Frank Page re-elected president, says will not ‘back up’ nor ‘back down’

South Carolina pastor Frank Page was elected unopposed June 12 for a second one-year term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC).
  
Messengers also elected Jim Richards, executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, as first vice president, and black pastor Eric Redmond of Hillcrest Baptist Church, Temple Hills, Md., as second vice president.
  
Page’s re-election ended speculation that he would encounter opposition for a second term. His election as president last year was considered an upset in most SBC circles because he was not the consensus choice of key SBC leaders. His 2006 election was considered a victory for supporters of the Cooperative Program (CP).
  
Page, pastor of First Baptist Church, Taylors, S.C., has been a leading advocate of the CP this past year. His church gave $629,505, or 12.5 percent, of its undesignated receipts through the CP in 2006, according to the latest Annual Church Profile.
  
Page thanked messengers following his re-election. “I will serve for yet another year so that somehow I might bring glory to our Lord, to lift high His name, to continue to attempt to bring us together for the task of world missions and evangelization,” Page said.
  
“I will not back up, back down or back away from that which God has called and that in which we must be involved.”
  
During a press conference after his election, Page said he tried to hold true to his pledge last year to be more inclusive, while at the same time holding to his conservative beliefs.
  
“I said last year that I am a conservative and that I am in no way trying to undo what some have called the conservative resurgence,” Page said. “However, I have tried to be irenic and to be kind, and I will continue to do that.
  
“I have said many times that I believe the Bible, I’m just not angry about it.”
  
In response to a question as to whether his election unopposed was a sign of acceptance by SBC leaders who opposed him last year or an affirmation that he did a good job, Page said there were some who would have liked for someone to run against him.
  
He noted, however, that it is a tradition that the incumbent stays for a second year; those who wanted to oppose him probably saw that effort as unwinnable.
  
“While I wish it (his re-election) was because I had just done a good job or they all loved me now, the truth is there was a calculated analysis and in that calculation it was decided best not to do that (oppose his election) this year,” Page said.
  
During the press conference, Page reiterated stands he has taken this past year. Among them:
  
– An SBC database on sexual predators. “We must be willing to do anything we can to inform and educate our churches on how to protect our precious children,” he said, noting a database would not guarantee protection.
  
– Baptist Faith and Message. Page was asked if the statement of faith is silent on a subject should an entity take action. He said he respects the trustee system, but he urges trustees to “not make doctrinal statements that go beyond the Baptist Faith and Message.”
  
– Baptisms. “We won’t increase baptisms until we are right with God,” Page said. “I am calling on people to beg God for spiritual renewal and revival.” He called on Baptists to not let distraction keep them from their primary task of “winning the world to Christ.”
  
Richards was elected as first vice president over Southern Baptist missionary David Rogers, son of former SBC president Adrian Rogers. Richards received 2,177 (68.7 percent) votes to Rogers’ 966 (30.5 percent).
  
Redmond was elected second vice president over Evangelist Bill Britt of Gallatin, Tenn. Redmond received 1,765 votes (61.69 percent) to 1,077 votes (37.64 percent) for Britt.
  
Re-elected without opposition were John Yeats, interim pastor of Ridge Avenue Baptist Church, West Monroe, La., as recording secretary, and Jim Wells, director of missions for Tri-County Baptist Association in southwest Missouri, as registration secretary. (Editor’s Network)