UPDATED at 5:45 p.m. Sept. 22.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–A seven-member search committee has been named to seek a successor for Morris H. Chapman, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee
Executive Committee chairman Randall James, at the close of the EC’s Sept. 21-22 meeting in Nashville, named himself and six others to the committee. James had been authorized by a vote of the Executive Committee to name the committee after Chapman announced Sept. 21 that he will retire Sept. 30, 2010.
Joining James, a Floridian, on the presidential search committee are EC members Martha Lawley of Wyoming, Clarence J. Cooper of Mississippi, David O. Dykes of Texas, Doug Melton of Oklahoma, Jay F. Shell of Arkansas and Danny S. Sinquefield of Tennessee.
James said he hopes the committee will be able to present a nominee by next June’s SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Names submitted to the committee will be held in “the strictest of confidence,” James said, requesting that potential candidates’ names be submitted by Dec. 1.
James is an assistant pastor of First Baptist Church in Orlando. He has served as Executive Committee chairman since 2008 and has been an EC member since 2003.
Lawley, the Executive Committee’s secretary and EC member since 2004, is an author and speaker and member of First Southern Baptist Church in Worland, Wyo.
Cooper is pastor of Brandon (Miss.) Baptist Church and an EC member since 2004.
Dykes is pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, and an EC member since 2007.
Melton is pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Oklahoma City and an EC member since 2003.
Shell is an attorney from Batesville, Ark., and member of West Baptist Church. He has been an EC member since 2007.
Sinquefield is pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett, Tenn., and president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. He became an EC member in 2009.
James said the names of nominees for president of the Executive Committee can be addressed to Presidential Search Committee c/o SBC Executive Committee, 901 Commerce St., Nashville, TN 37203, or to him at First Baptist Church, 3000 S. John Young Pkwy., Orlando, FL 32805.
Information from Southern Baptists’ 2008 Annual Church Profile for each search committee member’s church follows:
James — First Baptist Church, Orlando: Total members, 14,810; primary worship attendance, 7,000; baptisms, 591; undesignated receipts, $17,457,238; Cooperative Program, $1,073,264; CP percent, 6.2; total missions expenditures, $2,635,000.
Lawley — First Southern Baptist Church, Worland, Wyo.: Total members, 133; primary worship attendance, 83 in 2007 (2008 not reported); baptisms, 0; undesignated receipts, $140,831; Cooperative Program, $20,017; CP percent, 14.2; total missions expenditures, $34,936.
Cooper — Brandon (Miss.) Baptist Church: Total members, 940; primary worship attendance, 451; baptisms, 9; undesignated receipts, $1,377,014; Cooperative Program, $126,670; CP percent, 9.2; total missions expenditures, $276,545.
Dykes — Green Acres Baptist Church, Tyler, Texas: Total members, 14,350; primary worship attendance, 4,800; baptisms, 202; undesignated receipts, $13,406,780; Cooperative Program, $1,485,678; CP percent, 11.1; total missions expenditures, $5,104,329.
Melton — Southern Hills Baptist Church, Oklahoma City: Total members, 3,486; primary worship attendance, 1,508; baptisms, 50; undesignated receipts, $3,795,072; Cooperative Program, $455,409; CP percent, 12; total missions expenditure, $1,355,894.
Shell — West Baptist Church, Batesville, Ark.: Total members, 1,543; primary worship attendance, 350; baptisms, 28; undesignated receipts, $560,489; Cooperative Program, $60,105; CP percent, 10.7; total missions expenditures, $72,838.
Sinquefield — Faith Baptist Church, Bartlett, Tenn.: Total members, 3,642; primary worship attendance, 2,200; baptisms, 121; undesignated receipts, $3,616,850; Cooperative Program, $160,000; CP percent, 4.4 percent; total missions expenditures, $357,000.
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Art Toalston is editor of Baptist Press.
