Who serves on the GCR Task Force?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—The following information was developed to provide a profile of the members of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force that was formed in response to the vote of messengers to the SBC’s annual meeting in Louisville. Church data was taken from responses to the SBC’s 2008 Annual Church Profile as retrieved from the Southern Baptist Directory Services database maintained by LifeWay Christian Resources. Personal data was provided by the individual or obtained from press reports or public domain sources.

QUICK SUMMARIES:

Church size—One member’s church averages more than 14,000 for Sunday worship attendance and seven attend churches that average between about 5,500 and 6,500, eight are members of congregations with from 2,000 to 4,000 who gather Sundays, one member’s church averages 725 for primary worship, four attend local bodies averaging 400-600 for worship, one member’s church has 157 in morning worship and one worships with 84 others on Sundays.

Age—The largest number of members are in their 50s (15 of 23), 3 are in their 60s, three are counted among the 30s, one member is 40 and another is 74.

States—Ariz. (1), Ark. (2), Calif. (1), Fla. (5), Ga. (4), Ky. (1), N.C. (3), Pa. (1), S.C. (1), Tenn. (2), Texas (2)

Seminary affiliations (NOTE: Some members have relationships with more than one seminary)—Golden Gate (1), New Orleans (1), Southeastern (4), Southern (5), Southwestern (10).

DANIEL L. AKIN, 52, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, N.C.

Home church: Wake Cross Roads Baptist Church, Raleigh, N.C.
•primary worship attendance, 2008 data not reported (562 in 2007).
•baptisms, 9
•total receipts, $1,758,667; undesignated, $1,170,469; CP, $55,000; CP percent, 4.7; Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions, $23,834; Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions, $54,280; total missions expenditures, $139,964.

Education: doctorate, University of Texas at Arlington; master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Criswell College.

Other: Chairman, SBC’s 2009 Resolutions Committee. Drafted 12 axioms from which SBC President Johnny Hunt and colleagues developed the ten points of the Great Commission Resurgence Declaration.

TOM BILES, 67, executive director, Tampa Bay Baptist Association

Home church: Idlewild Baptist Church, Lutz.
•primary worship attendance, 5,595
•baptisms, 376
•total receipts, $19,127,194; undesignated, $14,016,658; CP, $583,997; CP percent, 4.2; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, not reported; total missions expenditures, $1,208,544.

Education: master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Howard Payne University.

Other: Member, SBC Executive Committee, 2008-12.

JOHN COPE, 52, senior pastor

Home church: Keystone Community Church, North Wales, Pa., near Philadelphia
•primary worship attendance, 725
•baptisms, 60
•church receipts & missions expenditures, not reported.

Education: master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Ouachita Baptist University.

Other: Member, SBC’s 2007 Committee on Committees.

DAVID DOCKERY, 56, president, Union University, Jackson, Tenn.

Home church: Englewood Baptist Church, Jackson
•primary worship attendance, 2,026
•baptisms, 64
•total receipts, $4,993,978; undesignat­ed, $3,845,168; CP, $161,166; CP percent, 4.2; Annie Armstrong Offering, $15,045; Lottie Moon Offering, $55,496; total missions expenditures, $496,789.

Education: doctorate, University of Texas at Arlington; master’s, Grace Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Christian University; bachelor’s University of Alabama.

Other: Southern Seminary—vice president, academic administration (1993-96); dean, school of theology (1992-96); and pro­fessor of New Testament theology (1988-96).

JOHN DRUMMOND, 33, owner, DMG Development real estate company, Panama City

Home church: St. Andrew Baptist Church, Panama City.
•primary worship attendance, 553
•baptisms, 43
•total receipts, $2,487,987; undesignat­ed, $1,904,314; CP, $188,887; CP percent, 9.9; Annie Armstrong Offering, $27,683; Lottie Moon Offering, $13,293; total missions expenditures, $591,241.

Education: master’s, Liberty University; bachelor’s, Clemson University.

Other: Member, SBC’s 2009 Credentials Committee.

KATHY FERGUSON, 52, member, Church at Pinnacle Hills, Rogers, Ark. (a campus of First Baptist Church,
Springdale, Ark.—data for Church at Pinnacle Hills and First Springdale are combined for reporting on ACP).
•primary worship attendance, 6,182
•baptisms, 1,047
•total receipts, $15,568,519; undesignated, $14,719,954; CP, $324,500; CP percent, 2.2; Annie Armstrong Offering, $17,799; Lottie Moon Offering, $107,237; total missions expenditures, $2,038,634.

Education: bachelor’s, University of Missouri.

Other: Served with her late husband, Rick, for more than 10 years in Denver at Riverside Baptist Church. Engaged to Ed Litton, pastor, First Baptist Church North Mobile, Saraland, Ala. Member, SBC’s 2009 Committee on Committees.

