ANOTHER BLACK PRESIDENT TAKING OVER IN TROUBLE TIMES

Congratulations for Fred Luter's election to the Southern Baptist Convention. Much like President Obama, he is taking over when the Convention is in serious transition. Their membership is down, baptisms are down, and more minorities are joining their church, much like Obama coming in at a time of fiscal disaster and facing two wars. I wish he could have come into power in less challenging times. But perhaps I'm just being cynical. I shouldn't give power to past stereotypes or old motives. I hope Pastor Luter will do a great job and be strong voice for his entire organization.

From: The Christian Post
http://www.christianpost.com/news/a-new-era-in-the-sbc-fred-luter-paves-way-for-diversity-76995/

All eyes are on Fred Luter as he officially begins his term as the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
His election comes at a time when the SBC is already seeing growth among ethnic minorities. The percentage of Anglo churches has decreased from 95 percent in 1990 to 80 percent in 2010. Despite the decline in overall baptisms and membership, Hispanics, Asians and African Americans are the fastest-growing ethnic groups in the SBC, according to A.B. Vines, the newly elected president of SBC's National African American Fellowship, to The Christian Post. "

From:
http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2012/06/southern_baptist_convention_el.html

Luter's election occurs at a time when the nation's largest Protestant body has been experiencing a decline in membership and baptisms and is aiming for greater participation among minorities. In 1995, the body apologized for its racist history. And it has recorded growth in nonwhite churches of 5 percent to 19 percent between 1990 and 2010, according to the Baptist Press, the denomination's news source.