Harper New SBCV President, Burris 1VP
by T. C. Pinckney Vol. IX, No. 8, September 1996
During the business session of the annual meeting of the SBCV at Grove Avenue BC, Richmond, on 16 September, John Marks, pastor of Kingsland BC, nominated Terry Harper, pastor of Colonial Heights BC, to be the new SBCV president. Outgoing president Bob Melvin, pastor of Spotswood BC, Fredericksburg, who was chairing the meeting, had served two one-year terms and was not eligible for re-election.
The chairman asked for further nominees, but no one rose to offer a second name. Bob asked again, but again no one else was nominated, and Terry Harper was elected by acclamation.
An identical sequence occurred with nominations to first vice president. Howard Baldwin, the SBCV interim part-time executive director until 15 April when Doyle Chauncey became our first full-time executive director, nominated Kelly Burris, pastor of Kempsville BC, Virginia Beach. There were no other nominations, so Kelly was elected by acclamation also.
When the chair requested nominations for second VP, no one moved to a mike to place a name before the body. After a reasonable pause, Bob asked again and noted that we did need a second VP. Still there was no response. Finally Bob said, “In the absence of nominations, can I have a volunteer?” Another pause, and then Ken Gooch, pastor of Warwick BC, Newport News, slowly stood and said, “Well, if no one else will, I’ll volunteer.” Mike Adams, pastor of Ebenezer BC, Gloucester, immediately made the most incisive nomination speech I have ever heard, to wit, “I nominate Ken Gooch!” There was a second, and Ken was nominated without opposition.
David Johnson, pastor of Rileyville BC, nominated Steven Smith, pastor of Salem BC, Richmond, for re-election as secretary. He, too, was elected unopposed.
Our new president, Terry Harper, is one of the founding fathers of the SBCV having served on our executive committee since its beginning and having just served as first vice president. He is a graduate of Bluefield College and Southeastern Seminary. Colonial Heights BC has led its association in baptisms and church growth in four of the last five years, and has just completed a building program. Terry has also been active in SBC life at the national level, being now in his second term on the Foreign Mission Board. While on the FMB he has traveled to twelve countries on mission projects.
Kelly Burris, the new first vice president, also graduated from Southeastern Seminary. When he was called to Kempsville in 1988 the church averaged 300 attending Sunday School. Current attendance averages 600. Kempsville is within the top fifteen churches in the state in missions giving and baptisms. Kelly is a trustee of the SBC Brotherhood Commission and served on the SBC Committee on Nominations in 1994. He was a North American delegate to the Lucerne Conference on World Evangelism in Seoul, Korea. He has been a member of the SBCV executive committee and chaired the search committee which recommended Doyle Chauncey to be our executive director.
Ken Gooch is a 1990 graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, and has completed six years as pastor of Warwick BC this month, September. Last year he served as president of the ministers conference in Peninsula Association. When Ken arrived at Warwick in 1990 the church ran around 70. Today they are pushing 300. Ninety-two members recently completed Experiencing God. Ken grew up in Sandston, VA.
These elections may put to rest the common joke that, if you get two Baptists in the same room, you have three opinions at a minimum. The entire meeting was characterized by good humor, unity of belief and purpose, a sense of expectation that this was the day the Lord has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it. Pray for our new officers and our executive director, Doyle Chauncey, as they seek to lead us in the paths God would have us follow.