. 1 
ON AFFIRMING GREAT COMMISSION MINISTRIES 
WHEREAS, The mission emphasis of the Alabama Baptist
State Convention has been “One Mission, The Great
Commission; One Program, The Cooperative Program;
Many Ministries, Great Commission Ministries;” and
WHEREAS, For Alabama Baptists, the Great Commission
and the Cooperative Program have been the strong mission
foundation since 1925; and
WHEREAS, When Alabama Baptists refer to One Program,
we mean the Cooperative Program - the unified budget
approach in supporting missions in Alabama, North
America, and around the world; and
WHEREAS, At the present time, the Alabama Baptist
Convention leads all other state conventions in supporting
Southern Baptist Convention mission causes through the
Cooperative Program; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
has energetically promoted Cooperative Program giving
among our churches; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
has, through attrition, reduced its staff by 20% during the
past eleven years; and
WHEREAS, The state missionaries of the Alabama Baptist
State Board of Missions have worked in close partnership
with local churches through consultations, church visits,
conferences, and other Great Commission ministry efforts; and
1
 
WHEREAS, State missionaries and associational
missionaries (Directors of Missions) enjoy a unique and
special partnership in Great Commission ministry; and
WHEREAS, The messengers of the Southern Baptist
Convention meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, June 23-24,
2009, have approved a task force to study how we can
effectively work together in fulfilling the Great Commission;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama
Baptist State Convention meeting in Huntsville, Alabama,
November 17-18, 2009, praise God for the progress that
the churches of the state convention made during past
years of Great Commission ministry; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we give praise and thanksgiving to the
Lord for His blessings on the state convention and for the
mighty work He has performed; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we thank the Baptist churches of
Alabama for their increased generous giving through the
Cooperative Program so that God’s Kingdom will grow
and that people will be reached for Christ in America and
throughout the world; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we pledge to work with the Southern
Baptist Convention in the Great Commission partnership
to reach Alabama, North America, and the world with the
Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, November 17  Whitesburg Baptist Church
Alabama Baptist State Convention
RESOLUTION NO. 2 
ON AFFIRMING THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM
WHEREAS, The Lord Jesus founded his church and
commissioned it to witness “in Jerusalem, Judea,
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8) with the
life-changing, culture-transforming gospel message; and
WHEREAS, Realizing the Great Commission mandate
of Acts 1:8 would require more than individual or even
single local church ministries, local Southern Baptist
churches first formed associations, then state conventions,
and finally the national Southern Baptist Convention in
order to reach people in every geographical context; and
WHEREAS, State conventions are the churches’
organizational response to reaching their “Judea”
with a comprehensive strategy for planting churches,
coordinating state-wide, multi-generational ministries,
educating undergraduates with a Christian worldview,
providing for children in need and promoting church
health initiatives; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Convention was
formed in 1823 to accomplish these core purposes and
was instrumental in the creation of the “Cooperative
Program” which was adopted in 1925 by the Southern
Baptist Convention as its funding methodology; and
WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention adopted
the following definition of the Cooperative Program,
“The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptists’ unified
plan of giving through which cooperating Southern
Baptist churches give a percentage of their undesignated
receipts in support of their respective state convention
and the Southern Baptist Convention missions and
ministries;”and
WHEREAS, In fulfilling their Great Commission mandate
of Acts 1:8, local churches give a portion of their undes-
ignated receipts through the Cooperative Program to the
state convention for both cooperative state ministries and
ministries adopted by the national convention; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Convention entities
use the Cooperative Program gifts from the churches
effectively and efficiently in accomplishing wide-ranging,
Great Commission Ministries designed and commissioned
by the churches, such as:
1) Christian Higher Education at Judson College (1838),
Samford University (1841), and the University of
Mobile (1961) which offer students a quality college
education in a distinctively Christian environment
2) The Alabama Baptist (1843), our state paper, exists
to provide information, inspiration, interpretation,
2
 
 
and involvement for Baptists of Alabama and others
to help encourage and equip them to live out the
principles of Christian discipleship
3) The Board of Aid to Students in Church Related
Vocations (1883) provides assistance to students
at Samford, Judson, and Mobile who are preparing
for full-time Christian service
4) Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union (1889), an
auxiliary of the State Convention, is driven by five
passions: seeking wisdom, touching lives, caring
globally, finding fellowship, and passing it on
5) Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes and Family
Ministries (1892) which exists for the purpose of
providing children and family services within a
context of Christian restoration, and provides
counseling services through the Pathways network
6) The Historical Commission (1933) collects, protects,
and promotes our Baptist heritage
7) The Christian Life Commission (1936) helps inform
and educate Alabama Baptists in matters relating to
moral and ethical issues
8) ALCAP—Alabama Citizens Action Program (1937),
an auxiliary of the State Convention, serves as Ala-
bama’s moral compass to schools, the government,
and local communities
9) The Baptist Foundation of Alabama (1940) manages
assets for Alabama Baptist churches and institutions
and promotes charitable giving to Baptist causes
and provides personal consultations, estate planning,
seminars, and materials
10) Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers (1975) minister
daily to elderly people who call one of the four
campuses of care their home
11) The Education Commission (1979) represents the
interests of Alabama Baptists and their relationship
with their three institutions of Christian higher
education
12) Shocco Springs (1999) provides a beautiful conference
center with quality accommodations designed to
enhance the worship and learning experiences of
guests. In an average year, over 45,000 people
will attend and over 1,300 decisions for Christ are
made; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
uses the Cooperative Program gifts from the churches
effectively and efficiently in accomplishing a wide range
of Great Commission Ministries designed and commissioned
by the churches, such as:
1) The Evangelism/Discipleship Team helps churches
to be more effective in leading the lost to Christ.
From disaster relief chaplaincy, to Christian ethics,
Tuesday, November 17  Whitesburg Baptist Church
Alabama Baptist State Convention
RESOLUTION NO. 2 
ON AFFIRMING THE COOPERATIVE PROGRAM (continued)
to Sunday School, to collegiate ministries, to various
approaches to discipleship training, team members
are committed to helping the local church strengthen
its discipleship efforts
2) The Leadership Development Team helps churches
by training ministry and lay leaders, counseling
through times of church conflict, and addressing
worship and music
3) The Missions Mobilization Team partners with
associations in celebrating our cooperative efforts;
plans partnership events, assists in helping churches
start new churches, and telling the Cooperative
Program story
4) The Missions Support Team provides the legal,
financial, promotional, organizational, functional,
and technical support for the State Board of Missions
staff; services which insure State Board of Missions
ministries operate in a professional, proficient, and
godly manner; and assists church employees with
retirement, salary/benefit, and tax information; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
has led in giving more dollars through the Cooperative
Program than any other state convention of the Southern
Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions
has given 10 percent of the total dollars through the
Cooperative Program from all state conventions of the
Southern Baptist Convention; now, therefore, be it
3
 
