Draper Elected SSB President

by    Linda Lawson                                                                                                                                        Vol. IV, No. 6, August 1991

James T. Draper, Jr. was elected without opposition 18 July to become the eighth president of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board. The roll call vote was 75 in favor, none opposed, and one abstention. Draper, 55, pastor of First Baptist, Euless, TX, will be installed 20 August during the semi-annual meeting of SSB trustees in Nashville.

Wayne DuBose, chairman of the presidential search committee, said his committee received nominations of 21 different people from about 70 Southern Baptists. The ten-member committee conducted “serious interviews” with eight nominees and held nine two-day meetings since being named 4 February. “We did our work amid much prayer and fasting, some pressures, and many rumors,” said DuBose. “At times we differed and debated. There was never a time when disrespect was shown one for another. We have the strong conviction that God has led us to Dr. James T. Draper, Jr.”

After the vote Draper told trustees. “Carol Ann and I have come to believe this is God’s will for our lives. Today was the last piece of the puzzle. Thank you. We accept. We’ll do our best to lead you in the way God would have us to.”

Draper said his first interest in assuming the presidency of the board will be to get acquainted with employees and to understand and study the institution’s organization. “I will be slow to do a lot of reorganization,” said Draper. “I don’t make decisions slowly, but I sometimes gather facts slowly.” In selecting employees or naming writers for board publications or speakers at board-sponsored events, Draper said a high view of Scripture would be a requirement.

However, he said he would not require people to describe themselves as inerrantists if they were comfortable with terms such as “God-breathed,” perfect, or infallible. “We Southern Baptists are people who believe the Bible.”

He said he will give attention to spiritual leadership, business leadership, organizational leadership, and people leadership. The board, under his direction, will focus on the basics of reaching people, evangelism, starting and growing churches, making disciples, and spreading God’s Word around the world.