Dr. Fred Luter was elected president of the more than 40,000 member churches that make up the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination. Dr. Luter, pastor of the Franklin Ave Baptist Church in New Orleans, represents a new page in SBC history … as the SBC’s first African-American president … ever!
Wikipedia notes: “At its annual convention in 2012, the SBC unanimously elected as president, Fred Luter Jr., the first African American to hold the position …”
As a young man, Fred became pastor of Franklin Ave, a SBC church in decline, with about 50 in attendance. Amazingly, the church grew to a pre-Katrina membership of 8,000, making it the largest SBC church in Louisiana. The devastation of Katrina scattered many in the church to other cities … and now its membership is “down” to 5,000!
In this radio conversation Dr. Luter cites warm stories, including those of “breakthroughs” in race relations, to certainly inspire the listeners. He talks about it freely … noting that the SBC in its sessions has repeatedly apologized and expressed repentance regarding its past, and now confirms such in a very significant way by electing Fred Luter as its president. Be impacted and thankful as you listen.
Our discussion includes his visit to the St. Louis region on Sept 13, 2012 to speak at the Annual Meeting of the St. Louis Metro Baptist Association, convening in the evening at Ferguson First Baptist Church worship center, 10 minutes from the St. Louis Lindbergh Airport; and on Friday, September 14, 2012, speaking at an evening evangelistic meeting in the First Baptist Church of Troy, MO, one hour NW of St. Louis.
The public is invited to both.
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