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JACKSONVILLE (FBC) – From the widow’s mite to an ingathering reminiscent of the offering taken for the Jerusalem churches, Florida Baptists’ New Testament believers are taking to heart the mounting hunger crisis facing their Christian brothers and sisters in Haiti.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—An “extremely promising” outlook for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering convinced trustees of the International Mission Board to send an additional 200 workers overseas this year.

In recent months, Florida Baptist Witness has reported on the differences of opinion which exist between leaders of the SBC Executive Committee and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary concerning the wisdom of sole membership for the school.

Sole membership is a corporation ownership model implemented by the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) beginning with the creation of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in 1997. All SBC entities except New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) have named the SBC as the sole member in the charters of their corporations. Hopefully, this article will help Florida Baptists and others understand the issues.

The central issue in discussions about sole membership and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is simple, but the details are complex. The central issue: Is sole membership the best way for an SBC entity in Louisiana to protect its relationship with the Southern Baptist Convention? After a long and thorough investigation, the trustees and president of the seminary concluded no, it is not. Trustees of the school are presently at work on an alternative way to accomplish the goal of sole membership in a form better suited to Baptist polity and the laws of Louisiana. A proposal on strengthening the ties binding the seminary to the SBC will be made at the 2005 meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention.

One of our Wilberforce Forum Centurions, the hundred men and women across the country studying worldview with us this year, commented that while learning logic and reasoning skills is beneficial, they’re often not very useful in explaining Christian truth to his peers. As a 28-year-old, his friends who are not Christians are not convinced by his arguments—as well constructed as they may be.

LAMONT (FBW)-The 70-year-old wood building of Lamont Baptist Church was destroyed in a late afternoon fire April 27. The small congregation, although grieving its historic meeting place, is already making plans to rebuild.

LONDON (BP)—Keith Alton Telg, a representative of the International Mission Board in northern Africa, died May 3 in London.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)—Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustees voted April 19 to affirm both the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and the Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)—Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s board of Trustees April 20 unanimously affirmed an initiative that creates a new intercultural studies program aimed at fulfilling the Great Commission.

NEW ORLEANS (BP)—New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees authorized construction of a new campus building, created a new degree, expanded the school’s mission partnership in Russia and approved a $17 million budget during their meeting April 14.

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)—Trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary elected Jeff Iorg as the seminary’s seventh president at the beginning of their April 26-27 meeting at the northern California campus.

CLEARWATER (FBW)—A Florida judge struck down “Terri’s Law” May 5, ruling the measure violated the state’s constitution by allowing Gov. Jeb Bush to order the nutrition and hydration tube of a disabled woman to be reinserted.