Inside Southern Baptist Convention Preview Series
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Toll free 800-803-5201 Vol. 184, No. 15 www.thealabamabaptist.org April 11, 2019 Informing. Inspiring. Connecting. INSIDE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION PREVIEW SERIES Samford’s Beeson Divinity School names new dean: Doug Sweeney Page 13 Pastor in tornado- hit area says God prepared them Road to decades before Pages 8–9 BIRMINGHAMPhoto courtesy of the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau SBC annual meeting returns to Birmingham after ‘goodly number of years’ By Grace Thornton Southern Baptist Convention eteria — a Birmingham staple Canal; Turkey will desert The Alabama Baptist (SBC) annual meeting that where kids got a special tally Britain in the pinch.” t will, in all probability, year it would be almost eight card and could check boxes The U.S. hadn’t entered the be a goodly number of decades before the meeting every time they drank all their conflict yet. Pearl Harbor Day years before the con- would be held in Birmingham milk. After a certain amount was still seven months away. vention comes our way again. they got a ceramic mug as a But it was on everyone’s again.” It would be a “goodly” prize. (Stronger bones, too.) minds. Ronnie Floyd IIf “goodly” means 78, then amount of understatement to With all that going on peo- elected president F.M. Barnes was right on the say things have changed a bit On everyone’s minds ple could use an encouraging of SBC Executive money when he wrote this in in that time. Everyone was having to gathering, Barnes wrote. It Committee 1941. After Barnes and oth- The last time the SBC met grow up a lot in those days. was worth the drive to unite Page 11 ers closed the books on the in Birmingham, Barnes — “Bear this in mind: the around the gospel. then secretary/treasurer of the Germans are still winning the “It is almost impossible for Alabama Baptist State Board war,” editor L.L. Gwaltney many of our business men to of Missions — and others wrote in the convention cov- be away for several days at To watch the videos from this week’s were talking about World War erage issue of The Alabama a time, but from any section issue, visit our YouTube channel II around the dinner table. Baptist. of Alabama they can go and “TAB Media.” If the ads were any indica- “We do not dare a prophecy, spend two days and one night tion, they might have had that but we do guess the follow- in one of the most profitable conversation at a Britling Caf- ing: They will take the Suez (See ‘Contact,’ page 10) PAGE 2 / THE ALABAMA BAPTIST / APRIL 11, 2019 Night of encouragement “If ye continue in My word, then ... ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31–32 (ISSN 0738-7741; USPS 011-080) and laughter © The Alabama Baptist, Inc. is published weekly except for one week in July and December by The Alabama Baptist, Inc., at 3310 Independence Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209. Phone: 205-870-4720. Statewide phone: 800-803-5201. Website: www.thealabamabaptist.org Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Periodicals postage paid at Hattiesburg, Miss. ANNUAL TAB SUBSCRIPTION RATES Includes print, digital and full web access Group Rate per issue — $16.25 (Need at least five in your group to qualify) Individual — $24.95 per year with 3-year plan JENNIFER DAVIS RASH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cynthia Watts Janet Erwin Executive Assistant Executive Editor Carrie B. McWhorter Debbie Campbell DAVID GARRARD Content Editor Director of Communications Lauren C. Grim Creative Services Bill Gilmore Manager Director of Sales Photos by Travis Frontz NEW GROUND Jessica Ingram Melanie McKinney Production Manager Advertising Manager n March 30, The Alabama Baptist Grace Thornton Pam Holt O(TAB) joined forces with magician Special Sales Assignments Editor David Garrard, gospel trio New Ground, Representative Hannah Muñoz Susan Stevens comedian Mickey Bell and songwriter and Digital Editor Sales Representative comedian Aaron Wilburn at Calvary Bap- James Hammack tist Church, Wetumpka. Digital Services Linda Harrison Manager Financial The evening was made possible by Alfa Administrator Haley Piersol Insurance, Auburn AV, The River and The Digital Services Deb Lowery Baptist Foundation of Alabama. Associate Financial Assistant The purpose of the event was to bring a Sarah Gill Richard Maddox night of laughter and encourage- Customer Relations Computer Services Amy Hacker Correspondents ment to a town that experienced a Customer Relations and Interns damaging tornado in mid-January. NEWS SERVICES Many buildings, churches and Baptist Press (BP), Baptist News Global (BNG), homes sustained damage — some Religion News Service (RNS), Forum 18 (F18), Morning Star News (MS). PASTOR MICKEY BELL were destroyed. POSTMASTER TAB plans to offer the com- Send address changes to: The Alabama Baptist munity of Beauregard a similar 3310 Independence Drive To see photos from this event to help with healing from Birmingham, AL 35209 event as well as the the deadly March 3 tornado that ADDRESS CHANGE Send old and new addresses, previous four events visit ripped through Lee County. and name of church to: TAB also is working out the de- Subscription Department tabonline.org/event. 