Founding Alliance president Crouch dies. Alliance of Baptists founder William Henry Crouch, 84, died Dec. 29 at his home in Asheville, N.C. Crouch, pastor emeritus of Providence Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., was elected the first president of the group initially known as the Southern Baptist Alliance. Last year, on the 25th anniversary of its founding, the Alliance presented Crouch the “Heart of the Alliance” award for his contribution to the organization. Crouch was pastor of churches in Kentucky, Mississippi and North Carolina, and he later served as director of development for the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Janice Young Crouch, who died in January 2010, and a daughter, Deborah Crouch McKeithan, who died in 2003. Survivors include four children, Sarah Crouch Tucker of Macon, Ga.; Thomas L. Crouch of Asheville, N.C.; William H. Crouch Jr. of Georgetown, Ky.; and Rebecca Hobbs of Milledgeville, Ga.; 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
British Baptist school gets new leader. Roger Standing, a professor and administrator at Spurgeon’s College in London, has been named the next principal of the historic college started by 19th century preaching legend Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Spurgeon’s College, the largest of seven colleges affiliated with the Baptist Union of Great Britain, selected Standing to succeed Nigel Wright, who is retiring in August after 13 years in the post.
Standing, a former pastor who has taught at the London school in the areas of mission, evangelism and pioneer ministry since 2007, served as deputy principal since 2011. Trained as a Methodist minister before switching to the Baptist faith in 1990, Standing previously was regional minister in the Southern Counties Baptist Association.
National CBF disaster response leader named. Tommy Deal, former associate coordinator for CBF of Florida, succeeds Charles Ray as national disaster response coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, effective Jan. 1. Deal will manage field responses during and after events and coordinate a national response in cooperation with state and regional efforts. Since May, Deal has served as disaster response coordinator for CBF of Georgia. He will continue in this role as part of a collaborative relationship between CBF of Georgia and national CBF. In addition to his role with CBF of Florida, Deal has served as a chaplain to numerous police and fire departments and a state board member for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. Deal also received training in disaster response from FEMA.
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.