He was carrying on his own little baseball game, by himself. The real game was on the regular baseball diamond-a "machine pitch" game featuring eight and nine-year-olds. He was carrying on his own little baseball game, by himself. The real game was on the regular baseball diamond-a "machine pitch" game featuring eight and nine-year-olds. For those whose children are grown but have not produced grandkids, a "machine pitch" game utilizes a baseball pitching machine rather than a young human. Such machines are far more accurate than an eight-year-old’s arm that is as likely to send the ball ten feet above home plate as dribble one over, and not even he knows which one is coming. The youngster’s just-older brother was playing in the real game. It was exciting as baseball games go, but not exciting enough to hold the attention of an active seven-year-old. How boring can something be that involves watching an older brother doing something you want to do? The younger brother had much rather have been in uniform and on the field than sitting with a bunch of stodgy adults who kept urging their offsprings to "Be a hitter!" and "Way to swing! Now, put that on the ball!" and "Keep your eye on the ball!" Playing in the … [Read more...]

For the week of June 24, 2004 SBC president   Facing a surprise challenge, Bobby Welch was elected Southern Baptist Convention president during the denomination’s annual meeting in Indianapolis last week. Welch is pastor at First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, Fla. He was elected president in the first contested presidential race in a decade. He defeated pastor Al Jarrell of Merry Hill, N.C., on a vote of 3,997 (79.6 percent) to 1,020 (20.4 percent). Dennis Conner of Windsor, N.C. said he nominated Jarrell because of his concerns that leadership is "growing further and further and further away from the grassroots of this great convention." He noted Jarrell’s church averages just under 70 in Sunday School and said he is typical of pastors in the convention. Welch 61, has gained recognition as a founder of the FAITH program, which incorporates an evangelistic emphasis into Sunday School. Launched at Welch’s church, FAITH now is marketed conventionwide. Welch is a Vietnam veteran who received a Bronze Star for bravery and a Purple Heart for battle wounds. He is a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary   SBC officers   Two pastors - along with two familiar faces - were … [Read more...]

The 2004 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention gave Southern Baptists a break in news-laden meetings. The convention will probably be known for what it did not do as much as what it did. The 2004 Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention gave Southern Baptists a break in news-laden meetings. The convention will probably be known for what it did not do as much as what it did.   The big secular media note was that messengers did not approve a resolution to urge Southern Baptists to withdraw their children from public schools. The Resolutions Committee did not bring the resolution to the floor and a motion from the floor to approve the previously publicized resolution did not come close to passing.   Whatever else the failure of the resolution means, it does mean that the messengers present are not ready to abandon public schools. Now, we can hope that Southern Baptists as a whole will become involved in making their public schools better in every way.   In an action that surprised absolutely no one, messengers affirmed the Executive Committee’s recommendation to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance. Hopefully, the convention leadership and leaders of the … [Read more...]

Blaring rap music, yellow crime scene tape, open-hooded vehicles on ramps and young children running in the streets is an all-too-common scene throughout much of inner city America. Blaring rap music, yellow crime scene tape, open-hooded vehicles on ramps and young children running in the streets is an all-too-common scene throughout much of inner city America.   A similar scenario played itself out recently at the Cloverleaf Terrace apartments in Indianapolis during the community’s annual luau festivities. However, this year, Southern Baptist volunteers from across the Southeast joined in on the celebration.   They hosted children’s games and crafts and provided free car washes, oil changes and other maintenance. The rap music was of the Christian variety - and the yellow tape sectioned off part of the parking lot where groups of Baptist men serviced the vehicles while sharing the gospel.   The Cloverleaf outreach was just one of nearly 40 evangelistic block parties held June 11-12 throughout metropolitan Indianapolis as part of Crossover Indiana. Crossover is an annual Southern Baptist evangelistic effort held prior to the annual Southern Baptist … [Read more...]

