In the Witness this week

Brunson to lead First Baptist Jacksonville
Stand-up vote turns into standing ovation for new pastor
Published February 23, 2006

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)–In a historic vote Feb. 19, members of the 28,000-member First Baptist Church in Jacksonville voted to call Mac Brunson, 49, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, as their new senior pastor.

Brunson pledges support for CP
Published February 23, 2006

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)–Pledging ongoing support for Southern Baptists’ main funding mechanism for missions, Mac Brunson, newly elected pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville said he is “a product” of the Cooperative Program and believes it is something he will continue to strongly support.

Photo by Joni B. Hannigan

Art class at The First Academy in Orlando. See story.

Annie week of prayer March 5-12
Published February 23, 2006

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–The annual Week of Prayer which precedes the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the North American Mission Board begins March 5 with a focus on eight missionaries and their areas of service. This year’s offering goal is $56 million, 100 percent of which directly supports more than 5,200 North American missionaries and their ministries.

IMB chairman and Okla. trustee report dialogue
Published February 23, 2006

ROGERS, Ark. (BP)– “Constructive conversations appear to be bearing fruit” in the conflict between the International Mission Board’s trustees and an Oklahoma pastor, chairman Tom Hatley told Baptist Press Feb. 16.

NAMB calls negative news story inaccurate, unprofessional
Published February 23, 2006

ATLANTA (BP)–A Baptist state newspaper’s critical analysis of the North American Mission Board’s operations has drawn a pointed response from the entity, which calls the newspaper’s report inaccurate and unprofessional.

Opinion

Editorial

The Witness five years later
JAMES A. SMITH SR.
Executive Editor

EDITOR’S NOTE: With this issue, I mark the completion of my first five years as executive editor of Florida Baptist Witness. A great deal has changed in these short five years – the addition of new staff, a total redesign of the newspaper, and the launch and rapid expansion of our Web site (www.FloridaBaptistWitness.com), to name a few of the more notable innovations. I believe – and I hope our readers agree – that the Witness has improved both in content and appearance during this era.

Point of View

How does the Florida Baptist State Convention work?
JOHN SULLIVAN
executive director-treasurer
Florida Baptist Convention

The Florida Baptist State Convention is an autonomous organization – as are churches, associations and the Southern Baptist Convention – that has influence, but no authority, over any church, pastor or member of our affiliate churches. The Florida Baptist State Convention is designed for one reason: to assist our churches in impacting the people of Florida with the Gospel of Christ. There may be other reasons for its existence but not in my understanding.

A new ‘public’ school system?
EDWARD E. GAMBLE
Southern Baptist Association of Christian Schools

What do these numbers represent? 88, 52, 70, 30? The SBC growth rate is around __ percent. Youth leave our churches at the rate of 88 percent within a few years of high school graduation. Fifty-two percent of teens believe Jesus was a sinner. Seventy percent of America’s youngest adults, ages 18-29, believe that homosexuals should be allowed to marry. Most tragic of all, only 30 percent of today’s born-again parents mentioned leading their child to Christ as a critical result of their parenting. Just as vital signs tell a doctor about your body’s health, so these numbers tell us about the health of the Body of Christ. Sadly, these signs are anything but vital, indicating a critically ill body, one that is not performing the role Jesus commanded: “Go and make disciples.”

BREAKPOINT: Evangelical activism: Stewardship responsibilities
CHARLES COLSON
Breakpoint

The television ad shows footage of devastating storms,droughts, and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As the images flash by, a voice intones, “The good news is that with God’s help, we can stop global warming, for our kids, our world, and for our Lord.” That’s quite a promise.

Florida

Florida News

Brunson to lead First Baptist Jacksonville
Stand-up vote turns into standing ovation for new pastor

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)–In a historic vote Feb. 19, members of the 28,000-member First Baptist Church in Jacksonville voted to call Mac Brunson, 49, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, as their new senior pastor.

Brunson pledges support for CP

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)–Pledging ongoing support for Southern Baptists’ main funding mechanism for missions, Mac Brunson, newly elected pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville said he is “a product” of the Cooperative Program and believes it is something he will continue to strongly support.

Prominent Florida Baptist pastors engaged to speak at E-Conference

LAKELAND—(FBC) Four well known Florida Baptist pastors have been added to the slate of preachers scheduled for the 2006 Florida State Evangelism Conference March 6-7 at First Baptist Church at the Mall, Lakeland.

