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MARCH 2008 | Vol. 26, No. 3 | baptiststoday.org | 25TH ANNIVERSARY $2.95 A call for unniityy New Baptist Coveenanntt partiicipants emmbrace common coommmittmments pagee 1100 Honoring Walker Knight page 4 John D. Pierce MARCH 2008 | Vol. 26, No. 3 Executive Editor [email protected] Baptists Today serves churches by providing a reliable source of Jackie B. Riley unrestricted news coverage, thoughtful analysis and inspiring Managing Editor features focusing on issues of importance to Baptist Christians. [email protected] An autonomous national Keithen M. Tucker Baptist news journal Development and Marketing Director [email protected] Tony W. Cartledge P E R S P E C T I V E Contributing Editor [email protected] > After the Celebration: Now what? ..................................7 Bruce T. Gourley John Pierce Online Editor [email protected] > Why I read Baptists Today................................................9 Jannie T. Lister K. Hollyn Hollman Office Assistant Lauryn C. Dant > Baptists find renewed message ....................................37 Circulation Assistant Joe Phelps Walker Knight Jack U. Harwell Publisher Emeritus Editor Emeritus Board of Directors Thanks Friends! For supporting Baptists Today Page 14 Winnie V. Williams, Seneca, S.C. 38 (chair) Gary F. Eubanks, Marietta, Ga. I N T H E N E W S (vice chair) Z. Allen Abbott, New York, N.Y. > New Baptist Covenant Celebration................................10 Jimmy R. Allen, Big Canoe, Ga. Ann T. Beane, Richmond, Va. draws thousands seeking unity Kelly L. Belcher, Spartanburg, S.C. Thomas E. Boland, Alpharetta, Ga. > Novelist John Grisham calls fellow Baptists ................13 Huey Bridgman, Columbus, Ga. Robert Cates, Rome, Ga. to respect diversity Anthony D. Clevenger, Pensacola, Fla. Kenny Crump, Ruston, La. > BWA youth conference to be held in ..........................13 James M. Dunn, Winston-Salem, N.C. Germany this summer James L. Evans, Auburn, Ala. W.M. Gilbert Jr., Lavonia, Ga. R. Kirby Godsey, Macon, Ga. > Outspoken trustee Burleson resigns ............................30 Leslie D. Hill, Lexington, Ky. from IMB board Cover photo by Rod Reilly. Jimmy Little, Hartselle, Ala. Michael M. Massar, Tyler, Texas The Morehouse College Glee Club J. Thomas McAfee, Macon, Ga. F E AT U R E S brings joy to the Celebration of a New William T. Neal, Stone Mountain, Ga. Baptist Covenant. Page 10 Ella Wall Prichard, Corpus Christi, Texas Michael G. Queen, Wilmington, N.C. > Walker Knight’s dream becomes reality..........................4 Mary Etta Sanders, Dalton, Ga. John Pierce Charlotte Cook Smith, Raleigh, N.C. welcome David M. Smith, Houston, Texas Sarah Timmerman, Cairo, Ga. > A Snail’s Pace: Pastor helps others find rest ................32 Clement H. White, St. Petersburg, Fla. and restoration NEW GROUP SUBSCRIBERS Advocates John Pierce Edenton Baptist Church Mary Jayne Allen, Chattanooga, Tenn. Randy L. Hyde, Little Rock, Ark. > N.C. Baptist volunteers leave lasting imprint ................36 Edenton, N.C. Sherry McGlaughlin, Liberty, Mo. David B. Brooks on Gulfport David Woody, Daniel Island, S.C. pastor Baptists Today (ISSN 1072-7787) Steve DeVane is published monthly by: • Baptists Today > Church suppers change to meet changing needs........38 Hope Valley P.O. Box 6318 Macon, GA 31208-6318 David Briggs Baptist Church To subscribe or place Durham, N.C. an advertisement, Lloyd Braswell call 478-301-5655 or toll-free 1-877-752-5658. pastor Subscription rates: 1 year, $18; 2 years, $32 I N E V E R Y I S S U E 1 year groups of 25 or more, $15 1 year Canada, $35 Quotation Remarks 6 Faith Experience 25 1 year foreign, $50 Periodical postage paid Editorial 7 In the Know 26 at Macon, Ga. 31208 Back-row Birdie 18 The Lighter Side 27 POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to: Formations Commentary 19 Readers’ Responses 28 Baptists Today P.O. Box 6318 Macon, GA 31208-6318 Resource Page 23 Reblog 29 © 2008 Baptists Today. Classifieds 24 The Media Shelf 35 All rights reserved. March 2008 • Baptists Today | 3 F E A T U R E STORY AND PHOTO BY JOHN PIERCE Knight’s dream becomes reality Baptist news journal to celebrate 25 years, honor founding editor ECATUR, Ga. — Next month ing. He addressed, head-on, issues such as marks the 25th anniversary of the the struggle for racial and gender equality, Dnational news journal Baptists the Jesus Movement and changing attitudes Today. The first issue, dated April 1983 and about human sexuality. He even wrote an then called SBC Today, was produced under article asking if Native Americans should the capable guidance of veteran journalist trust white Baptist missionaries. Walker L. Knight. “We frankly dealt with most subjects,” On April 3, 2008, friends and support- Walker recalled. ers will gather in Atlanta to mark the To provide a more personal and emo- publication’s milestone and to pay tribute to tional connection, Walker hired talented the founding