Former British Baptist exec dies

David Russell, who served as general secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, has died. He was 94.

As British Baptists’ top executive from 1967 to 1982, Russell aided Baptists in Eastern Europe during the height of the Cold War.

Russell served as pastor of churches in the English towns of Berwick and Oxford as well as Acton, in metropolitan London. He also was principal — or president — of Rawdon College, a Baptist school that merged with a Baptist school in Manchester in 1963 to become Northern Baptist College. Russell then served as co-principal of the new school.

“As a local minister, college principal and general secretary David made a huge contribution to the life of our Baptist Union,” said Tony Peck, a Briton who serves as general secretary of the European Baptist Federation. “As general secretary he became a much-loved and greatly respected statesman, whose counsel was welcomed not only within our union but far beyond, both ecumenically and internationally. We will remember his family in our prayers at this time.” (ABP)