 
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama
Baptist State Convention meeting in Huntsville, Alabama,
November 17-18, 2009, praise God for the progress that
the churches of the state convention made during past
years of Cooperative Program giving; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Convention affirm the value and
accomplishments of the various ministries of the Alabama
Baptist State Board of Missions; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we applaud and pray for the State
Board of Missions staff who are fulfilling their mission of
being catalysts that ignite a passion for Jesus and His
kingdom, who strengthen the churches of the state
convention, and who are conduits for accomplishing
Great Commission Ministries; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we acknowledge that Cooperative
Program dollars given by Alabama Baptist State
Convention churches are managed prudently, and
allocated consistently with our vision for comprehensively
and simultaneously reaching our state, nation, and the
world; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we pray that God will use the Alabama
Baptist State Convention, the State Board of Missions, and
its supporting churches mightily as we seek to carry out
the Great Commission mandate of Acts 1:8, to evangelize
and disciple the people of Alabama, our Judea, to the
glory of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, November 17  Whitesburg Baptist Church
Alabama Baptist State Convention
RESOLUTION NO. 3 
ON BINGO GAMBLING (as amended) 
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Convention has
historically opposed every form of gambling based on the
Bible (Proverbs l0:4, 13:11, 15:27, 21:6; Exodus 20:15, 17); and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Baptist State Convention
believes that all forms of gambling adversely affect
individuals, families, and society; and
WHEREAS, Article IV, Section 65 of the Alabama
Constitution prohibits games of chance; and
WHEREAS, by Constitutional amendment eighteen
counties have legalized limited charity bingo for the
benefit of nonprofit charitable organizations and for
no other purpose; and
WHEREAS, local governing bodies have used such
amendments as a means of allowing pervasive and
unlawful electronic bingo gambling to proliferate in
these counties; and
WHEREAS, Governor Bob Riley has appointed a task
force to combat this unlawful gambling; and
WHEREAS, The Alabama Supreme Court recently ruled
that the electronic bingo machines currently operating in
Alabama do not meet the definition of the traditional
game of bingo; now therefore, be it
RESOLUTION NO. 4 
ON APPRECIATION FOR ANDREW W. TAMPLING (as amended)
WHEREAS, Dr. Andrew W. Tampling was a trusted and
beloved pastor and denominational servant for many
years; and
WHEREAS, He served the First Baptist Church of Opp,
First Baptist Church of Sylacauga, and First Baptist
Church of Birmingham as pastor; and
WHEREAS, He was the first Executive Director of the
Alabama Baptist Retirement Centers, Inc., and served
energetically through those early years; and
WHEREAS, He was a mentor and friend to many young
pastors in our state; and
WHEREAS, He served on the State Board of Missions
and the Executive Committee of the Alabama Baptist
 
 
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama
Baptist State Convention meeting in Huntsville, Alabama,
November 17-18, 2009, reaffirm our opposition to
electronic bingo gambling at any location in the State
of Alabama; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call upon Alabama Baptist pastors
to inform and educate each congregation on the evils of
gambling; and be it further
RESOLVED, That we call upon the Alabama Legislature
in its 2010 regular session to oppose any legislation that
would permit or expand gambling of any type, including
charity bingo, at any location in the State of Alabama;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That we applaud and support Governor
Bob Riley and the task force led by retired District
Attorney David Barber, for their dedicated efforts to
stop the proliferation of this unlawful gambling through
every legal means possible; and be it finally
RESOLVED, A copy of this resolution be sent to Governor
Bob Riley, Mr. David Barber, Attorney General Troy King,
Lieutenant Governor Jim Folsom, Jr., House Speaker
Seth Hammett, each Alabama Legislator, and to all news
media in the State of Alabama.
State Convention, and the Board of Directors for The
Alabama Baptist; and
WHEREAS, He served as a trustee of the North American
Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS, He died on October 30, 2009, after a long
illness; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Alabama
Baptist State Convention meeting in Huntsville, Alabama,
November 17-18, 2009, affirm the life and ministry of
Andrew Tampling and express deep appreciation for
his service to this Convention; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we pray for his wife, Bobbie, and his
family and express our condolences to them.