September 23, 2002
___ Southwestern history explored in book. James Leo Garrett, distinguished professor emeritus of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, has edited a new book about the influence of 25 former faculty members at the seminary. "The Legacy of Southwestern: Writings that Shaped a Tradition" includes chapters on B.H. Carroll, W.T. Conner, J.M. Price, L.R. Scarborough, Robert Baker, W.R. Estep, Curtis Vaughan, Jack MacGorman and T.B. Maston. Other members of the editorial board for the book were C.W. Brister, Bruce Corley, Al Fasol and Leon McBeth.
___ LifeWay adopts $446 million budget. Trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention at their Sept. 10 in Nashville, Tenn., approved a 2003 operating budget of $446.6 million along with capital expenditures of $23.6 million. The budget calls for no increase in dated literature prices for 2003. Ted Warren, chief operating officer, reported projected record revenue of $422.5 million for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30. That exceeds 2001 revenue by $20 million but will be under budget by $14.6 million or 3.3 percent. In 2002, funds provided from operations--money for reinvestment in ministry expansion after all expenses have been paid--are expected to be $14.2 million, or 3.3 percent of revenue.
___ LifeWay publishes North novel. The biggest name in publishing at LifeWay Christian resources this fall is Oliver North. LifeWay's Broadman & Holman unit has published the first novel written by the former Iran-Contra figure. "Mission Compromised" involves espionage, Middle East terrorists, the White House and the United Nations. The novel already has topped several best-seller lists. North currently is traveling across the country on a bus formerly used by country entertainer Dolly Parton's band. Dubbed the Dolly-Ollie bus, it will carry North and his promoters to 58 cities for 62 signings in 30 days.
___ IMB sends some out, brings some home. Trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board approved 50 new overseas workers during their Sept. 5-8 meeting in Springdale, Ark. They also received the resignations of 17 people, including four who cited a Jan. 31 request to affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message as a factor in their decision to resign. By the IMB's official record, that brings to 26 the number of missionaries who have resigned this year citing explicit objections to the Baptist Faith & Message requirement. In other business, IMB trustees approved final payment on a $15.7 million renovation of the board's Richmond, Va., headquarters and approved purchase of a new warehouse facility.
___ CBF names Anderson to new role. Patrick Anderson, coordinator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida, will assume a new role with CBF Global Missions in January. Anderson will serve in a contract position as a missions advocate--speaking, writing, leading missions tours and working with development and fund-raising.
___ Southwestern opens new Houston campus. Nearly 300 pastors, students and supporters gathered in Houston Sept. 9 to celebrate the opening of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's new Houston campus. Park Place Baptist Church deeded its $7 million campus to the seminary last year. The seminary's Houston extension program was located on the campus of Houston Baptist University for 27 years prior to its relocation to Park Place. Students at the Houston campus no longer are required to complete residency requirements at the seminary's main campus in Fort Worth.
___ Mars Hill restores some campus ministry. A week after announcing budget cuts resulting in layoffs of a campus minister and her assistant, Mars Hill College's interim president said an anonymous gift will allow him to reinstate the assistant campus minister on a three-quarter-time basis. That still leaves Paula Clayton Dempsey, the Baptist-affiliated school's campus minister the past 11 years, out of a job. Some have suggested that aiming budget cuts at her office provided a convenient way to get rid of a high-profile woman minister whom some view as too liberal for a Baptist school. Interim President Dan Lunsford denied charges that he was closing down the campus-ministry office.
___ Golf at Glorieta? Trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources haven given the green light to a study of potential land development at Glorieta Conference Center in New Mexico. The plan includes evaluating the possibility of using 600 of Glorieta's 1,600 undeveloped acres as a residential/golf community, said Mike Arrington, vice president of the corporate affairs division. "The purpose of this plan is for LifeWay to be a good stewards of the underutilized land in order to fund future development and ministry at Glorieta."
Get printer-friendly version of this story
Send this story to a friend
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Texas Baptist churches, in the BGCT, the Southern Baptist Convention ( SBC ) and around the world.
Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!/ Signup for FirstLook
|