[1]ST. LOUIS (BP)–Fermin Whittaker, executive director of the California Southern Baptist Convention, received the 2002 Alumni Achievement Award from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary at an alumni luncheon June 12 in St. Louis.
Whittaker earned a doctorate of ministry from Golden Gate Seminary in 1992. He has served as executive director of the CSBC since 1995.
“Dr. Whittaker is a great friend to Golden Gate Seminary and a personal friend as well,” seminary President Bill Crews said in presenting the award.
Whittaker and his wife, Carmen, reflect the ethnic diversity of California, the California convention and Golden Gate Seminary; he is originally from Panama and she is from Mexico. Whittaker served for 18 years at the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (now the North American Mission Board). He has focused much of his ministry among Hispanic populations in serving local churches and on evangelistic crusades throughout the Americas.
“My only agenda,” Whittaker said as he received the award, “has been telling people about Jesus.” In keeping with that statement, he addressed the presence of homosexual protesters at the Southern Baptist Convention, saying that he prayed God would help Southern Baptists see them as people who need the Lord rather than people who oppose Southern Baptist beliefs.
About 100 people attended the alumni luncheon, held in conjunction with the annual SBC meeting in St. Louis. Two students spoke about the impact Golden Gate Seminary has had on their lives while in school.
[2]Golden Gate Seminary is one of six Southern Baptist-supported theological seminaries. It has five regional campuses in the west: San Francisco (Mill Valley); Pacific Northwest (Portland); Rocky Mountain (Denver); Arizona (Phoenix); and Southern California (Brea).
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