The Southern Baptist International Mission Board is taking the gospel to more people, but it has not been without personal and financial costs, President Jerry Rankin said last week. The Southern Baptist International Mission Board is taking the gospel to more people, but it has not been without personal and financial costs, President Jerry Rankin said last week. Speaking at the closing session of the Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis, Rankin thanked Southern Baptists for raising the necessary funds to send more approved candidates to the mission field. Last year, the mission board appointed only 100 long-term missionary candidates due to financial constraints. In 2003, churches collected a record $115.1 million for the Lottie Moon Offering for International Missions. But that total did not match the needs to send 308 missionaries who applied for service, he said. Missions leaders called for an increase in giving through the offering, which closed in 2003-2004 year on May 31. "You heard the appeal and, in a phenomenal response, demonstrated that the hearts of Southern Baptists are devoted to our great mission task," Rankin said. "This has enabled us to remove restrictions on missionary appointments … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists adopted resolutions lamenting America’s "cultural drift … toward secularization" and urging Christians to engage culture and vote "biblical values" last week. Southern Baptists adopted resolutions lamenting America’s "cultural drift … toward secularization" and urging Christians to engage culture and vote "biblical values" last week.   However, in a much-publicized action, they stopped short of calling for a full-scale withdrawal of children from public schools.   Eight resolutions were adopted with little debate or opposition by the 8,500 messengers attending the annual Southern Baptist Convention in Indianapolis.   The statements were presented by a 10-member committee and included resolutions supporting the Federal Marriage Amendment, promoting Christian citizenship, honoring the military, and praising the life and presidency of Ronald Reagan.   But the convention committee declined to act on a resolution proposed by T.C. Pinckney of Virginia and Bruce Shortt of Texas, asking Southern Baptists to remove their children from "godless" and "anti-Christian" public schools.   When his resolution was not reported out by the committee, Pinckney … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist Convention messengers joined the "sole membership" debate last week, respectfully requesting that New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary adopt that model of corporate organization. Southern Baptist Convention messengers joined the "sole membership" debate last week, respectfully requesting that New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary adopt that model of corporate organization.   The action is the latest in an ongoing saga regarding the school and how it will tie itself to the convention.   Since 1997, Southern Baptist leaders have sought to tie entities more closely to the denomination. Their motivation has been to ensure that no entity could follow the lead of some state agencies and leave the control of the convention.   Their chosen tool for accomplishing this has been a legal structure in which an entity alters its charter to make the convention the "sole member" - or single controlling member - of the corporation.   Thus, the convention has ultimate - but specific - authority. As designed, the entity then cannot leave the denominational fold without explicit convention approval.   So far, all convention entities have agreed to the sole … [Read more...]

New Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch pledged to go to great lengths - literally - to encourage the denomination to baptize a million people each year. New Southern Baptist Convention President Bobby Welch pledged to go to great lengths - literally - to encourage the denomination to baptize a million people each year.   Late this summer, Welch will embark on a 25-day bus tour to all 50 states, he announced. From the bus, he will urge grassroots Southern Baptists and their leaders to do more to lead people to faith in Christ and to bring about a transformation in the nation’s largest Protestant convention.   The bus-a-thon will be part of a multi-faceted effort to reverse the convention’s decline, Welch said following his election as president at last week’s annual convention.   That reversal is vital for the future of both the convention and the nation, stressed Welch, pastor at First Baptist Church in Daytona Beach, Fla.   "As the Southern Baptist Convention celebrates the 25th anniversary of the conservative resurgence, I believe it has also crossed the threshold toward its next great transition," he said. "In all likelihood, this coming transition will … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist Convention messengers voted overwhelmingly last week to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance, ending a 99-year relationship. Southern Baptist Convention messengers voted overwhelmingly last week to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance, ending a 99-year relationship.   Southern Baptists helped found the alliance, a fellowship organization that includes 211 member Baptist conventions.   "(But) We have noted, with sorrow in our hearts, a continual leftward drift in the BWA," Paige Patterson said last week.   Patterson is president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and one of nine leaders named to a committee formed in 1997 to evaluate the relationship between the convention and the alliance.   In performing its task, the study committee has voiced concerns about the alliance’s perceived anti-American stances and its tolerance of liberal theology.   Then, in 2003, the alliance accepted the moderate Cooperative Baptist Fellowship as a member - in what convention leaders called a violation of established procedure.   Convention messengers responded to the acceptance of the fellowship as an alliance member at last year’s … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists will remain Southern Baptists - indeed, after a lively debate, Southern Baptist Convention messengers voted last week against forming a study committee to consider changing the convention’s name. Southern Baptists will remain Southern Baptists - indeed, after a lively debate, Southern Baptist Convention messengers voted last week against forming a study committee to consider changing the convention’s name.   The proposal to create a study committee was the only motion to make it to the floor for debate out of a record 29 offered.   It was defeated on a vote of 1,731 (55.4 percent) to 1,391 (44.6 percent).   "I brought the motion to this body ... because we have gone beyond our southern regional characteristics, ..." Claude Thomas of Texas said. "It is wise to appoint a committee to study our present name. Does it communicate who we are and serve us well, or would there be a better alternative?"   Southern Baptist messengers lined up on both sides of the issue and were still lined up at microphones to debate the matter when time for the session expired.   Those opposing formation of a study committee questioned the cost, both to study the name … [Read more...]