Front Page

Florida Baptists care for Haiti’s hungry children

JACKSONVILLE (FBC) – From the widow’s mite to an ingathering reminiscent of the offering taken for the Jerusalem churches, Florida Baptists’ New Testament believers are taking to heart the mounting hunger crisis facing their Christian brothers and sisters in Haiti.

Lottie Moon offering adds 200 IMB missionaries to field
Gifts $19 million ahead of last year's pace

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—An “extremely promising” outlook for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering convinced trustees of the International Mission Board to send an additional 200 workers overseas this year.

Opinion

Editorial

The sole membership dispute: A way out for all Southern Baptists
Editorial
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor

It’s the closest thing to a constitutional crisis Southern Baptists have faced in many years.

Two Southern Baptist Convention entities, the Executive Committee and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary – both made up of Bible-believing members and executives who are fully committed to the SBC, including its recent theological reformation under the “Conservative Resurgence” – have come to starkly different conclusions on the matter of whether “sole membership” is the best legal option to protect Southern Baptists’ interests in one of its entities. The result is a stalemate with both entities’ boards voting in recent months to take completely contradictory positions with the prospect of a messy floor debate in Indianapolis during the annual meeting of the SBC.

Point of View

What’s the debate about?
Is ‘sole membership’ the SBC’s best option for NOBTS?

In recent months, Florida Baptist Witness has reported on the differences of opinion which exist between leaders of the SBC Executive Committee and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary concerning the wisdom of sole membership for the school.

Point: ‘The worries expressed by NOBTS leadership are unfounded and unhelpful’
Is ‘sole membership’ the SBC’s best option for NOBTS?
MORRIS CHAPMAN
Special to Florida Baptist Witness

Sole membership is a corporation ownership model implemented by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) beginning with the creation of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in 1997. All SBC entities except New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) have named the SBC as the sole member in the charters of their corporations. Hopefully, this article will help Florida Baptists and others understand the issues.

Counterpoint: Ties binding NOBTS to SBC should ‘reflect historic Baptist polity and the realities of Louisiana law’
Is ‘sole membership’ the SBC’s best option for NOBTS?
CHUCK KELLEY
Special to Florida Baptist Witness

The central issue in discussions about sole membership and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is simple, but the details are complex. The central issue: Is sole membership the best way for an SBC entity in Louisiana to protect its relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention? After a long and thorough investigation, the trustees and president of the seminary concluded no, it is not. Trustees of the school are presently at work on an alternative way to accomplish the goal of sole membership in a form better suited to Baptist polity and the laws of Louisiana. A proposal on strengthening the ties binding the seminary to the SBC will be made at the 2005 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

BREAKPOINT: Young professionals look for worldview common ground
Point-of-View
CHARLES COLSON

One of our Wilberforce Forum Centurions, the hundred men and women across the country studying worldview with us this year, commented that while learning logic and reasoning skills is beneficial, they’re often not very useful in explaining Christian truth to his peers. As a 28-year-old, his friends who are not Christians are not convinced by his arguments—as well constructed as they may be.

Bibliocipher

Bibliocipher

Florida

Florida News

Historic 1934 Lamont church building lost in fire

LAMONT (FBW)-The 70-year-old wood building of Lamont Baptist Church was destroyed in a late afternoon fire April 27. The small congregation, although grieving its historic meeting place, is already making plans to rebuild.

Pinellas judge rules ‘Terri’s Law’ unconstitutional

CLEARWATER (FBW)—A Florida judge struck down “Terri’s Law” May 5, ruling the measure violated the state’s constitution by allowing Gov. Jeb Bush to order the nutrition and hydration tube of a disabled woman to be reinserted.

Terri’s parents told they need to pay for a police escort in order to visit their daughter

Clearwater (FBW) -- Days before Mother’s Day, Mary and Bob Schindler, the mother and father of Terri Schiavo, were told they could visit their disabled 40-year-old daughter only if they agreed to pay for an off duty police officer to be present during their visit to the hospice where she is cared for.

Training Update

Training Update

National

National News

In 1996 Kerry called marriage a ‘caste system’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Although Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry now says he is against same-sex “marriage,” in 1996 he came close to embracing its legalization, comparing bans on homosexual “marriage” to past bans on interracial marriage and calling the traditional view of marriage a “caste system.”

2004 SBC Annual Meeting

Daytona Beach pastor Bobby Welch in line for SBC presidency
BWA, sole membership topics for SBC annual meeting

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Southern Baptists will gather in Indianapolis June 15-16, continuing their Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative by focusing on the theme “Kingdom Forever.”

