Southern Baptists on ‘most influential’ list
A London newspaper recently published a list of the most influential conservative and liberal Americans, and Southern Baptists on both sides of the political spectrum made the cut. The Daily Telegraph published its list of top 200 conservatives and liberals in America on its Web site Nov. 3. Topping the conservative side, the head of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Richard Land, ranks at No. 65. Other Southern Baptists making the cut on the conservative side include former House speaker Newt Gingrich at No. 4; former GOP House majority leader Tom DeLay, No. 35; Sen. Tom Coburn, R.-Okla., No. 43; actor Chuck Norris, No. 71; and Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, No. 81. On the liberal side is Southern Baptist and former President Bill Clinton at No. 1 and former President Jimmy Carter, at No. 72. House majority leader Steny Hoyer, D.-Md., also a Southern Baptist, is at No. 50 on the list. – BP
Tornado hits church during Wed. service
A tornado disrupted the evening service at a Tennessee church Nov. 14, extensively damaging the building; no one inside, however, was injured. Members of Kimball Baptist Church, located about 30 miles west of Chattanooga, had taken cover when it became evident they were in danger. “It happened about 7 o’clock last night, and they were able to take cover with an interior wall,” Richard Lewelling, director of missions for the Sequatchie Valley Baptist Association, told Baptist Press. “They got to a place of safety. If not, it could have been worse.” Lewelling added, “I do know that the education building is destroyed. I’ve heard that the rest of the church is probably uninhabitable right now.” – BP
CP survey sent to churches
On Nov. 9, Executive Committee president Morris Chapman mailed a letter to every church pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention asking him to participate in a Cooperative Program/stewardship survey. Chapman said the purpose of the survey is “to collect data that will provide an empirical baseline of our churches’ thoughts, feelings and perceptions about Cooperative Program/stewardship and to give us insights for developing a more focused strategy in the promotion of CP and stewardship across the convention.” LifeWay Research, the research arm of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, is conducting the survey. Chapman noted that every pastor plus five members of each church in the convention are being asked to participate. – BP
3 former SBC presidents back Huckabee
Three former Southern Baptist Convention presidents announced their support for Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. James Draper Jr., Jack Graham and Jerry Vines all said they were supporting Huckabee, a fellow Southern Baptist and former president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Draper and Vines served as president of the SBC during the 1980s. Graham served as president of the SBC from 2003-05. Each man’s endorsement came as a private citizen. Graham serves as pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Tex. Draper is the immediate past president of LifeWay Christian Resources. Vines is pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. – BP
Ga. governor ‘prays up a storm’
More than 250 Georgia residents gathered on the steps of the state capitol Nov. 13 to pray for a blessing which many had taken for granted – clean drinking water that has become increasingly scarce in recent months. Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Georgia Baptist church member, led the lunch-hour prayer service to ask God to restore the rain after a drought that has resulted in record lows at the state’s major reservoir and prompted a water fight between Georgia, Florida and Alabama. Lake Lanier, located north of Atlanta, dropped to its lowest level in 21 years earlier in November. All outside water use has been banned. If rains continue to hold off, Lake Lanier is expected to drop by Dec. 7 to its lowest point since it was built in the 1950s. Perdue, standing before the crowd in downtown Atlanta and flanked by lawmakers and ministers from across the religious and political spectrum, sought divine intervention as he prayed, “We come here very reverently and respectfully to pray up a storm.” – BP