May 24, 2018 Toll free 1-800-803-5201 Vol. 183, No. 21 Informing. Inspiring. Connecting. www.thealabamabaptist.org INSIDE Landmark decision opens door to state- sanctioned sports gambling Page 3 Southern Bap- tist Convention Photo by Tobin Davies annual meeting Scott Gurosky, president of Birmingham-based Myrick Gurosky & Associates (far right), U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas (second from right) preview and others assist with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new FBC Sutherland Springs, Texas, facility. Pages 7–10 ‘Victory is ours’ FBC Sutherland Springs groundbreaking features Birmingham firm By Jane Rodgers an incredible experience for us,” San Antonio contractor Brad Bel- “Knowing how this is going to Special to The Alabama Baptist said Scott Gurosky, president of don started a GoFundMe account impact the community is great,” ix months after the Birmingham-based Myrick Gurosky to provide cash to purchase an ad- O’Kelley said, calling the Suther- shooting that claimed Venezuela’s & Associates (MG+A) and a member jacent two-acre lot to provide room land Springs project “very person- 26 lives at First Baptist of Shades Mountain Baptist Church, for the expansion. Beldon also ally satisfying.” economic crisis Church, Sutherland Vestavia Hills. gathered a list of partners who have “It’s not about us,” he said, noting prompts BGR Springs, Texas, some At Sutherland Springs, he said, pledged materials and support. that for him it was about Sutherland relief SBirmingham Baptists are playing “we saw resolute souls and hearts Springs Pastor Frank Pomeroy and Page 13 a prominent role in building the ready to move forward, not back.” Picking up the baton “the rock that he is in the commu- church a new facility. The congregation is currently With those in place, funds from nity.” “We are very excited. It has been meeting in a modular building the North American Mission Board Gurosky echoed O’Kelley’s senti- on the church property while the (NAMB) and in-kind donations ments about Pomeroy, praising the church’s former sanctuary has only picked up the baton to pay for the pastor’s steadfastness. “He hasn’t been used as a heart-wrenching building project, its value esti- backed down from his testimony in To watch the videos from this week’s memorial ever since the Nov. 5, mated at $3 million. NAMB chose any of this, so it’s been very hum- 2017, shooting. The May 5 ground- MG+A to oversee the project. Mike bling to see all that,” Gurosky said. issue, visit our YouTube channel or use the breaking for the new worship facil- O’Kelley, the Birmingham architect At the groundbreaking, Pomeroy HP Reveal app on your phone or tablet and ity highlighted the congregation’s who designed the Mount Laurel pointed everyone to Ezekiel 11, ex- hover over the segments marked “AR.” hope, however. community in Shelby County, pro- plaining that the prophet also lived The building project started when vided the design. (See ‘God,’ page 4) PAGE 2 / THE ALABAMA BAPTIST / MAY 24, 2018 COMMENT Choosing a New SBC President he telephone caller wanted to know what In Hemphill’s nal year as pastor in 1993, his the race for president of the Southern church gave $241,919 through CP out of undes- T Baptist Convention (SBC) was like in Ala- ignated receipts of $2,522,845, reports indicate. bama. He said in his state the tensions over the That is 9.6 percent. Today, Hemphill is a member election to succeed Steve Gaines as SBC president of First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, North were the highest they had been since the height of Carolina, which reports giving more than 10 per- the Conservative Resurgence. THOUGHTS cent of undesignated receipts to missions causes I assured the caller that Alabama Baptists were through CP giving. interested in who the next SBC president would By Bob Terry The theological issue surfaced in Hemphill’s be, but here in the Heart of Dixie swords had not announcement for SBC president. He and some of been drawn nor battle joined over the upcoming those who urged him to seek the of ce reference election. More Alabama Baptists are likely to at- the 2012 Statement of the Traditional Southern tend the upcoming annual meeting June 12–13 in Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation. Dallas than in recent years, in part because of the Hemphill’s reputation in church growth and That is a statement designed to emphasize that election of a new president. church revitalization resulted in an invitation to salvation is available to all people and not just to J.D. Greear, age 45, pastor of The Summit lead a denomination-wide revitalization effort a select few who are capable of responding to the Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and through the Home Mission Board (now the North gospel while the rest are predestined to an eternity Ken