RONNIE FLOYD, 53, pastor

Home church: First Baptist Church, Springdale, Ark.
•primary worship attendance, 6,182
•baptisms, 1,047
•total receipts, $15,568,519; undesignated, $14,719,954; CP, $324,500; CP percent, 2.2; Annie Armstrong Offering, $17,799; Lottie Moon Offering, $107,237; total missions expenditures, $2,038,634.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Howard Payne University.

Other: Member, SBC Executive Committee, 1988-1998, serving as chairman, 1995-1997. Member, SBC Program and Structure Study Committee, which produced the report, Covenant for a New Century that restructured the SBC.

DONNA GAINES, 51, pastor’s wife

Home church: Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn., near Memphis
•primary worship attendance, 5,968
•baptisms, 420
•total receipts, $30,736,953; undesignated, $22,360,639; CP, $295,881; CP percent, 1.3; Annie Armstrong Offering, $42,000; Lottie Moon Offering, $91,000; total missions expenditures, $6,585,571.

Education: master’s and bachelor’s, Texas Woman’s University.

Other: Chairman of the board for the 2009 Pastors’ Wives Session of the SBC Pastors’ Conference.

AL GILBERT, 55, pastor

Home church: Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, N.C.
•primary worship attendance, 3,707
•baptisms, 126
•total receipts, $17,239,012; undesignat­ed, $8,766,638; CP, $300,000; CP percent, 3.4; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Offering, $528,420; total missions expenditures, $2,564,025.

Education: master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s Georgia College.

Other: Member, SBC Executive Committee, 2004-08, 2008-12; member, SBC’s 2009 Resolutions Committee. Before becoming pastor at Calvary, he served five years at the International Mission Board as special assistant to the president, serving as an IMB representative across the U.S. and internationally.

LARRY GRAYS, 39, pastor

Home church: Midtown Bridge Church, Atlanta
•primary worship attendance, 85
•baptisms, 1
•total and undesignated receipts, not reported; CP, $1,800; CP percent, not available; Annie Armstrong Offering, $750; Lottie Moon Offering, $1,069; total missions expenditures, not reported.

Education: doctorate, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; master’s, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, University of Central Florida.

Other: Formerly an evangelist based in Orlando.

J.D. GREEAR, 36, pastor

Home church: The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
•primary worship attendance, 2,600
•baptisms, 87
•total receipts, $4,019,110; undesignated, $3,139,456; CP, $55,500; CP percent, 1.8; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Offering, $181,780; total missions expenditures, $957,923.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Campbell University.

Other: Member, SBC’s 2005 Tellers Committee.

RUBEN HERNANDEZ, 57, associate Spanish pastor

Home church: Prestonwood Baptist Church, Plano, Texas, Dallas area
•primary worship attendance, 14,450
•baptisms, 714
•total receipts, $61,000,000; undesignated, $27,800,000; CP, $400,000; CP percent, 1.4; Annie Armstrong Offering, $100,000; Lottie Moon Offering, $500,000; total missions expenditures, $2,400,000.

Education: diploma, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Other: Former missionary, SBC’s North American Mission Board.

JOHNNY HUNT, 57, pastor

Home church: First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., metro Atlanta
•primary worship attendance, 6,504
•baptisms, 505
•total receipts, $18,285,162; undesignated, $17,450,278; CP, $432,977; CP percent, 2.5; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Offering, $175,000; total missions expenditures, $3,607,189.

Education: master’s Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Gardner-Webb University.

Other: SBC president, 2008-2010.

HARRY LEWIS, 65, senior strategist, North American Mission Board, Alpharetta, Ga.

Home church: First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga., metro Atlanta
•primary worship attendance, 6,504
•baptisms, 505
•total receipts, $18,285,162; undesignated, $17,450,278; CP, $432,977; CP percent, 2.5; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Offering, $175,000; total missions expenditures, $3,607,189.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Texas A&M.

Other: Member, SBC’s 1993 Credentials Committee; member, SBC’s 1996 Resolutions Committee; member, SBC Executive Committee, 1994-1997. A NAMB staff member since 1997, Lewis leads NAMB’s work with 41 state conventions and the Canadian National Baptist Convention in developing a cooperative strategy and budget for assisting churches in reaching North America for Christ.

R. ALBERT MOHLER JR., 50, president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky.

Home church: Highview Baptist Church, Louisville
•primary worship attendance, 3,165
•baptisms, 128
•total receipts, $7,617,841; undesignated, $6,529,724; CP, $226,467; CP percent, 3.5; Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon offerings, not reported; total missions expenditures, $1,112,514.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southern Seminary; bachelor’s, Samford University.

Other: Member, Baptist Faith & Message Study Committee; chairman, SBC’s 1992 Resolutions Committee.

