September 30, 2002
___ 16 families helped. The missionary transition fund established earlier this year by the Baptist General Convention of Texas has helped 16 missionary families who have resigned from the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board. E.B. Brooks, coordinator of the BGCT's church missions and evangelism section, reported on the transition fund at the BGCT Executive Board meeting Sept. 24. At least four of those families already have moved into new ministries with the BGCT's help, he said. In addition, about 80 other missionary families have initiated some level of contact with the BGCT transition program due to their concerns about an IMB requirement for missionaries to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith & Message.
___ LifeWay dedicates new building. LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention dedicated a $27 million addition to its downtown Nashville, Tenn., complex Sept. 18. About 1,200 SBC and city officials, local church and business leaders, construction personnel and LifeWay trustees and employees attended the service. The addition includes 802 parking spaces, a 325-seat cafeteria, updated office space, a prayer chapel for employees and a new main entrance corridor.
___ CBF receives Lilly grant. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship has received a grant of almost $2 million from the Lilly Endowment to participate in a national program called Sustaining Pastoral Excellence. The program aims to maintain the high caliber of the nation's pastoral leaders. CBF will engage in peer learning networks for ministers in their first seven years of ministry, ministers in rural settings and ministers in multi-staff congregations. A sabbatical component will provide financial and planning assistance for 100 ministers to have a study leave. A ministry residency program will facilitate 10 graduates from CBF's grant partner schools to serve two-year residencies in teaching congregations. CBF's partners in this initiative include Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary, Campbell University Divinity School, Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology, Logsdon School of Theology at Hardin-Simmons University and the Center for Congregational Health.
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