Hemphill, age 70, director of the Center American Mission Board). in hell. The statement offers a series of af rma- for Church Planting and Revitalization at North Hemphill’s stature among Southern Baptists tions and denials about the Greenville (Baptist) University in Tigerville, was attested to in 1994 theology related to salva- when the trustees of South- South Carolina, are the two men vying for the po- “J.D. Greear, age 45, pastor of tion. western Baptist Theological sition. Both have strong support among Alabama The statement’s principle Baptists. Both also are respected as national lead- Seminary in Fort Worth, The Summit Church in North Texas, elected him president author was Eric Hankins, ers among Southern Baptists. now pastor of First Baptist Although they are a generation apart, both of what was then the largest Carolina, and Ken Hemphill, SBC seminary. He served Church, Fairhope, and was helped grow a megachurch. Greear became pastor age 70, director of the Center signed by many prominent of Homestead Heights Baptist Church in 2002. He as president of the seminary for nine years. SBC leaders, state executive relaunched the church as The Summit Church and for Church Planting and directors and other lead- the growth has been phenomenal. Church mem- Both Greear and Hemphill hold doctor of philosophy ers including Alabamians bership stood at 7,858 for the last year of record Revitalization at North Greenville Fred Wolfe, Junior Hill and with attendance at the various campuses totaling degrees. Greear earned his Bobby Welch. 9,782 according to a church report. Ph.D. from Southeastern (Baptist) University in South Baptist Theological Semi- Ostensibly the statement Church planting nary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, are the two men vying was to counter the growing While growing the church, Greear led the Carolina, where he also in uence of “New Calvin- congregation to adopt a goal of planting 1,000 earned a master of divinity for the position.” ism” among Southern Bap- churches by 2050. Fifteen years into that cam- degree. Hemphill earned a tists. paign the church reports starting 248 churches — master of divinity degree and doctor of ministry Hemphill identi es as a supporter of the state- 40 in the United States and 208 internationally. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Lou- ment. Greear is not identi ed with the statement. About 20 years before Greear launched The isville, Kentucky, and earned his Ph.D. at Cam- Critics of the statement contend it creates theo- Summit Church, Hemphill became pastor of First bridge University in England. logical strawmen. They say ideas like limited Baptist Church, Norfolk, Virginia, where he trans- Obviously both men are outstanding Southern atonement (Jesus died for the elect but not for all), formed that historic congregation. During his 12 Baptist leaders. Despite their similarities, two irresistible grace (those predestined to salvation years as pastor the church grew from 800 mem- issues are being discussed as differences. One re- cannot resist God’s salvation) or double predes- bers to more than 6,500. Hemphill initiated a Sat- lates to giving. The other to theology. tination (some predestined for heaven and some urday night worship service and Sunday School, Some raise concerns about Cooperative Pro- predestined for hell) are not real issues among which was followed on Sunday by three addition- gram (CP) giving by The Summit Church. In Southern Baptists. al worship services and four Sunday Schools. 2017 the church contributed $484,440 to state, national and international causes through CP. That Evangelism and missions amount came from undesignated receipts of $20.1 Greear’s supporters point to his 631 baptisms in million — a percentage of 2.4 percent. Prior to 2017 and the number of church plants as proof of 2015 records show the church gave only to SBC his commitment to evangelism and missions. Cooperative Program causes and that year con- When Southern Baptists argue theology the tributed $69,940 out of undesignated income of arguments can be passionate, as attested to by the $14,629,207. telephone call mentioned earlier. So can conversa- Others point to the church’s Great Commission tions about commitment to work together through Giving, an SBC-approved designation of total the Cooperative Program. Order your copy of “The Alabama Baptist: missions giving by a church, and argue the church It will be interesting to see how passionate this Celebrating 175 Years of Informing, Inspiring spends about 19 percent of its total budget on mis- election becomes in its nal days and what deci- and Connecting Baptists.” Visit www.wmustore. sions including what it spends on its own missions sion messengers make about who will be the next com and search for “ .” The Alabama Baptist efforts through church plants around the world.