CARY, N.C. (BP) — Allan Blume has announced his plans to retire as editor-president of the Biblical Recorder in May 2019 after completing eight years with the North Carolina Baptist newsjournal.
Well-known among North Carolina churches, the longtime pastor and Baptist statesman was selected for the position in 2011 after leading Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone for 16 years. Blume earlier served as pastor of Statesville Avenue Baptist Church in Charlotte for 12 years and executive pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte for five years.
Blume, 68, has held leadership positions with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, including three terms as president of the BSC Board of Directors, and Southern Baptist Convention, including chairing the Committee on Order of Business and Credentials Committee.
He announced his retirement during an Oct. 1 fall meeting of the Recorder’s board of directors.
In his first year as editor, Blume led the historic Baptist news outlet through rebranding and the launch of a new website. Today, the Recorder reaches farther than ever, offering multiple news formats, including an e-newsletter and digital edition. The website, BRnow.org, draws nearly 1 million unique visitors each month.
“He did not lose his heart for missions or church ministry when he became editor of the BR,” said Milton Hollifield Jr., executive director-treasurer of the North Carolina convention. “Much to the contrary, Allan continued to challenge Baptist people to engage in missions through the content of his newspaper as stories are published in each edition about international and North American mission work.
“Under the leadership and guidance of Allan Blume, the BR has become one of the most popular Christian news sources in our country,” Hollifield said.
Blume said he is “incredibly grateful” for the support of Hollifield and state convention staff, noting that the Biblical Recorder could not thrive without their partnership.
“I am so honored to have served North Carolina Baptists as the Biblical Recorder’s editor,” Blume said. “I strongly believe in the Biblical Recorder’s unique mission, and I value our Great Commission partnerships with all N.C. Baptist organizations and ministries as well as those tied to the Southern Baptist Convention. I’ve learned that no other organization in our state or in the Southern Baptist Convention has the exact assignment God has given us. It’s a calling that must keep moving forward.”
Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, said, “It was a great day when God led Allan Blume to the Biblical Recorder. The tone and content of the paper immediately changed for the better. For the first time, I was proud to call the Biblical Recorder my Baptist state paper. Allan will be greatly missed, but he has laid a great foundation for the future of the BR.”
Blume said he made the announcement eight months before his departure with the news outlet’s best interest in mind.
“The board of directors deserves ample time to pray for God’s next steps and strategically plan for a productive future,” he said.
In a statement, the board of directors expressed appreciation for Blume’s leadership of the paper, which was founded in 1833, and said it plans to “start the process of searching for and identifying the next editor of the Biblical Recorder.”
“I and my fellow Board of Directors members have had the privilege of working with Allan as Editor and President of the Biblical Recorder for almost 8 years,” wrote Nate Jones Jr., board chairman and member of Cross Culture Church in Raleigh. “Through his dedication and hard work, we’ve witnessed remarkable achievements and found a brother and a friend along the way. We wish him well in this next chapter of life and look forward to working with Allan through a period of transition for the Biblical Recorder.”
Blume plans to continue living in Cary, N.C., and make himself available for preaching and interim pastorate opportunities across the state.
He and his wife Pam are members of First Baptist Church in Cary. They have one adult son, Jeremy, who lives in Atlanta.
