May 20, 1971 - Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

* ' 

NEWS 

SBC Meetinc cted to Be "Quiet Session 7 

I The Southern Bap ist Convertion, the nation's largest evangelical denomination, 

! • 1 L. • """ ~~ ' • 

will assemble 

i • *• 

in 

' 

St. 

i 

Louis Mo. in ;innual business session June 1-3 

• 

for what the 

~~ 

dent ofitêîipriyention pi edicts wijll be a "quiet meeting." About 15,000 Baptists are 

expected to a'tlterid^the sessions at Kiel Auditorium, beginning Tuesday morning, June 

1 and|adjourningTat noon Thurs., i une 3. 

\ Carl E.'Bjates, presilent-of he 11.6-million-member convention and pastor of 

First Church, Charlotte^ ^".C., sai i in an 

interview with Baptist* (press that 

-•r I _ _-•* •. T\ ' il ; "so far 

- •» " i r 

as I can analyze it, Tve^heard of no ma- 

jor issues at this point!* mat can be expected 

to erupt at the fconventior. Bates 

said it would.probably be a "routine 

session; with .the emphasis — h on con ducting 

the business of the denomination. 

Several* are on 

1 operating budget section for the ninemonth 

period is equal to the same'operating 

budget for a similar nine-month period 

in 1971, .with no increases recommended 

for the 19 agencies receiving 

budget funds. 

Another major recommendation from 

major business items the Executive Committee would dissolve 

the agenda for the convention, bi(t Bates the Hospital Agency of the SBC, on sec- 

said'tie did not exi" to spjirk un- ond-reading. Last year, the convention 

usual debate or discuslkjn. The conven- set Up a procedure for getting out of the 

tion will vill act on recommendations from hospital business by immediately giving 

its Executive Committee palling for a two hospitals in New Orleans and Jack- 

$24.6 million Cooperative Program for 'SOn, Fla., to a corporation called Souththe 

first nine months o| 1972 leading up era Baptist Hospitals,. Inc., and phasing 

to a new fiscal year, |na a second-year ollt in 1971 the corporation called the 

^ recommendation to eliminate its hospital Hospital Agency of the SBC. 

agency operation. ^ ' Other recommendations from the Ex- 

/ Reelection Ejected ecutive Committee to the SBC deal with 

Bates, serving his .first) term as pre^- I ^ " / i relationships and -program assignments 

: I " • I 

dent of the conventipnijis exjpectep to 

reelected for" .a traditional second term. 

Last June in Denver the/ convention 

voted 5,394 to 2,170 in favor 

of a motion 

asking the SBC publishing house, the Sunday 

Sbhool Board, to vifchdraw Volume 

One of i the new Broai timan 

Bible Gom- 

mentary* The action c|a] on 

Usher to have" the volume on Get sis and 

Exodus rewritten "with e consic eration 

of the conservative viewpoint. 

• '• i 

\ Wh in asked if this mai ter wouLd come 

up .again this year, .-Bates replied, "I feel 

. JL Oj . J ' ' - [f A 

^ye are obligated by thel action in Denver .. 

to give the Sunday .School Boarc. a real 

chance to resolve the I matter." Neither 

• • _ - * ! • . 

Bates, nor any of the -Baptist state paper 

• editors, indicated knowledge of i 

ganizea move or" indiviaual plansJto present 

a motion on this issue at St. Lous. 

A t>tal of about five! Hours will be devoted 

to conducting the business of the 

convention,* according |to the proposed 

program : coordinated by James L. Sullivan, executive 

secretary of the Sunday Schopl 

Board, Nashville. ' > 

Several related nationwide Baptist conferences 

will meet In connection with the 

SBC. The Southern Baptist Pastors' Conference, 

involving about 5,000 persons, 

will meet Monday. In simultaneous sessions 

also will be the ^Woman's Missionary 

Union Convention, an auxiliary to 

the SBC. The Southern Baptist Religious 

Education Association will-meet on Sunday 

and Monday, May 30-31; the Southerp 

Baptist Evangelists' Conference will 

convene Wed., June 2., and the Southern 

Baptist Church Music Conference will, be 

held Friday and Saturday, June 4-5. (BP) 

25 'Won 

released-1 by the commitee on 

order of business,- Molt of the Tuesday 

morning and aftejrnooir sessions will /be 

. devoted to .business/ ifijplidine action on 

recommendations the Executive* 

Committee, election of (of icers, introduc- 

tion of miscellaneous bibiness and resolu- 

tions, and receiving ana icting upon reports 

from agencies, and organizations. 

i Nine-month Budeet Planned 

. .*. 

The Executive Committee will present 

the recommended budget of $24.6 million 

for the first nine mon of 197 2. The 

for several SBC agencies, program promotion 

plans for denominational emphases 

in 1973-74, and a proposal that the 

1976 convention meet in Norfolk, Va. 

The Executive Committee will also report 

on a study of the basis of representation 

at the convention, recommending no 

change in the current system. / -. 