LifeWay FAITH luncheons set for Indy SBC

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Sunday School as an extension of a church’s outreach ministry continues to grow. In many churches it’s because of FAITH/Sunday School evangelism strategy, a ministry of LifeWay Christian Resources. More than 7,827 churches currently utilize the FAITH/Sunday School evangelism strategy and more than 23,280 professions of faith in Christ have been attributed to the ministry.

Floridians appointed to, nominated for SBC posts

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Two Florida pastors have been appointed by Southern Baptist Convention President Jack Graham to the SBC’s Committee on Committees to serve during the June 15-16 annual meeting in Indianapolis.

‘Conservative Resurgence’ reunion slated June 14

INDIANAPOLIS—The new president of The Criswell College (TCC) recognizes the tendency of Southern Baptists to forget spiritual lessons of the past, often prompting a recurring pattern of dealing with theological liberalism at 40-year intervals. With that in mind TCC and the W. A. Criswell Legacy Project are jointly sponsoring “Remembering the Past, Reaching the Future” June 14 from 9 to 11 p.m. at the Indiana Convention Center, Sagamore Ballrooms 5, 6, 7, prior to the opening of this year’s annual SBC in Indianapolis.

National Hispanic fellowship features Miami musicians

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Hispanic Southern Baptists will proclaim “Hay Vida en Jesus” (“There is Life in Jesus”) during evangelistic campaigns in different locations throughout Indiana June 7-11, culminating with a special concert Saturday night, June 12, at Northside Baptist Church in Indianapolis.

Hispanic network will honor church planting leaders

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—The Southern Baptist Hispanic Multiplying Church Network will gather for its seventh-annual meeting June 14 in Indianapolis to celebrate the launch of 241 new Hispanic Baptist churches last year and to cast a vision for reaching more Hispanic communities.

Florida leader to present work on African Americans in SBC life

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—The name of the first African American church to affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention will be announced with the June publication of the Journal of African American Southern Baptist History.

African American Fellowship Indy mtg.

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Gabriel Missionary Baptist Church, it its new building northeast of downtown Indianapolis, will host the worship celebration of the SBC’s National African American Fellowship on Sunday, June 13.

Evangelists’ theme is ‘Jesus ... Not Ashamed!’

The worship service is 9 a.m.-noon June 13 at the Indiana Convention Center, Sagamore Ballrooms 1, 2, 3. Three Southern Baptist evangelists will speak: Johnny Tucker of International Missions Association in Citronelle, Ala.; Sammy Tippit of Sammy Tippit Ministries in San Antonio; and Jerry Burgess of Divine Design Ministries in Whitley City, Ky.

Theology school dean-elect to address Messianic fellowship

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--With the theme "For Zion's Sake I Will Not Be Silent," members of the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship will explore the idea in Romans 1:16 that the Gospel is intended "primarily for the Jew and then for the Greek" at their June 11-12.

Directors of Missions to spotlight healthy associations

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)--Building healthy associations in the 21st Century will be the focus of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Directors of Missions' 43rd annual meeting June 13-14, at the Radisson City Centre, Indianapolis. "Together ... To Pray ... To Care ... To Share!" will be the theme of the conference, which opens with a 10:30 a.m. worship service Sunday, June 13.

Seminaries to host annual luncheons in Indianapolis June 16

2004 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting schedule

2004 Pastors' Conference schedule

WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting schedule

Feature

Mission News

Keith Telg, 32, IMB worker, dies in London

LONDON (BP)—Keith Alton Telg, a representative of the International Mission Board in northern Africa, died May 3 in London.

Seminary News

SEBTS trustees affirm statements on inerrancy, gender roles

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)—Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustees voted April 19 to affirm both the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

Southern trustees approve new intercultural studies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s board of Trustees April 20 unanimously affirmed an initiative that creates a new intercultural studies program aimed at fulfilling the Great Commission.

NOBTS expands ministry partnershp with Russia

NEW ORLEANS (BP)—New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees authorized construction of a new campus building, created a new degree, expanded the school’s mission partnership in Russia and approved a $17 million budget during their meeting April 14.

Jeff Iorg elected as president of GGBTS

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)—Trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary elected Jeff Iorg as the seminary’s seventh president at the beginning of their April 26-27 meeting at the northern California campus.

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

May 23: Improving Sibling Relationships
Genesis 27:41; 32:3-5, 9-11; 33:1-5, 10-11

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

May 30: Being Friends
Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:5-6, 9-10, 17; Philippians 4:13; 10, 14-16

Wiley Richards is a retired professor of theology and philosophy at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

Explore the Bible

May 23: Consistent Behavior
Titus 2

Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.

May 30: Good Deeds
Titus 3

Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.