BAPTIST BRIEFS

Posted: 2/17/06

BAPTIST BRIEFS

Florida church considers Dallas pastor. Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, was slated to preach in view of a call to First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 19. Jerry Vines has been pastor of the Jacksonville church 23 years. Brunson, 48, has been pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas since 1999, and also serves as chancellor of Criswell College. He made announcements about the call of the Jacksonville church in each of his church’s three morning worship services Feb. 12. Brunson served previously in churches in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. He was president of the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference in 2003. Brunson and his wife, Debbie, have three children. He is a graduate of Furman University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Ministers tax guide available. Ministers can find help in preparing their 2005 federal income tax returns from an annual tax guide published by GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. The free guide details recent changes to tax laws and their effect on ministers written by Richard Hammar, a CPA, attorney and widely published author who specializes in legal and tax issues for ministers. GuideStone’s legal and compliance staff edits the guide to address tax issues that affect the greatest number of Southern Baptist pastors. The tax guide can be obtained in an electronic format by visiting the GuideStone website at www.GuideStone.org. Copies can also be obtained by calling customer service at (888) 98-GUIDE (984-8433) between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays.

N.M. Baptists elect executive director. After a 17-month-long search, the Baptist Convention of New Mexico has unanimously elected Joseph Bunce as executive director. The assignment became effective immediately. A New Mexico native, Bunce served as pastor of churches in New Mexico and Missouri while getting his education. He earned a bachelors degree from Eastern New Mexico University, a master of divinity degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in California. He now serves as a member of the Golden Gate Seminary board. Bunce replaces Claude Cone, who announced his plans for retirement in July 2004. Cone will continue to serve as the convention’s executive director emeritus and pastor of Monterey Baptist Church in Albuquerque.

National Campers on Mission rally set. Campers on Mission will hold its national rally June 7-9 at the Dixie Classic Fairgrounds in Winston-Salem, N.C. The event is timed so participants can join in activities related to Crossover Triad, an outreach effort designed to coincide with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in nearby Greensboro, June 13-14. Scheduled speakers at the rally include James Atkins, pastor of West Asheville Baptist Church in Asheville, N.C., and Ken Hemphill, former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and current strategist for the SBC’s Empowering Kingdom Growth emphasis. Registration forms and further information are available at www.comnatrally2006.org, from state COM presidents or by e-mailing comnatrally2006@yahoo.com. Rally coordinator Joyce Camp can be reached at (336) 407-3250.

Ouachita seeks new education dean. Ouachita Baptist University has formed a search committee to find a new dean for the Michael D. Huckabee School of Education. Stan Poole, vice president for academic affairs at Ouachita, will chair the committee. Current Dean Jeanna Westmoreland will leave Ouachita in June when her husband, Andrew Westmoreland, becomes president of Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.

SBC registration opens. Churches that plan to send messengers to the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., can register online. Registration also is open for families who plan to enroll children in the preschool child care or the children’s conference, scheduled in conjunction with the SBC annual meeting. For registration information, visit www.sbc.net and click on “2006 SBC Annual Meeting.”