Summit promises inspiration

TAMPA (IMB)–In response to more than 1,000 West Africa people groups with little to no access to the Gospel, Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz in conjunction with three other church partners and the International Mission Board, is hosting a special missions summit, March 22-25.

Reginonal disaster relief training sessions offered

International churches join FBC

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)–According to a report released by the Florida Baptist Convention’s Church Planting Department, Florida Baptists started seven new churches in January, 2006.

Florida News Briefs

Blind Fellowship conference

‘Present Future’ author to speak

Golf to support disaster relief

National

National News

IMB chairman and Okla. trustee report dialogue

ROGERS, Ark. (BP)– “Constructive conversations appear to be bearing fruit” in the conflict between the International Mission Board’s trustees and an Oklahoma pastor, chairman Tom Hatley told Baptist Press Feb. 16.

NAMB calls negative news story inaccurate, unprofessional

ATLANTA (BP)–A Baptist state newspaper’s critical analysis of the North American Mission Board’s operations has drawn a pointed response from the entity, which calls the newspaper’s report inaccurate and unprofessional.

IMB president speaks plainly about private prayer language

BANFF, Alberta, Canada (FBW)– International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin answered questions about recent IMB trustee actions regarding a private prayer language and local church baptism practices in a Feb. 17 question-and-answer session with Baptist state paper editors.

Homebound attend church through simple technology

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Margaret Coffey is a faithful member of Unity Baptist Church and “attends” services every week even though she is homebound and lives nearly 100 miles away.

Evangelism

Global Pastors Network draws 2,000 in evangelism focus

ORLANDO (BP)–A meeting of 2,000 pastors in Florida continued the legacy of Bill Bright of Campus Crusade, who died in 2003 but lived a life of proclaiming the Gospel to millions worldwide. Thirty-five speakers, including Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch, challenged pastors to develop the leadership skills necessary to see the Great Commission fulfilled in their lifetime.

National News Briefs

SWBTS to host old-time camp meeting

FORT WORTH, Texas (BP)–Camp meetings are not a thing of the past, at least not at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

Online registration opens for SBC sessions in N.C.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–Online registration for the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., opened Feb. 1.

Features

Christian Education 101

Workshop tours Christian schools, gives practical helps

ORLANDO (FBW) – Moving beyond the “why’s” of starting a Christian school to presenting a hands-on approach with “how-to” strategies and resources, the Christian School 101 workshop in Orlando got off the ground Jan. 30-31 after being postponed following the second of back-to-back major hurricane seasons in Florida.

Workshop adds to Kingdom Education summits

ORLANDO (FBW)–In recent years, Southern Baptists have become increasingly interested in examining Kingdom education and in developing Christian schools. A workshop, Christian Schools 101 in Orlando Jan. 30-31, built on the need for basic training in how churches can be involved in educating children.

Annie Armstrong Offering

Annie week of prayer March 5-12

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)–The annual Week of Prayer which precedes the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for the North American Mission Board begins March 5 with a focus on eight missionaries and their areas of service. This year’s offering goal is $56 million, 100 percent of which directly supports more than 5,200 North American missionaries and their ministries.

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Recycled cell phones connect kids to missions
Mississippi church nets $217 from drive to kick off giving to Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

TUPELO, Miss. (BP)–How do you get kids involved in missions? The answer came to Heywood Washburn in an unusual place – some 35,000 feet above the Earth’s surface.

Media Montage

LifeWay releases newly-enhanced VBS Tools Online

NASHVILLE, Tenn.(LWCR)–More than three million people attended Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs in 2004. Whether churches host a handful or several hundred participants in their programs, VBS Tools Online from LifeWay Christian Resources makes the process easier.

Quilts give Katrina-uprooted collegians hope

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)–Students who transferred to Union University last semester as a result of Hurricane Katrina have been warmed by the kindness of New Jersey women they don’t even know.

Bible Study

Family Bible Study

March 5: Put Christ First
Luke 9:57-62, 14:25-33

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

March 12: Keep Praying
Luke 11:1-13

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

Explore the Bible

March 5: Do You Rebel?
Isaiah 1:1–4:6

Troy Bush is the minister of evangelism and missions at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

March 12: Do You Volunteer to Serve?
Isaiah 5:1–6:13

Troy Bush is the minister of evangelism and missions at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.