HISTORICAL VIGNETTE: SBC presidents with Florida ties

There have been six men who served as pastors of Florida Baptist State Convention churches and as president of the Southern Baptist Convention. These men and their families were Convention servants and need to be remembered for their labors.

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Carl Bates (1914-1999) was born near Liberty, Miss., and graduated from Mississippi College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Leesburg, and later served First Baptist Church, Amarillo, Texas, and First Baptist Church, Charlotte, North Carolina. He was president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1970-1972.

Adrian Rogers (1931- ) was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. He graduated from Stetson University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of Parkview Baptist Church in Fort Pierce (1958-1964) and First Baptist Church Merritt Island (1964-1972) before becoming pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn. in 1972. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention 1979-1980 and 1986-1988.

Charles Stanley (1932- ) was born in Danville, Virginia. He graduated from the University of Richmond (B.A.) and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (B.D.). He served as pastor of First Baptist Church, Fairborn, Ohio (1959-1962); First Baptist Church, Bartow, (1968-1969); and has served at First Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga., since 1969. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1984-1986.

Jerry Vines (1937- ) was born in Carroll County, Ga. He graduated from Mercer University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of First Centralhatchee Baptist Church in Heard County, Ga; Bethesda Baptist Church in Heard County; Second Baptist Church, Cedartown, Ga; Dauphin Way Baptist Church, Mobile, Ala; West Rome Baptist Church, Rome, Ga and since 1982 has served at First Baptist Church, Jacksonville. He was president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1988-1990.

James “Jim” Henry (1937- ) was born in Nashville, Tenn. He graduated from Georgetown College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of Mt. Pisgah in Melvin, Ala.; Hollywood Baptist Church in Sledge, Miss., Two Rivers Baptist Church in Nashville, and has served as pastor at First Baptist Church, Orlando, since 1977. He was president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1994-1996.

Jack Graham (1950- ) was born in Conway, Arkansas. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons College and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of East Side Baptist Church, Cross Plains, Texas; First Baptist Church, Hobart, Okla.; First Baptist Church, Duncan, Okla.; First Baptist Church, West Palm Beach, and he went to Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, in 1989. He served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2002-2004.

This is 14th in a series.