editor who made great per- photographer Don Rutledge and gifted writ- sonal sacrifices to launch the uniquely ers like Dallas Lee to enhance the magazine’s autonomous Baptist news journal. appeal. College students in particular were Knight, now 84, lives in Decatur, Ga., drawn to the relevant and challenging and remains active in Oakhurst Baptist publication. Church where the publication was started. Not every Southern Baptist, however, He has been a key leader in the innovative was pleased. Attempts to censor Walker or congregation, known for its commitment to tame his journalistic instincts were met with social justice, since joining in 1959. the strong defense of HMB President Arthur To understand and appreciate the life- Rutledge, who repeatedly stated: “Walker is long commitments of Walker Knight, who a man of integrity and should be trusted as set a new standard for Baptist journalists, editor.” requires a trip back through his personal That same support did not continue, journey. were meshed. Walker noted, when Bill Tanner became Walker’s father deserted his family. But Even now, Walker vividly remembers as HMB president in 1977. before his painful departure, he exposed a youth hearing Oscar Johnson speak at “He kept calling me into his office,” young Walker, the oldest of nine children, Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly on Jesus’ beati- Walker recalled. He would hold up the lat- to the hectic pace of the newsroom where tude, “Blessed are those who hunger and est edition of the magazine and ask, “What his father was managing editor of the thirst after righteousness.” Johnson said it does this have to do with home missions?” Henderson Gleaner-Journal in Kentucky. meant to “see things set right,” Walker Walker’s answer was that mission stories Even his name, Walker Lee, came from recalled. could only be understood properly in their the paper’s publisher and business manager. “I think that has characterized my min- social context. But he knew his explanations When World War II pulled away needed istry,” said Walker. “Trying to set things were unconvincing. staff, Walker became a teenaged reporter by right.” Over the next few years, Walker day while finishing high school at night. That perspective remained with Walker remembers having casual conversations with “It was hard working for your daddy,” throughout his many years as a Christian other Baptist journalists about the need for a he recalled recently. journalist. At the Standard, he served first truly autonomous news journal unrestricted In 1943, after completing high school with editor David Gardner and then E.S. by geography, narrow topics and heavy- and the year after his father disappeared, James, a father figure known to tackle the handed denominational executives. It grew Walker joined the Army and edited an Air tough issues of his day. into a dream for him. Corp weekly in Tyler, Texas, before serving “E.S. James changed Baptist news- In late 1982, a group of ministers con- in China as a radio operator. papers,” Walker recalled. “My idea of being cerned about the redirection of the Southern With his military service complete, an editor was shaped by him.” Baptist Convention sent Larry McSwain Walker headed to Baylor University where In 1959, Walker moved to Atlanta to from Louisville, Ky., to hear Walker’s dream he earned a journalism degree followed by a work with the Southern Baptist Home for a new publication. Any new initiative, stint as editor of a county newspaper in Mission Board where he became the editor Walker told him, would have to be three Marlin, Texas. of the popular and oft-times controversial things: autonomous, national and Baptist. In 1950, he was called as associate edi- magazine, Home Missions. When news of the conversation leaked tor of the Texas newspaper, Baptist Standard. Walker told the mission stories in the out and the group of ministers agreed to His dual callings to journalism and ministry social context needed for proper understand- raise some funds, Walker announced that he 4 | Baptists Today • March 2008 F E A T U R E would leave the Home Mission Board in rolled off the presses. The dream had early part of Jack’s service and returned as early 1983. become a reality. interim editor in 1997. At age 59, with the full support of his In recording the early history of Baptists Although the news journal has gone wife, Nell, he accepted a 50 percent reduc- Today, Walker made this observation about through various changes over the past 25 tion in salary to create the independent the role he hoped the new publication years, the work of each editor has been built news journal from scratch. Nell continued would fill: on the realized dream and strong journalistic working at the Home Mission Board as an “[I] saw SBC periodicals as either nar- foundation of Walker L. Knight. Both assistant to longtime family friend Don row in focus such as mission magazines or printer’s ink and Baptist courage run Hammonds.