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In November of 1989, Carolyn and I joined the national
effort to stop the Fundamentalist Takeover of the Southern
Baptist Convention by encouraging people from Florida
to go to the Convention in New Orleans to elect Daniel
Vestal as President of the SBC. Carolyn and I had been
active in the Florida Baptist Convention, and we knew
our way around Baptist life in Florida.
In June 1990, after the SBC in New Orleans and Daniel's
defeat, we were not sure we even wanted to be Baptists
anymore. We were hurt, disillusioned, mad. Then, in
August, the Convocation of Concerned Baptists was held
in Atlanta, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship began
to take shape, and joy returned to our souls. We wrote
letters to all of our Florida Baptist friends inviting
them to a breakfast meeting at Bayshore Baptist Church
in Tampa during the Florida Baptist Convention, their
new pastor, Randy Ashcraft, hosting the event. More
than 225 people attended. Charles Horton, Peggy Pemble,
and many others helped lead the way.
In February of 1991 almost 500 people met at First
Baptist in DeLand, hosted by Pastor Bob Mulkey. In May
we organized a steering committee, and in July we approved
the first budget, $30,000. From then on, first in a
spare bedroom in our home, then in a renovated apartment
building behind our house, and now in a newly-purchased
building, I have served as the only Coordinator the
Florida CBF has had. Of course, as everyone familiar
with the CBF of Florida knows, Carolyn has been behind
the scenes making everything happen.
Now, after all these wonderful years, it is time for
me to move on…not to leave CBF by any means, but
to take on some new and exciting duties. I will assume
a new role in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, following
my first love, which is missions. I will write, speak,
and travel on behalf of CBF Global Missions. The fact
that I will no longer be Coordinator of CBF-Florida
means that my focus will be exclusively on missions.
My experience in leading CBF-Florida has been the most
meaningful and important work of my life. It is hard
to express the deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure
I feel, the love I feel from and for so many people
in this movement.
Effective January 1, 2003 I will officially begin my
new assignment. You will see my articles in the national
CBF publications and webpage, and you will hear from
me as I tell the CBF missions story.
Carolyn will continue to work with CBF-Florida. I told
the group in 1991 when they asked me to be Coordinator,
that the good news is that if you get me, you get Carolyn.
That is still the good news. She stays. We will continue
to live in Lakeland.
The Administrative Council of CBF-Florida will recommend
a search committee to the Representative Assembly when
they meet in October to begin the search for a new Coordinator.
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