In the Witness this week

Prayer emphasis at SBC annual meeting
Published May 15, 2008

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Several prayer initiatives within the Southern Baptist Convention in the coming months reflect an expanding emphasis on intercession and seeking God’s guidance.

Traylor to nominate Hunt for SBC president
Two others also announced as candidates
Published May 15, 2008

PENSACOLA (BP)—Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, announced May 6 he will nominate Johnny M. Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., for president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the SBC’s June 10-11 annual meeting in Indianapolis. Hunt is among five announced nominees for the post, joining former International Mission Board missionary Avery Willis and Les Puryear, senior pastor of Lewisville (N.C.) Baptist Church, who recently were announced, Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga., and William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and president of Olivet University International in San Francisco.

Tanzanian warrior single-handedly shares God’s faithfulness
The John Megoliki story
EVA WOLEVER
Assistant Editor
Published May 15, 2008

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Never have problems.

Former residents of Florida Baptist Children’s Homes reunite April 26-27
Published May 15, 2008

LAKELAND (FBCH)—Former residents of the Lakeland Campus of the Florida Baptist Children’s Home travelled across the country to gather for a special reunion event in Lakeland during the weekend of April 26-27.

Opinion

Guest Editorial

Of grinches, goblins, gremlins and ghosts: Or, how to read the recent ACP report on SBC statistics
PAIGE PATTERSON
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

There are a good many things about which most of us maintain a healthy skepticism. Some of those are listed in the title of this essay. However skeptical you may be, there are two categories of humans for whom at least one of the above is very real—the terrified and those who love to tell ghost stories to keep the fearful tied in a knot. While statistics and their interpretation are not unimportant (3,000 saved on the Day of Pentecost), they often function in Southern Baptist life to remind me of a search for goblins that have no reality. LifeWay recently released statistics gathered from reports of the churches. Doomsayers and analysts immediately began to explain to readers what the numbers “meant” and why such catastrophic shrinkage had occurred in Southern Baptist churches. So, to paraphrase Luke, “since many have taken in hand” this assessment, maybe one more will do no harm. In fact, another perspective might even be helpful.

Point of View

Pastor’s book offers valuable insights
JOHN SULLIVAN
Executive director-treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention

Like many other things in our society, marriages that fail receive the most publicity. Millions of married folks in our world are living happy and exemplary lives but no one talks about them.

Part 3: Challenges to biblical authority
DAVID S. DOCKERY
Baptist Press

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the third of five articles by David S. Dockery, president of Union University in Jackson, Tenn., on the authority of the Bible. The five articles were published as one article in the February 2008 issue of SBC Life, journal of the Southern Baptist Convention (www.sbclife.org).

RA pledge lasts a lifetime
JIM BURTON
North American Mission Board

The changes our nation has seen over the past 100 years are mind boggling. Transportation, communication, and education barely resemble what existed at the turn of the previous century.

Diminishing glory: Stay out of The Shack
CHARLES COLSON
Breakpoint

When the prophet Isaiah and the apostle John caught glimpses of God, they were overcome with despair at their own unworthiness in the light of His glory. The same could be said of Daniel or Paul, or any number of figures from Scripture.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor
Published May 15, 2008

Letters to the Editor may not reflect the views or opinions of the Witness. Letters may be mailed, faxed or submitted using our online form. Only letters marked clearly for publication, signed with address will be considered for use. Letters are subject to editing. Please limit letters to 250 words.

Florida

Florida News

Tanzanian warrior single-handedly shares God’s faithfulness
The John Megoliki story

JACKSONVILLE (FBW)—Never have problems.

Former residents of Florida Baptist Children’s Homes reunite April 26-27

LAKELAND (FBCH)—Former residents of the Lakeland Campus of the Florida Baptist Children’s Home travelled across the country to gather for a special reunion event in Lakeland during the weekend of April 26-27.

FBCH dedicates new Piper Children’s Center at Lakeland campus

LAKELAND (FBCH)—The Florida Baptist Children’s Homes recently dedicated a new15,000-square-foot building on their Lakeland campus, which will be used to serve abused, neglected, and abandoned children statewide. The building is named the Piper Children's Center after the major benefactors of the building, Paul and Shirley Piper.

FIRST PERSON: From boisterous boy to graceful young man

EDITOR’S NOTE: Tanzanian John Megoliki lived with the Nichols Family—Gary, Carolyn, Molly and Beth—during his six-month stay in Jacksonville in 1993. He returned for a prosthetic arm in 2000 and stayed with them a month, and returned this April for an adult-sized arm.

Florida News Briefs

Jacksonville to host Anne Graham Lotz’s ‘Just Give Me Jesus’ conference

Fort Myers ‘Simple church’ conference features author

Special education retreat

Three regional DR training events set for May and June

National

National News

Olympics: Appeals grow for Bush to protest rights abuses

WASHINGTON (BP)—Congressional members of President Bush’s own party urged him not to attend the opening ceremony of this year’s Olympic games in Beijing during a Capitol Hill news conference.

IMB taps Lawless for theological education post

RICHMOND, Va. (BP)—In an effort to get solid theological training to grass-roots leaders and strengthen ties between the International Mission Board and overseas Baptist seminaries, the IMB has appointed a consultant for global theological education.

