BF&M Commentary

Point of View
BF&M Commentary 18: Last Things

As I reread the Baptist Faith and Message statement regarding Last Things, I noticed the end-time issues not addressed by the Baptist Faith and Message, yet issues evangelicals commonly identify as events of the end times. The BFM does not mention the rapture, the tribulation, the Antichrist, or the millennium. Further, the BFM does not discuss the number of comings of Christ, the number of resurrections, nor the number of judgments—all areas of disagreement.

SBC Annual Meeting

SBC overwhelmingly approves GCR task force

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FBW)—Southern Baptist Convention messengers June 23 overwhelmingly approved a motion authorizing their president, Johnny Hunt, to appoint a task force to study how Southern Baptists can work “more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission.”

GCR task force includes five Floridians

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FBW/BP)—Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt appointed 18 people—including five from Florida—to the “Great Commission Resurgence Task Force” June 24 during the morning session of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Louisville, Ky.

Hunt re-elected
Bell Shoals Baptist’s Stephen Rummage elected second VP

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church in Woodstock, Ga., was elected without opposition to a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the denomination’s annual meeting June 23-24 in Louisville, Ky.

Obama resolution urges prayer, opposes policies

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting approved a resolution June 24 celebrating the election of the country’s first African American president and urging prayer on his behalf, while expressing opposition to his actions regarding unborn life and homosexuality.

Editorial
GCR, ‘Wow!’ What now?

“Wow!”

Point of View
A personal Great Commission resurgence

The hour is late. I have been involved in seemingly nonstop in matters of my denomination’s annual convention. My inclination was to refrain from writing further about the Southern Baptist Convention. I am not smart enough to add any further insights to the volumes already written.

Floridians appointed, elected to SBC posts

LOUISVILLE (BP)—Two Floridians have been appointed by Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt to serve on the SBC’s 2009-10 Committee on Nominations which will nominate people to serve on the SBC's boards, commissions and committees. They will present their report to the 2010 SBC annual meeting in Orlando June 15-16.

Huckabee laments lack of morality in U.S.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—An absence of morality, not a lack of money, is responsible for many of the problems facing the United States, former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told the 2009 Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference June 22 in Louisville, Ky.

GCR causes attendance surge at 2009 SBC

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Interest in the Great Commission Resurgence caused an attendance resurgence at the Southern Baptist Convention June 23-24 annual meeting in Louisville, Ky., according to registration secretary Jim Wells. This year’s unofficial messenger count was 8,790, more than 1,500 over last year’s tally in Indianapolis.

Pastors called to God’s glory, love for others, discipleship
Scroggins 2010 Pastors’ Conference vice president

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Southern Baptist churches must be known as passionate for God’s glory, loving toward others and winsome in their discipleship if they are to make the impact on society that God desires, pastors were told at the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, June 21-22 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

Ministers’ wives ponder Quiet Influence

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—An overflow crowd of more than 1,600 women pondered the ways God could use the quiet influence of their lives during the 54th annual Ministers' Wives Conference June 23 at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky.

Late Shirley Lindsay honored by wives

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Shirley Lindsay, the late wife of the late Homer G. Lindsay Jr., longtime pastor at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., was honored posthumously with the 2009 Willie Turner Dawson Award during the Ministers' Wives Conference June 23 at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky.

Women gain freedom in God’s Word, speakers proclaim at wives’ conf.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Early in her husband's ministry as pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, Elizabeth Luter recognized God called her to be a gatekeeper. She sought to rein in the misguided doctrine of a women's retreat “that was all about pacifying pain and did very little for providing growth and maturity.”

Florida Baptists among 3,000 volunteers at Crossover ’09

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP/FBC)—The Good News raced across Louisville like a thoroughbred at Churchill Downs June 20 when 3,000 Southern Baptist volunteers, including some from Florida Baptist churches, braved 95-degree temperatures for Crossover ’09, an evangelistic effort prior to each year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.

‘Festival Familiar para toda la Familia’
‘Family Festival for the Whole Family’ at Crossover

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—After months of preparation and a week of intensive evangelistic effort, Hispanic Baptists came together June 20 at the Iroquois Amphitheater and Park in Louisville to celebrate “Festival Familiar para toda la Familia” (Family Festival for the Whole Family).

Crossover Orlando 2010

ORLANDO (FBW)—Living up to its reputation as one of the sunbelts most frenetic locations—with lights, sounds, action and music an ongoing mainstay of a city best known for its family-friendly amusement parks—Orlando is set to come alive in a different way when Crossover 2010 explodes on the scene next June.

Florida Baptists around the SBC

IMB’s Rankin challenges Southern Baptists to pray through reconstruction puzzle

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—An evening of testimonies conveyed both miracles and the remaining challenges of a lost world. And Southern Baptists responded on their knees with prayer—and a gift of more than $100,000 to international missions June 23 at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Louisville, Ky.

Hawkins: GuideStone remains resilient in economic decline

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—GuideStone Financial Resources remains resilient in the face of volatile financial markets, O.S. Hawkins told messengers at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky., June 24.

NAMB report features Iraq chaplain

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—God is transforming lives through the ministries of North American Mission Board missionaries and chaplains, but North America is still in dire need of a Savior, NAMB president Geoff Hammond told messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention June 24.

