Inspirational music was presented
by the Revival Choir and Sunday Celebration Orchestra of First Baptist Church, Snellville,
Georgia. Rick Forbus (GA) directed.
Congregational praise and worship
was led by Rick Forbus, minister of music, First Baptist Church, Snellville, Georgia.
Morris H. Chapman (TN), president
and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee, presented the Broadus gavel to
President Paige Patterson (NC). Patterson called to order the one hundred forty second
session of the Southern Baptist Convention in the one hundred fifty fourth year of its
history at 8:23 a.m. in the Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia. Patterson introduced the
parliamentarians.
PARLIAMENTARIANS:
Barry McCarty (OH), Chief Parliamentarian; Jimmy E. Jackson (AL),
Joseph T. Knott, III (NC), Fred Powell (MO), John Sullivan (FL)
Lee Porter (GA), registration
secretary, reported that as of 8:15 a.m., June 15, 1999, 8126 messengers had been
certified by churches to the Convention. He stated that in compliance with Bylaw 8 of the
Southern Baptist Convention, registration opened on Sunday afternoon, June 13, to enroll
messengers who presented proper credentials from churches which are in friendly
cooperation with this Convention and sympathetic with its purposes and work and have
during the fiscal year preceding been a bona fide contributor to the Convention’s
work. Porter moved that these messengers constitute the Convention and that other duly
certified messengers from churches in cooperation with the Convention who arrive later be
recognized as members of the Convention when they have enrolled on the basis of membership
set forth in Article III of the Constitution. The motion carried.
Jerry Fortune (TX), pastor, Mother
Holmes Baptist Church, Sheffield, led in prayer.
Ken Whitten (FL), chairman of the
Committee on Order of Business, moved the adoption of the order of business as printed in
the SBC Bulletin, First Day , Part I. The motion carried.
Chairman Whitten moved that debate
on all questions during the sessions be limited to three minutes per speaker. Motion
carried.
Truett Cathey (GA), chief
executive officer and founder of Chick-Fil-A, Atlanta, welcomed the messengers. Cathey
encouraged Convention messengers to model their commitment to Christ, especially to the
young.
J. Robert White (GA), executive
director of the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia, Atlanta, responded to the
welcome on behalf of the messengers. He challenged messengers to help Georgia Baptists
feed the hungry of Atlanta by bringing canned goods to the sessions and placing them in
the gathering receptacles. He proclaimed June 14, 1999 as "Arms Around Atlanta
Day."
President Paige Patterson
announced the following committees as listed on pages 6-7 of the SBC Bulletin, First
Day, Part I: Committee on Committees, Credentials Committee, Committee on Resolutions,
and Tellers Committee.
A theme interpretation entitled "He
beheld the city and wept" was given by Duane and Iris Blue (GA), mission
service corps volunteers, North American Mission Board, Alpharetta.
John R. (Jack) Wilkerson (TN),
convention manager and vice president for business and finance, Executive Committee,
Nashville, recognized the work of Jim Law (GA) and the Local Arrangements Committee. He
thanked the city of Atlanta for hosting the Convention.
John Yarbrough (GA), vice
president of Evangelization, North American Mission Board, Alpharetta, reported on the
Crossover Atlanta project. He reported as of 8:50 a.m., on June 15, 1999, that 1941
persons prayed to receive Christ. The witnessing and follow-up continues during the
convention.
President Paige Patterson
announced the time for introduction of motions and resolutions, noting that motions would
be referred to the Committee on Order of Business to be scheduled for later consideration
and that resolutions would be referred to the Committee on Resolutions. All resolutions
must be presented before the afternoon session on Tuesday.
Scott Hamilton Rogers (FL)
presented a motion: On calling for SBC seminaries to hire qualified professional deaf
interpreters for students.
Everett Anthony (GA) presented a
motion: On requesting NAMB to accelerate and expand initiatives for assisting plateaued
and declining churches.