Three to Bring Addresses •- , 

Only three -major addresses are scheduled 

during the convention,' including 

Bates' presidential address, the annual 

convention sermon by John R. Claypool, 

pastor of Crescent Hill Church,'. Louisville, 

and a -message by the president of 

the Baptist World Alliance, V. Carney 

Hargroves, retired pastor from Philadelphia, 

Pa. Following an Hour-long presentation 

of foreign missions, the convention 

will feature a joint commissioning service 

for newly-appointed home and foreign 

missionaries on Wednesday evening. 

Baptist students, led by a group of 

state BSU presidents, will make a multimedia 

presentation on what youth are 

trying to do through the church, during 

the Wednesday morning session. A message 

on theological education by Duke 

K, McCall, president of the Southern 

Seminary, Louisville, also will be featured 

Wednesday.; 

The convention will close Thursday at 

noon following an hoiur-long presentation 

on "Meeting the Challenge of the Cities 

of the World," depicting efforts by all 

SBC agencies. The presentation will be 

7 at Love Festival 

During the anniversary observances of 

the killing of four Kent State University 

students one year ago, some 500 students, 

hippies and yippies attended a "Jesus 

Festival of Love" in Kent, Ohio led '-by 

Arthur Blessitt, Hollywood evangelist. 

Some 25 persons made decisions "to accept 

Christ as Lord and Savior" after 

Blessitt spoke on "peace," and a "Jesus 

rock group" had played, according to 

Lee Birdson, Kent State BSU director, 

who planned the event. 

Birdscfn said the response to the rally 

was "an answer to prayer," and that it, 

helped to "keep- things cool" at Kent ' 

State during four tense days wherf students 

observed the anniversary of thef 

tragedy on May 4, 1970. The BSU direc- -' 

tor said the 500-person attendance was 

significant since there are only 13 members 

of the BSU at Kent and only 5,000 

of the 22,000 Kent State students profess 

to be church members. (BP) 

Former 0 Pastor Convicted 

Wilson E. McCrary, a former .state 

pastor who is now a Lawton bookstore 

owner, was convicted May* 11 of distrib- ; 

uting pornographic books and magazines 

in Oklahoma City. A district court jury 

in Oklahoma City imposed the maximum 

penalty sentencing the 52-year-old minister 

to 10. years in prison and fining him 

$5,000. * . - * 

A graduate, of Oklahoma University 

and Southwestern Seminary, Fort Worth, 

Texas, McCrary has not served as pastor 

for some 13i years. Records indicate he 

was pastor of Central Church, Mullins 

Association, 1951-53; First Church, Alfalfa, 

1954-57 and Homer Church, Banner 

Association in 1957. 6 - 

Testifying in his own defense, the former 

pastor said the books are actually 

cultural, scientific and educational. He 

was quoted as saying he was not condoning 

the things shown in .some of the 

books,-but was only condoning, the right 

of people to know about those things. 

PAGE FOUR 

n 

THE BAPTIST MESSENGER 

r 

f 

Grady Cothen accepts a pendant with" an inscribed $eal of*IVew\Orleans 

W • ' ' f ' ' ' . ' i '• J , . • 1 ' ! • ' V _ ' , . ' - • i i ••.•,':' T"?! I h " I 1 ' . T'" •• 

sixth president. A. Morgan Brian' Jr., chairman of thVseminaiy's^bpard!>^ 

•i* •*»»—* m^ ^P*«» ^— —- —» — ^ — —• -r — - — — y^ — j — f . v , • / & - ' • '*: - . -"•.•' ' . ' ". • T i 1 -.. .. , , 

poses with his son, Grady Coulter Jr., who read the scripture lesson' during tte|lVft.y 

Oklahoma City, Olivet and former president of ~ 

* • - " ' •' '* ' " : '•' ' • ''-'•- • ' • • • ' • •''•'"' ' • i ' ;:i " : '" h '-' '^•'H'::' 1 ^' 1 . -,••!'*''^>~\^'\£/".'?>'-»ri\"^^^^ 

c ' " ' - • • • • . . • 

Gradv C. Cothen Inau 

Southern Baptist seminaries were urged 

to quit competing and instead to empha- 

as 

of the seminary presidents' council 

» •• X - i i - : . ' ' • -ji • • I •*.•'.".:: • * - J He 

.' : • 

cited as one example 'of co-operation;!the 

'• . • • • • . ' • A . - • I.. 1 '..'., '.A ,.;>•.,:..•> ,v .•,.••" i,:!: 1 ';^ '•'•.:, '•:.. 

size co-operative planning to .improve ' joinf efforts at working;out agreements 

theological education by Grady C. 

Cothen during-his inauguration as the 

sixth president-of New Orleans Seminary. 

A former president of Oklahoma Baptist 

University and former pastor of Olivet 

Church, Oklahoma pity, Cothen was 

elected president of the seminary on 

Sept. 17, 1970. 

In°his inaugural address, Cothen said 

co-operative planning by all \ the * seminaries 

might rally their alumni around 

the cause of theological education.-"instead 

of pitting them against each other 

in competition for support." 

