I came to the Home Mission Board staff of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) in July 1968.
In the previous month, at its annual meeting, the SBC passed a “Statement On The Crises in Our Nation.”
SBC agencies were charged with implementing its recommendations. The Home Mission Board (HMB), Christian Life Commission (CLC), Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) and Brotherhood Commission united their efforts toward racial understanding and healing.
The HMB department that I was in formed special bonds with CLC. Dr. Foy Valentine and his staff were ideal partners in promoting writings, conferences and forums on racial reconciliation.
It was through these efforts that I met Robert Parham. We bonded and enjoyed working together for common causes.
Later, when the reorganization of the SBC leadership radically changed, those who saw value in Parham’s abilities wanted his influence to be enlarged. We needed someone with his gifts to help our focus on moral and ethical concerns.
This led to the founding of the Baptist Center for Ethics (BCE) in 1991.
One of the earliest BCE conferences was held in the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church in College Park, Georgia, where I was serving as pastor. The topic was race.
Since that time, I have been an active supporter of the BCE, its programs and objectives.
The creative genius of the regional and national forums, the development of media resources for biblical studies and formal conversations have made significant and worthy contributions.
They have also blessed those of other religious persuasions to be conversant and cooperative with us. Through the Baptist World Alliance, the BCE / EthicsDaily.com has strengthened and encouraged our international Baptist family.
I have had the joy of traveling with Parham to many BWA-sponsored events and other meetings. We have even shared hotel rooms when resources were at a minimum.
We have prayed over our hurts and concerns, anxieties, thoughts, joys and sorrows. We have indeed become “brothers in Christ.”
I support the funding of the BCE / EthicsDaily.com because I believe and trust in the leadership and staff. They are believers with moral and spiritual integrity, vision and commitment.
I make an appeal to you to encourage and support this worthy ministry.
Emmanuel McCall is pastor of the First Baptist Church in East Point, Georgia. He is a former BCE board member and a past moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
