Baptist Briefs
___ Midwestern won't merge. Trustees of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have reaffirmed Kansas City, Mo., as their ministry base, rebuffing rumors that the school might relocate to another state and merge with another Southern Baptist seminary. A trustee campus planning and building committee drafted a resolution Oct. 7 affirming the 43-year-old seminary's vision to impact the Midwest and Great Plains region. However, board Chairman Carl Weiser said trustees are "considering a number of new possibilities," including building a new campus in Kansas City.
___ Texas gains seats on BJC board. The Baptist General Convention of Texas has been recognized as a member body in the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs. The BGCT has continued to fund the religious-liberty watchdog agency in Washington, D.C., since the Southern Baptist Convention defunded it in 1990 and 1991. Three Texans have been added to the BJC board as a result: Charles Wade, BGCT executive director; Phil Strickland, director of Texas Baptists' Christian Life Commission; and Albert Reyes, president of Hispanic Baptist Theological School in San Antonio.
___ Southern trustees discuss Texas. Trustees of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary passed a resolution Oct. 11 urging Texas Baptist churches to continue funding the six Southern Baptist Convention seminaries. At the same time, trustees unanimously adopted a motion affirming the revised Baptist Faith & Message, which has been at the heart of concerns expressed by Baptist General Convention of Texas leaders who are recommending dramatically reducing funding for the SBC schools. Both resolutions were adopted after trustees met in executive session with seminary President Al Mohler to discuss the Texas issue.
___ BF&M allegiance required for appointments. Anyone to be nominated for service in the Southern Baptist Convention by President James Merritt must be "fully supportive" of the revised Baptist Faith & Message, he said. Merritt is seeking suggestions for individuals to serve on the SBC's committee on committees, resolutions committee, credentials committee and tellers committee. In addition to affirming the 2000 version of the Baptist Faith & Message, potential nominees must "have a burning passion for reaching people for Christ" and be a "faithful contributor" to the SBC Cooperative Program.
___ Bell elected to ABP board. Linda Bell of Dallas has been named to the board of Associated Baptist Press. She is partner in a family-owned insurance business and a member of Ross Avenue Baptist Church, an inner-city mission in Dallas.
___ Moran decries Missouri moderates' tactics. Roger Moran, the Missouri Baptist layman who has produced reams of reports that he contends link Texas Baptist leaders and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship leaders to support for homosexuality and other liberal causes, is upset that moderate Baptists in his home state are mounting a strong campaign to oppose his influence in the Missouri Baptist Convention this year. A recent Baptist Press report quoted Moran as complaining that Missouri moderates are "bypassing pastors, going directly to the laypeople. They are causing problems in our churches."
The Baptist Standard
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