"In a time of polarizing around issues 

when name>, calling is easier than problem 

solving, in a time when it is obvious that 

in the seminaries 'offering the; dc?ctor;|:t>f 

ministry ^degree as the J>asic professional 

degree program in all seminaries;?=Heltheii 

proposed. that some -of the seminaries 

offer the doctor of ministry (degree l^vith 

emphasis on specialized areas| ^d ^spei| 

cialized programs, such ;as one seminary 

concentrating on -student work; ^41II! 

s . P- • " '• • ; : . •.•'.., •'•.-•iCr;' '^"•/?,\.\Wti£;h:, 

"This would eliminate the "necessity;;of 

. . - , • • i . . ' - ..' :.::•.;;.•..,• -,\; ,-J • \,-'> • i/ ' 

all schools offering all kinds of;: work^" 

he said. It ^would also ValldwSspme 

schoqls to develop a degree pf^:expertise 

not now possible; in;the presentation|of 

such • programs." •-. ' - • 

financial support may shortly diminish, 

we have a remarkable opportunity to 

demonstrate to Southern Baptists arid 

to the world a genuinely co-operative effort 

in theological education," he said. 

He added that if the six seminaries 

placed the corporate good higher than 

their individual needs, then "Christ would 

be honored in fact instead of word, theological 

education.would-prosper in a new 

way, the individual institutions would 

gain new stature, and we would furnish 

quality of leadership the denomination 

badly needs." 

The new president said that the six 

'seminaries have made^strides in that direction^ 

in recent years through the work 

: .i : £M/^M/'-^ i3f $$ 

J. . • G . i ' - j -".'.:' , : .• • ••''' ' * ;.'. i. '-,' ' ''•" i. •• ,i : : ;i '„:?';•;• ', i 

The inaugural activities •beeahiwitii\!a 

! O ' . | f , • - • ' ; . O:i" * •"'.':'. ."'' • 'i' 1 •'•'•;. : .' {| ' 

dinner, featuring ..Tan address ^ by^ SBC 

President Carl E. Bates. Official repre| 

sentatives of about 75 education anstitufions. 

across the nation, of thej Ameficari 

Association" of Theological Schools |ai 

: 

of the SBC and its agencies fepk; par| |in 

the; activities. Attending from lOklal&ma 

as a-representative of New: Orleans ;Sem| 

inary alumni was Don Turner^ manager 

J • '• ' • - "" . i .;•.'.- ' • • . • ' : . , ' ' . • • • - , ' • • • i •:. U • 

of the Oklahoma City Baptist JJpok Store 

and state president of.!; New' Orleans 

*• •" • i • • ; ,- •'' ' .,-•.':.'-' i'i . -.".' "iHn i!l ':"•:•'!••', 

alumni. • ••;''- :;. ^" •'v",:' ":--:/^.rî^S : %$jj$. 

c 

Cothen, 50, is a native ot Pbplaryille 

Miss, and a graduate of MississippilCBa 

tist) College and New Orleans Seminary 

^J . . . ,"" • i. • : * . ':'''''.' ' L i h 1 , 1 ' 1 .!' 1 ' 

" * 

He served six years as executive secfe 

; 

, • ' J _: . ' ' .. ! • • • j ; • . : ' . • i .• .'.•'•' j, "'" '..•.• 11 '' 

tary-treasurer of the California; state ifiap 

tist convention before accepting the OBU 

• . ,• • • • . » • " • * • • > • . , - • : • " I"L".::;;•• '•-. 

MAY 20, 1971" 

r*î 

on as 

yifiî?^ 

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inauguration. Cothen is former pastor of 

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fTT "':'-.'• '-: :""••'-.•••'';.•:..„ •*•- ..r ••. .••'•^t ww^WW''^^'^^'^''.^^^^ 

1 ' 1 '; i.-i .'•': Sn:.^,.- '•'; •,':'(.;.-!-ijr: 11 ..;.!"'.!:. 1 ;!: 1 ^ 1 ^'^;»». »i i ii: i if UK*I t: ^ •NV^. r f nKjîi''''^!:^^ •»!!«:'yt^hSSi A-'iSi'.w.i'WinjaiKEt'feBi! 

He-: 4 ;, is ân '$alumnus of pyiiEresidentMmard|J^Berquist!aM 

1 1 h 1 1 h Hl 1 1 M il l i T 

' :• : "ir-' ',"• • ..• . ! - -.' »,''.'-• ;-. Jj.!. !..! 'i - .'.i 'i'!:" r. '. : .]!v ••!•.! !•«•'!•:! •'?•!!' " iH'H j-l- '! i^j : ! H;!1^1i ••n'"^'''' U,."]Bii ih'ii 'i '• 'Lril-i,.: •'•>" JL-",J^\.\f^\\i'".\6>\^'»''^f i 'ii!!-"!iiii' 

• 

Gentral Association 

accredit iatidii 1 without Iffiotatibii 

itionj^f^ rs " il "" r " irr "" ' •""• '•'• iH """ '*'''"*"*'' Ji ^^"

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May 20, 1971 - Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma

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