Short Spots

                                                                                                                                             Vol. XVI, No. 3, March 2003

FL College trustees reaffirm ties to state Baptist convention: Baptist College of Florida's board of trustees unanimously reaffirmed the college's longstanding ties to the Florida Baptist Convention during a Jan. 23-24 meeting on the Graceville campus. "I think it's time for one college to make one statement to put itself in direct counterbalance to the popular trend of the times," said college president Kinchen. Citing instances of Baptist schools in Georgia, Missouri, and Texas loosening or severing ties with their Baptist state conventions, Kinchen said he personally felt "it was time for our school to make a statement of who we are in relationship to our founding principles and our state convention." The resolution acknowledges Baptist involvement from the school's inception in 1943 and the assumption of its ownership by the Florida Baptist Convention in 1957. It also affirms the school's commitment to a historical doctrine that recognizes "the absolute Lordship of Christ and the supreme authority of the Holy Scriptures." In addition, the resolution affirms the continued relationship of the school to the Florida Baptist Convention through the election of trustees by the convention, inclusion of the college in the Cooperative Program budget of the convention and training of church leadership by the college for service in the convention. The Baptist College of Florida action came on the heels of news that Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach voted Nov. 21 to amend their charter to no longer require a majority of their trustees to be Southern Baptists. [BP]

Pastor, does Uncle Sam want you? The Army (and probably the other services) needs chaplains. And, speaking personally, I’m convinced they especially need evangelical chaplains. Among other requirements you need SBC endorsement, to pass a physical, and be between 21 and 33 years old. If interested, you can contact Major Joel L. Russell, U. S. Army Chaplain Recruiter, P.O. Box 1041, Fort Meade, MD 20755, e-mail him at Joel.Russell@usarec.army.mil , or call 301-677-2627.

2002 Annie Armstrong Offering sets record: Southern Baptists contributed a record $49.25 million to North American missions through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in 2002 -- a 2% increase over the amount contributed the previous year. North American Mission Board President Robert E. Reccord announced the total during the annual Woman's Missionary Union executive board meeting, Jan. 11-14 at Shocco Springs Baptist Assembly in Alabama. 100% of Annie Armstrong receipts directly support missionaries and their work. The 2003 offering will be promoted in most Southern Baptist churches this spring between the March 2-9 Week of Prayer for North American Missions and Easter on April 20. The 2003 national goal is $53 million. The offering supplies more than 40 percent of the North American Mission Board's budget which supports 5,204 missionaries in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about the North American Mission Board, go to www.namb.net; for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, go to www.anniearmstrong.com [BP]