___ Illinois executive resigns. Bob Wiley resigned as executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association Sept. 11, citing "unresolvable" differences with elected leaders. The resignation was triggered by the realization that "unresolvable leadership issues" existed between Wiley and the state group's board of directors, said Kevin Kerr, who chairs the board's administrative committee. The differences were not characterized as political or theological in nature.
___ Wedgwood plans rally. Students around the country are invited to gather in person or by satellite at Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth Feb. 13, 2002, to celebrate their commitment to remain sexually pure until marriage. The rally is part of the True Love Waits movement sponsored by Southern Baptists. The one-hour nationally televised event will be hosted by the brother-sister duo of Phillip and Natalie LaRue, Christian artists who have taken a stand for sexual purity. The event also will feature the new Christian band Phat Chance. For more information, go to www.truelovewaits.com.
___ Merritt meets with Bush. James Merritt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church of Snellville, Ga., was one of six ministers invited to join President Bush for a closed-door meeting just hours before the president addressed a joint session of Congress Sept. 20. Merritt said the six religious leaders spent 30 minutes with the president talking about the importance of Americans to come together spiritually and the importance of faith. The five others who met with Bush were not identified.
___ CBF notes increased giving. Individuals and churches gave record amounts to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship's budget and Offering for Global Missions in the 2000-01 fiscal year, pushing the Fellowship's total revenue to $16.8 million. That enabled the Fellowship to reach 99 percent of its $16.9 million budget. Revenue totals reflected a slight increase over the previous year, despite a drop of almost 17 percent in designated giving. Last year, contributors gave record amounts to Kosovo relief ministries. Gifts to the Offering for Global Missions totaled $5.3 million, an increase of almost 3 percent and just under
___the goal of $5.5 million. The number of CBF contributing churches fell slightly, from 1,797 to 1,776.
___ Oklahoma church leaves SBC. First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City, founded the year of the Oklahoma land run in 1889, voted 300-69 Sept. 23 to terminate its 87-year affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention. "We regret that the Southern Baptist Convention, under its present leadership, is trying to impose dogma on separate and independent Baptist churches," said Pastor Jeff Zurheide. "What's more, it's dogma we don't agree with." The church specifically referenced changes in the SBC's Baptist Faith & Message statement. The 1963 version of the Baptist Faith & Message, recently updated by the SBC, was drafted by a committee led by Herschel Hobbs, longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City.
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