3310 Independence Drive tails to develop a special concert Birmingham, AL 35209 series similar to the March 30 Allow two weeks. To the best of our knowledge, event so associations and churches all of the ads in The Alabama Baptist represent can bring this fun night of Chris- legitimate companies and offerings. However, one should always exercise normal business tian entertainment to their com- caution in responding to ads. munities. For more information email Full member of Alabama Press Association AARON WILBURN [email protected]. Accredited member of Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability ‘Nation’s Top Regional Wetumpka donations delivered Christian Newspaper’ 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, Thanks to all those who donated to relief efforts in Wetumpka during the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 March 30 concert event. The donations were delivered to the Wetumpka as judged by Associated Church Press, Baptist Communicators Association, Evangelical Press Police Department and Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief on April 5. Association or Religion Communicators Council APRIL 11, 2019 / THE ALABAMA BAPTIST / PAGE 3 OPINION By Jennifer Davis Rash MY President and Editor-in-Chief [email protected] RASHIONALE @RashionalThts Is it really about better communities? Where’s the proof? overing gambling gambling” brings up 800 ar- Media reports indicate the Alabama Attorney General debates in Alabama ticles and “lottery” nearly 1,700. Walker County Sheriff’s Office Steve Marshall says his office through the years shut down the newly established will go after all illegal opera- has been one of our There’s no shortage of operations in its district while tions that local authorities ig- most interesting and gambling-related research nor the Jefferson County Sheriff’s nore. To report gambling halls Ccolorful reporting assignments. reports of court cases confirm- Office so far has not. in your area, call Marshall’s of- ing that machines looking and fice at 334-242-7300. Several staff members have acting like slot machines are Illegal gambling operations in helped with the in-depth re- illegal in Alabama. Calling the Greene County have operated It’s an exhausting battle. Gam- search including exposing an machines “bingo” and having a almost consistently and seem- bling industry leaders are relent- improper assessment touted as small cartoon bingo card on the ingly without question for at less, which indicates there is proof of the positive economic screen does not miraculously least two decades. money to be made — for them, impact of gambling. change the machine from an il- not for the communities they legal version. Law enforcers and elected claim to embrace. After all, if The 2015 Auburn University officials can’t seem to agree the concern were truly about the at Montgomery (AUM) report And yet here we are again on what Alabama law actually communities, wouldn’t those was commissioned by Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Del with illegal operations popping states even though the state same industry leaders be fo- Marsh and prepared by the up — all in hopes this is the Supreme Court ruled clearly in cused on economic development university’s Institute for Ac- year slot machine-style gam- 2014 that electronic bingo gam- and job opportunities with or countability and Government bling becomes legal. bling is illegal under state law. without gambling? Efficiency. It was The Alabama Baptist RASHIONAL THOUGHTS (TAB) that initially reported how the numbers in the study didn’t add up. Beeson Divinity School’s incoming dean has Baptist roots, The article was released in May 2015 while Alabama leg- also feels at home in school’s academic culture, approach islators were debating several gambling proposals and later imothy George and Beeson In the coming days, you will hear led him to migrate to an evangel- won Alabama Press Associa- TDivinity School are one and much about Doug Sweeney’s sea- ical Lutheran denomination. The tion’s FOI — First Amendment the same for me. soned experience as an academic Alabama Baptist will be sharing Award. As an alumna of Beeson, I leader and his reputation among more about that soon. have had the highest respect for top evangelical scholars. Along with Dr. Sweeney’s The debunked AUM assess- Dean George since first meeting You will discover he is indeed scholarship and leadership quali- ment is only one of many arti- him in 1996. among those who are able to sit ties, he also brings a steady con- cles and editorials on the harms Imagining Beeson without with theologians and thinkers like fidence and peace about himself of gambling published by TAB Dean George leading the school our own beloved Dean George and and the role to which God has staff during the past 25 years.