David Roberts (NY) presented a
motion: On calling for SBC entities to utilize current technology for stewardship of
resources when attending convention related meetings.
T. C. Pinckney (VA) presented a
motion: On requesting SBC President to appoint a committee to review the Baptist Faith
and Message.
Wiley Drake (CA) presented a
motion: On requesting SBC President to communicate with U.S. President Bill Clinton our
disapproval of his presidential proclamation encouraging homosexuality.
Jerry M. Henry (AL) presented a
motion: On requesting age-appropriate literature for the visually impaired.
Joe Mack (SC) presented a motion:
On requesting SBC President to appoint a committee to maximize effectiveness of the
Annuity Board.
Michael T. Walshe (TX) presented a
motion: On calling for SBC production of more gospel presentations through media
advertising.
Melody Fain (AL) presented a
motion: On calling for luncheon/conference for teenagers and college students of ministers
during the annual meeting of the SBC.
(MI) presented
a motion: On calling for the SBC to schedule a time for taking
a straw poll as to the Convention’s preference for changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention to
the International Baptist Convention.
Wiley Drake (CA) presented a
motion: On requesting SBC President to send letter to the American Psychological
Association conveying our denouncement of their recent report on abused children’s
sexuality.
Jerry Moser (LA) presented a
motion: On calling for a study of SBC entity involvement with groups in conflict with
Baptist distinctives.
Wiley Drake (CA) presented a
motion: On calling for the Executive Committee to appoint a study group to determine the
Biblical compatibility of 501c(3) corporations and separation of church and state.
Richard Boswell (TX) presented a
motion: On asking for the SBC to facilitate the availability of FAITH training for small
church and bi-vocational pastors.
Tommy Dye (TN) presented a motion:
On requesting the Immanuel Baptist Church, Little Rock, Arkansas, to discipline U.S.
President Bill Clinton.
Joel Allen (CO) led congregational
singing and shared his testimony.
Rex M. Terry (AR), chairman,
Committee on Nominations, presented the Committee on Nominations Report as printed on
pages 12-15, in SBC Bulletin, First Day, Part II and moved its adoption. The report
was adopted.
Morris H. Chapman introduced the
Executive Committee Report as shown in the SBC Book of Reports. Chapman introduced
James G. Merritt (GA), chairman of the Executive Committee. Merritt issued "Partners
in the Harvest" challenge to the Convention which included a goal of one million
baptisms and $750 million in combined offerings for 2000-2001.
James H. (Jim) Wells (MO) moved
the adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 1, and it was adopted.
John D. Wallace (TN) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 2, and it was adopted.
Donald Cotten (AL) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 3, and it was adopted.
Michael L. Trammell (MD) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 4, and it was adopted.
Hollie Miller (TN) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 5, and it was adopted.
Gary L. Frost (OH) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 6, and it was adopted.
Steven O. Walsh (NC) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 7, and it was adopted.
Herbert T. (Herb) Thomas (AL)
moved the adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 8, with corrections as printed on
page 2 of the SBC Bulletin, First Day, Part II, and it was adopted.
Bruce O. Martin (NC) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 10, and it was adopted.
Bruce G. Coe (AZ) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 11, and it was adopted.
William R. (Bill) Ellliff (AR)
moved the adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 12, and it was adopted.
Gary A. Smith (TX) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 13, and it was adopted.
Neal H. Walls (GA) moved the
adoption of Executive Committee Recommendation 14, and it was adopted.
Congregational praise and worship
was led by David Nelson (NC), chapel worship leader, instructor of theology, Southeastern
Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest.
Armour Patterson (TX), son of SBC
President Paige Patterson, introduced his father, who then gave the president’s
address.
Worship in music was presented by
Faithful Men, a singing group of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest.
The benediction was given by
Charles S. Kelley, Sr. (TX), retired, Kelley-Hixson Funeral Home, Beaumont
