Baptist Briefs_50304

Posted: 5/03/04

Baptist Briefs

SBC, BWA leaders meet. Officials of the Baptist World Alliance and the Southern Baptist Convention have agreed to meet annually, but a meeting in mid-April did not prompt any change in SBC plans to defund the global group and withdraw membership from the worldwide fellowship. BWA President Billy Kim of Korea and SBC Executive Committee President Morris Chapman co-chaired the Nashville, Tenn., gathering of 19 leaders from the United States, Canada, Bulgaria and Brazil.

Elder announces retirement. Lloyd Elder will retire as director of the Moench Center for Church Leadership at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., effective June 1. Elder joined the Belmont School of Religion faculty in August 1991, filling the Paschall Chair for biblical studies and preaching. He helped establish the Moench Center in 1996 to teach leadership skills to ministers. Elder served as president of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board from 1983 to 1991. He was executive vice president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from 1978 to 1983, assistant to the executive director at the Baptist General Convention of Texas from 1975 to 1978, and pastor of several Texas Baptist churches.

Louisiana college affirms text policy. Louisiana College trustees have re-affirmed a controversial textbook policy and named an interim president for the school. In a called meeting, trustees passed a resolution requiring professors to receive approval from their department chairs and the school's vice president for academic affairs for all textbooks and classroom materials. The resolution stipulates faculty must make curriculum choices in harmony with the college's identity and mission statement, as well as the school's faith statement and the pronouncements of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Trustees also elected retired pastor John Traylor as the school's interim president. Traylor, 76, was the longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Monroe, La., and is a former Louisiana Baptist Convention president.

Medical missions leader announces retirement. James Williams has announced he is retiring as executive director of the Baptist Medical/Dental Fellowship, an organization that enlists health-care professionals as volunteer and career mission workers. Williams, 69, cited the health of his wife, Jo, as the primary factor in his decision. She has undergone two lumbar surgeries and has battled chronic sciatic nerve pain. Williams joined the fellowship in 1997 after serving six years as president of the Southern Baptist Brotherhood Commission. Fred Loper, associate director of the Baptist Medical/Dental Fellowship, will serve as interim acting executive director.

Truett breakfast at CBF set. Gary Furr, pastor of Vestavia Hills Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., will be the keynote speaker at a Truett Theological Seminary breakfast held in conjunction with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship general assembly. The breakfast, sponsored by the Truett Alumni Association, will be at 7 a.m. June 25 at the Birmingham convention center. Cost is $20 for non-members of the alumni association and $17 for members. Reservation deadline is June 11. For more information, call (254) 710-3755.

Baptists featured on ecumenical radio program. Preachers representing the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will become regular participants in "Day 1," a 59-year-old ecumenical radio series. George Mason, pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, and Bill Self, pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Ga., will be featured on seven programs beginning in July. CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal presented a sermon for "Day 1" broadcast last December, becoming the first Baptist participant on the program in more than 50 years. The radio series is produced by "The Protestant Hour" in cooperation with the Episcopal Media Center, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church.