Slain pastor honored with first HCSB award

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Fred Winters was a man known for loving the Bible and people. It was reflected in his passion for preaching the Gospel and seeing people come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

ERLC’s Land cites gains in Washington

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Southern Baptists have gained “tremendous victories” in Washington in recent months, Richard Land told messengers at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky., June 23.

Sid Smith receives awards posthumously

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Sid Smith Jr., who died in April, was awarded posthumously the distinguished alumni award from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary June 24.

Hispanic Fellowship hears ‘GPS’ initiative; Mexico hostage shares details of harrowing kidnapping

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Several hundred Hispanic pastors, missionaries and leaders gathered at the annual National Hispanic Celebration June 21 to celebrate church planting and evangelization—and chart new directions.

Seminaries report in Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)-Messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention were reminded of the importance of theological education through reports from the convention’s six seminaries during the June 23-24 sessions in Louisville, Ky.

Mohler: At 150, SBTS a tribute to God’s grace

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—On Oct. 1, 1859, four young professors and nine students met for the first day of class when Southern Baptist Theological Seminary opened its doors in Greenville, S.C.

Southern Baptists cease relationship with Texas church over homosexuality

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—With no discussion, Southern Baptist Convention messengers Tuesday approved a recommendation to cease the denomination's relationship with Broadway Baptist Church, a Fort Worth, Texas, congregation that has been the source of controversy over its stance on homosexuality.

WMU world hunger bread loaf bank debuts

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—A bread loaf bank for missions made its debut during the Woman's Missionary Union report at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky., June 23.

Seminary luncheons draw alumni, guests

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Fellowship and campus updates highlighted the alumni luncheons hosted by Southern Baptist Convention seminaries June 24 during the SBC annual meeting in Louisville, Ky.

Top chaplain says U.S. troops 'best of this generation'

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Gen. Douglas Carver, chief of chaplains for the U.S. Army, thanked Southern Baptists for the 1,300 SBC military chaplains who minister to some 3 million American troops in service around the world.

Evangelists speak on engaging the culture, defending the faith

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Evangelists from across the nation gained interactive training during breakout sessions at the Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists June 19 in Louisville, Ky., preceding the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Runaway slave topic of discussion at DOM conference

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Associational leaders should live as servant leaders and find creative strategies for leading other Christians to do the same, speakers said during the June 21-22 annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Directors of Missions.

'Bring the exiles home', Messianics urged

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—All people are suffering from exile from the Garden of Eden, and the resurrection of Christ began the return from exile, James M. Hamilton Jr. told members of the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship June 20 in Louisville, Ky.

Black denominational network renames award for Sid Smith

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Members of the Black Southern Baptist Denominational Servants Network honored the late Sid Smith during its annual meeting June 21 in Louisville, Ky., noting Smith's “lofty goals and great ideas.”

Korean Baptists reach goal of sending out 1,000 missionaries a year early

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Members of the Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches in America are celebrating the mobilization of 1,000 people for missions service through the International Mission Board.

'Friend of Pastors' award new at NAAF fellowship

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—The National African American Fellowship presented a new award during its annual meeting and banquet June 22 to recognize individuals who “really deliver” in facilitating relationships between the denomination and African American pastors.

WMU envisions changed lives & a changed world

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—One changed life for Christ can change the world, Kaye Miller said.

'Idol' concert among SBC family events

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—”American Idol” season six finalist Phil Stacey presented a concert to students and their families as one of the many family activities during the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky., June 23-34.

'Love loud,' speakers urge SBC messengers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Three pastors and a seminary president expounded June 23 and 24 on the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting's theme, “LoveLoud: Actions speak louder than words.”

Three blind men focus of Convention sermon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Showing some Ozarkian flair, John Marshall described how three blind men were each healed differently by Jesus in his convention sermon June 24 at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky.

'There's gold in them there pews,' Hunt says

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—”Getting serious doesn't mean you adopt something,” Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt said in his presidential message June 23 at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville, Ky.

Repentance a 'dire need' in SBC, Hunt tells pastors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—If Southern Baptists are to be what God wants them to be, they desperately need to repent of the sins that clog their spiritual lives, Johnny Hunt told the Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference June 22.

28 students turn to Christ after ONE Student Rally

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Twenty-eight students made professions of faith and many more participated in an emotional prayer time with their adult companions after hearing the testimony of evangelist Ken Freeman on June 21.

Media Montage

Legacy of Broadus celebrated, example lauded in book

David S. Dockery and Roger D. Duke (eds.), John A. Broadus:
A Living Legacy, (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishing Group, 2008), 249 pages. $19.99 paperback.

LifeWay Español addresses spiritual needs of Hispanic churches

MIAMI (LWCR)—The Hispanic population in the United States, presently at 48 million, is expected to triple by 2050, and many members of that population are placing an emphasis on their spiritual lives.

LifeWay Español trata necesidades espirituales de iglesias hispanas

MIAMI (LWCR)—Se espera que la población hispana en los Estados Unidos, actualmente en 48 millones, triplique antes de 2050, y muchos miembros de esa población están poniendo un énfasis en sus vidas espirituales.