SOUTHERN BAPTISTS PICK CONSERVATIVE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 19, 1992                   TAG: 9202190060
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NASHVILLE, TENN.                                LENGTH: Medium
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS PICK CONSERVATIVE
The conservative branch of the Southern Baptist Convention has elected Morris Chapman as president of the denomination's powerful Executive Committee.
Chapman, 51, will step down from his current duties as SBC president at the Southern Baptists' June meeting in Indianapolis. He will succeed Harold Bennett as Executive Committee president-treasurer in October.
"I'm trusting God will bring spiritual awakening through Southern Baptists to this nation," Chapman told the 70-member Executive Committee before he was elected Monday.
The election of Chapman, minister of First Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, for 12 years, completes a sweep by conservatives of the three top positions within the Nashville-based SBC.
Texas pastor Jimmy Draper was elected president of the Baptist Sunday School Board last year, while ethics advocate Richard Land was elected director of the Christian Life Commission in 1988.
As head of the Executive Committee, Chapman will act as chief administrative officer.
The Executive Committee approves the denomination's budget allocations, which total $140 million a year, and conducts church business when the SBC is not in its annual session.
Bennett, 67, who was never publicly aligned with either the moderate or conservative factions of the SBC, steps down after 12 years.
"I have the strong affirmation that I have served exactly where God has placed me," Bennett said Monday. "I have worked diligently at being helpful, providing complete information and being fair."
Chapman called for increased evangelism in America.
"We have prided ourselves in sending missionaries to other countries, but if we're not careful we'll be sending fewer missionaries abroad and other countries will be sending missionaries to us," Chapman said.
During their meeting, officials announced a membership growth of 1.3 percent withing the SBC, bringing total membership to 15.2 million.
The SBC considers 4.5 million of its members to be inactive.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB