Baptist Briefs_111003

Posted: 11/07/03

Baptist Briefs

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Posted: 11/07/03

Baptist Briefs

bluebull Patterson sent letter to IMB trustees. The "Vision Assessment" document written by a Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary professor and distributed to trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board carried a cover letter from Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. After reporting in last week's issue about the document, which is critical of the current IMB administration, the Baptist Standard obtained a copy of Patterson's cover letter, in which he said, "The critical importance of this paper, especially in light of the conservative movement in the Southern Baptist Convention, will be apparent to you as you read it." Meanwhile, IMB spokesman Larry Cox told Associated Baptist Press Keith Eitel's criticisms are "groundless accusations" and will be addressed by trustees this week.

bluebull ABC faces missions shortfall. American Baptists' global missions agency faces a $3 million budget shortfall next year and could be forced to recall missionaries if finances don't improve. The International Ministries division of American Baptist Churches in the USA issued a news release Nov. 3 reporting "a serious financial challenge," brought about because giving by American Baptist churches has not kept up with growth of missionary work. Hector Cortez, who took over as International Ministries' executive director in August, blamed losses in the stock market and a decades-long decline in denominational giving as factors behind the agency's financial woes.

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