MICHAEL ORR, 40, pastor

Home church: First Baptist Church, Chipley.
•primary worship attendance, 574
•baptisms, 46
•total receipts, $1,952,470; undesignat­ed, $1,306,522; CP, $239,611; CP percent 18.3; Annie Armstrong Offering, $12,659; Lottie Moon Offering, $20,645; total missions expenditures, $371,908.

Education: bachelor’s, Baptist College of Florida.

Other: Member, SBC’s 2006 Tellers Committee.

FRANK PAGE, 56, pastor

Home church: First Baptist Church, Taylors, S.C.
•primary worship attendance, 2,270
•baptisms, 144
•total receipts, $7,454,028; undesignated, $6,107,981; CP, $571,512; CP percent, 9.4; Annie Armstrong Offering, $63,142; Lottie Moon Offering, $138,807; total missions expenditures, $1,467,029.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Gardner-Webb University.

Other: SBC president, 2006-08.

JIM RICHARDS, 56, executive director, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention

Home church: First Baptist Church, Fort Worth
•primary worship attendance, 404
•baptisms, 25
•total receipts, $1,841,212; undesignated, $931,226; CP, $32,593; CP percent, 3.5; Annie Armstrong Offering, $300; Lottie Moon Offering, $4,092; total missions expenditures, $123,457.

Education: doctorate, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary; master’s, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, University of Louisiana, Monroe and Baptist Christian College, New Orleans.

Other: SBC first vice president, 2007-08; member, SBC Committee on Order of Business, 1995-98.

ROGER SPRADLIN, 54, pastor

Home church: Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield, Calif.
•primary worship attendance, 2,945
•baptisms, 297
•total receipts, not reported; undesignated, not reported; CP, $437,359; CP percent, not available; Annie Armstrong

Offering, $5,405; Lottie Moon Offering, $36,311l; total missions expenditures, $711,166.

Education: doctorate, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; master’s, Criswell College; bachelor’s, Oklahoma Baptist University.

Other: Member, SBC Executive Committee, 2005-07, 2007-11 (vice president, 2009-10).

TED TRAYLOR, 55, pastor

Home church: Olive Baptist Church, Pensacola.
•primary worship attendance, 3,426
•baptisms, 308
•total receipts, $10,304,198; undesignated, $7,528,976; CP, $810,089; CP percent, 10.8; Annie Armstrong Offering, $41,312; Lottie Moon Offering, $80,874; total missions expenditures, $1,174,836.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Samford University.

Other: Trustee, North American Mission Board, 2002-10; first vice president, Southern Baptist Convention, 2001; member, SBC Resolutions Committee, 2000.

SIMON TSOI, 74, retired pastor

Home church: First Chinese Baptist Church, Phoenix
•primary worship attendance, 157
•baptisms, 6
•total receipts, $551,759; undesignated, $414,317; CP $40,411; CP percent, 9.8; Annie Armstrong Offering, $3,818; Lottie Moon Offering, $7,454; total missions expenditures, $92,639.

Education: doctorate, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary; master’s, Dallas Theological Seminary; master’s, University of Iowa; master’s, Oklahoma City University; bachelor’s, Hong Kong Chinese University.

Other: Member, Baptist Faith & Message Study Committee; trustee, International Mission Board, 2004-08, 2008-12 (first vice chairman, 2009-10); member, SBC’s 1999 Tellers Committee.

J. ROBERT WHITE, 63, executive director, Georgia Baptist Convention, Duluth

Home church: North Metro First Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga., metro
Atlanta
•primary worship attendance, 2,163
•baptisms, 65
•total receipts, $3,713,434; undesignated, $2,862,098; CP, $372,078; CP percent, 13.0; Annie Armstrong Offering, $16,168; Lottie Moon Offering, $32,237; total missions expenditures, $487,835.

Education: doctorate and master’s, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; bachelor’s, Samford University.

Other: Vice chairman, SBC Cooperation Task Force; member, SBC Empowering Kingdom Growth Task Force.

KEN WHITTEN, 55, pastor

Home church: Idlewild Baptist Church, Lutz.
•primary worship attendance, 5,595
•baptisms, 376
•total receipts, $19,127,194; undesignated, $14,016,658; CP, $583,997; CP percent, 4.2; Annie Armstrong Offering, not reported; Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, not reported; total missions expenditures, $1,208,544.

Education: graduate studies, Luther Rice Seminary; master’s and bachelor’s, Eastern Illinois University.

Other: Trustee, International Mission Board, 2001-2009; chairman, SBC Committee on Order of Business, 1999.

Editor’s note: Ken Whitten, pastor of Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz, clarified to Florida Baptist Witness on Sept. 3 that his church budgets giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and Annie Armstrong Offering, with monthly checks sent directly to the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board, respectively. In 2008, the direct giving to IMB for LMCO totaled $326,021 and NAMB for AAO totaled $91,000. Whitten reported Idlewild also budgets $450,000 per year for short-term mission trips for church members and church planting assistance.