RA’s celebrates centennial, plans race in Indy June

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP)—For 100 years, an estimated 2.5 million boys have voiced the Royal Ambassador pledge:

Volunteers provide landscaping, massages at Union University

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)—Nearly 300 Union University students, faculty and staff members took advantage of free chair massages on May 5, thanks to the volunteer efforts of licensed massage therapists from across Tennessee.

Union University Tornado

Volunteers provide landscaping, massages at Union University

JACKSON, Tenn. (BP)—Nearly 300 Union University students, faculty and staff members took advantage of free chair massages on May 5, thanks to the volunteer efforts of licensed massage therapists from across Tennessee.

International News

Myanmar cyclone impacted nearly 24 million

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Five days after a cyclone’s widespread devastation in Myanmar, the first two planeloads of United Nations relief supplies landed in the capital, Yangon, May 8. Observers fear the death toll could rise from 23,000 to more than 100,000 because safe supplies of drinking water and food are not available to large numbers of people.

WorldCrafts uplifts impoverished artisans

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP)—Raima, a hearing-impaired craftsperson in Mauritius, is part of an artisan group, CraftAid, that provides jobs for people with disabilities. Through her artisan group, she met her husband Tana who also is hearing-impaired. Raima and Tana, who now have a son, provide for their family by making unique handcrafted cards sold through WorldCrafts, a nonprofit ministry of Woman’s Missionary Union.

Features

SBC Annual Meeting Preview

Prayer emphasis at SBC annual meeting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Several prayer initiatives within the Southern Baptist Convention in the coming months reflect an expanding emphasis on intercession and seeking God’s guidance.

Traylor to nominate Hunt for SBC president
Two others also announced as candidates

PENSACOLA (BP)—Ted Traylor, pastor of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, announced May 6 he will nominate Johnny M. Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., for president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the SBC’s June 10-11 annual meeting in Indianapolis. Hunt is among five announced nominees for the post, joining former International Mission Board missionary Avery Willis and Les Puryear, senior pastor of Lewisville (N.C.) Baptist Church, who recently were announced, Frank Cox, pastor of North Metro Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga., and William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and president of Olivet University International in San Francisco.

Prayer is news at the Southern Baptist Convention
Indianapolis pastors catch a prayerful vision

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Prayer is news at this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis.

SBC president calls for ‘soul-winning’ focus

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Fulfilling the mission Christ gave His followers—bringing lost souls into God’s Kingdom—will be the focus of the 151st session of the Southern Baptist Convention when it convenes June 10-11 at the Indiana Convention Center.

Floridians appointed, nominated to SBC posts
Published May 15, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Two Floridians have been appointed by Southern Baptist Convention President Frank page to serve on the SBC’s Committee on Committees which will assemble in Indianapolis, Ind., just prior to the June 10-11 annual meeting. Page also appointed Floridians to the Tellers Committee, while others have been nominated to serve on various SBC entities’ governing boards.

CROSSOVER Indianapolis draws Sunshine State volunteers

Deadlines, rules for submitting resolutions

Florida RAs to participate in anniversary event

JACKSONVILLE (FBC)–The first National Royal Ambassador Racers event is June 7 in Indianapolis at the Indiana state fairgrounds.

2008 Southern Baptist Convention

‘Knowing God’ focus of SBC wives’ conference
Main speaker is Donna Gaines

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—“Knowing God” will be the theme for the annual Pasƒtors’ Wives Conference of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Pastors’ Conference, with several noted pastors’ wives to share ways God has strengthened them in their life experiences.

Liz Traylor hosts SBC ministers’ wives’ luncheon
Gary Chapman: ‘How to love a leader’

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—“How to Love a Leader” will be the theme of the 53rd annual Ministers’ Wives Luncheon Tuesday, June 10, in Indianapolis.

‘Hall of Faith’ event slated for youth

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—The Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists will honor its founding generation and reach out to a new generation of lost souls as it convenes for a 50th anniversary celebration June 6-9 in Indianapolis, immediately prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Prepare for Rain: 2008 pastors' conference
June8-9 • Indiana convention center

Related meetings

Seminary Luncheons

SBC president, Frank Page, WMU dinner guest

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)—Frank Page is coming to dinner. The Southern Baptist Convention’s president will be the guest speaker at a Woman’s Missionary Union dinner kicking off its June 8-9 Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting preceding the SBC’s annual meeting. Page, pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., will share insights from his new book, The Nehemiah Factor: 16 Characteristics of a Missional Leader, to be released by New Hope Publishers, a WMU subsidiary, in June.

Media Montage

‘Forged by Faith’ DVD traces Southern Baptists’ heritage

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Defining the identity of Southern Baptists isn’t an easy task, but the latest film in the Forged by Faith DVD series seeks to do just that.

Bible Study

Bible Studies for Life

May 25: Be Ready to Forgive
Ephesians 4:22-32; Philemon 8-10, 15-18

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

June 1: Your Ticket to Real Success
Proverbs 1:1-7; 2:4-8; 3:5-6, 11-12

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

Explore the Bible

May 25: Finishing Strong
Genesis 48-50

Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.

June 1: Empowered to Witness
Acts 1-2

Mark Rathel is professor of theology at The Baptist College of Florida in Graceville.