Colleague & friend

Greg Warner is one of the world's leading journalists specializing in religion. He's been executive editor of Associated Baptist Press since 1991. In that capacity, he's written or edited most of the articles that tell the story of how Baptists concluded the 20th century and stepped into the 21st.

Unfortunately for us all, Greg has a bad back. Last week, he underwent his seventh spinal surgery in the past six years and his 12th back procedure in the past decade. Although his surgeon feels good about the latest operation, Greg began a 90-day sick leave that is expected to lead into permanent disability retirement.

Long fight

Greg fought this as long as he could. Those of us who worked alongside him, particularly at large Baptist gatherings, knew where to look for him when he wasn't sitting in his chair behind his laptop computer. We often would find him standing or pacing, but often we'd locate him in an out-of-the-way spot somewhere, lying flat, trying to give his back some relief. And nearly always, he still would be working—interviewing someone on the phone, or typing with his laptop perched on his chest. 

Greg's courage and commitment to his task—not to mention his legendary tolerance for withering pain—kept him on the job years beyond what anyone could expect. But finally, on the advice of his doctors, he delivered news to the Associated Baptist Press board of directors  we long had dreaded.

The doctor says …

“You are aware that my chronic back condition is increasingly limiting my ability to work and travel,” he wrote to the board. “The inevitable day has come when I must tell you I am no longer physically able to do my job. I cannot give ABP the performance that it expects of its chief executive or I require of myself. … For more than 10 years, I have continued to do my job despite degenerative-disc disease and failed-back syndrome. Chronic, intractable pain now prevents me from sitting or standing for more than a few minutes at a time. For the past year and a half, your encouragement and cooperation has allowed me to continue in this role while working from home. Despite those accommodations, my health has continued to decline. … My doctors tell me the natural course of this disease will produce only worse symptoms and more limitations. So I am making the tough decisions now that will put me in the best position to manage the pain and give me the best chance to reclaim a healthy lifestyle."

We've posted a complete story on Greg's situation elsewhere on our website. You can read responses to his news from Baptist leaders. But I want to say a few things about my fellow editor and friend.

Colleague and friend

Greg has been one of Baptists’ premier journalists for almost three decades. It’s hard to imagine covering religion news—particularly what’s happening to and among Baptists—without Greg standing in the middle of it all, reporter’s notebook in hand.

When Greg was a young associate editor of the Florida Baptist Witness, he helped redefine what a Baptist newspaper could and should be. He’s always been after the stories that explain faith, and life and doing church. Whether it’s covering Baptists’ initial response to AIDS—one of his early ground-breaking news packages—or church architecture, the “Baptist battles” or the impact of changing worship styles, Greg has helped all of us understand the context in which we share our faith. We can’t repay the debt we owe him.

Many times, I’ve watched Greg work on a difficult story, and I’ve pondered what makes him a great journalist. And every time, I’ve come back to three basic ingredients: He’s naturally curious, the first requirement to be a decent reporter. He’s also 100 percent pure integrity, and he believes everybody deserves the truth. And finally, he just loves the Lord and Christian people and believes he can help them grow by telling them the truth and trusting them to make sense of it all.

That's why Associated Baptist Press has become strong and will remain vital to Baptists and other freedom-loving Christians for years to come. Greg always has understood  Christians make the best decisions when they have good information. Greg has made sure they got great information.

But bottom line—this just plain hurts. Saying Greg is a respected colleague is only the start of it. For almost our whole adult lives, he’s been a traveling companion, confidant, soulmate and fellow baseball fan. I can’t imagine doing this work—especially going to big Baptist meetings—without him.