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Mac Brunson of Dallas likely to follow Vines as pastor of Jacksonville church

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by gb93433, Feb 9, 2006.

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  1. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    http://www.abpnews.com/www/828.article

    Mac Brunson of Dallas likely to follow Vines as pastor of Jacksonville church

    By Greg Warner

    Published: February 9, 2006

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (ABP) -- Less than a week after bidding farewell to retiring pastor Jerry Vines, First Baptist Church of Jacksonville -- one of the country's largest congregations -- is expected to nominate Dallas pastor Mac Brunson as his successor.

    The Jacksonville church posted a simple announcement on its website Feb. 9: "Please join us this Sunday, Feb. 12, for an announcement from the pulpit committee." Several well-placed Baptists in Jacksonville said Brunson will be announced as the candidate.

    "That's what I've been told," state Sen. Stephen Wise, a prominent member of the church, told Associated Baptist Press Feb. 9. "It's pretty well known. I was told in an e-mail this morning."

    Brunson already fills one of Christianity's most legendary pulpits -- First Baptist Church of Dallas -- where W.A. Criswell and George W. Truett rose to fame. But the Dallas church has lost some of its luster -- and membership -- in recent years. With about 10,000 total members, it is about a third the size of the Jacksonville church, which counts 28,000 members and occupies nine blocks of downtown.

    Brunson has long been mentioned as a candidate for the Jacksonville pastorate. He asked the Dallas congregation Jan. 8 to pray for him concerning a major decision about his future. He declined to tell reporters any details at the time.

    Brunson was one of the featured speakers at the Jacksonville church's pastors' school in early February. He could not be reached by phone or e-mail Feb. 9. No one was answering the phones at First Baptist of Jacksonville that evening either.

    Brunson has been senior pastor of the Dallas congregation since 1999. He also serves as chancellor of Criswell College, the undergraduate school founded by members of the church.

    Previously Brunson was pastor of Greenstreet Baptist Church in High Point, N.C. He holds degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and Furman University in Greenville, S.C. He and his wife, Debbie, have three children.

    First Baptist has been a fixture in downtown Dallas since 1868. Its facilities now occupy six city blocks. It has an average Sunday school attendance of 3,103 and total annual receipts of $26 million.

    Vines, 68, pastor of the Jacksonville church for 23 years, announced his retirement last May. It became official Feb. 7. Like Criswell, he was president of the Southern Baptist Convention and a pivotal figure in the conservative takeover of the SBC. He also was a trustee chairman at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.

    Paige Patterson, one of the architects of the SBC conservative movement, told the Florida Times-Union of Jacksonville: “I wouldn’t hesitate to say that Dr. Vines and [late Memphis pastor] Dr. Adrian Rogers were the two most important figures in the conservative movement.”
     
    #1 gb93433, Feb 9, 2006
  2. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    Amazing how not too long ago FBC Dallas was the pinnacle in SBC life. Now someone is leaving there to go to another church.

    Good luck to Mr. Brunson.
     
    #2 PastorSBC1303, Feb 9, 2006
  3. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    How long has Brunson been there?
     
    #3 gb93433, Feb 9, 2006
  4. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    The article says since 1999.
     
    #4 PastorSBC1303, Feb 9, 2006
  5. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Somehow--some little birdie tells me that it'll do no good to be jealous of Mac!!

    You??

    I mean---even if he doesn't "get the nod to take the mound"---what has he lost???
     
    #5 blackbird, Feb 9, 2006
  6. shannonL

    shannonL New Member

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    Being from NC myself and attending SEBTS all I can say is Mac Brunson is a powerful preacher. I have heard him on several occasions.
    The pastor I was called under is now the pastor at Greenstreet in High Point. He stepped into a good church. Brunson had a wonderful ministry at Greensteet.
    He is a expository preacher who stands firm on the inerrancy of Scripture. Good choice IMHO.
     
    #6 shannonL, Feb 10, 2006
  7. computerjunkie

    computerjunkie New Member

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    I listen to FBC Dallas every Sunday morning as I am getting ready and driving to my church. Mac is am AWESOME preacher!

    I'm actually kinda surprised at this news, although I think Mac might be appreciated more at a church other than FBC Dallas. Criswell still has an unbelievable "hold" on that church...so I'm told.

    I wish God's best for Mac. He's a solid preacher of the Word of God and I love listening to him!

    CJ
     
    #7 computerjunkie, Feb 10, 2006
  8. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    Somehow---I wouldn't be surprised!!!
     
    #8 blackbird, Feb 10, 2006
  9. PastorSBC1303

    PastorSBC1303 Active Member

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    I just wonder if Brunson feels slighted since he was the second pick after Blackbird turned them down [​IMG]
     
    #9 PastorSBC1303, Feb 10, 2006
  10. computerjunkie

    computerjunkie New Member

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    From the article, last paragraph...
    So what does that mean? Paige doesn't mention Brunson...just Vines and Rogers?

    CJ
     
    #10 computerjunkie, Feb 10, 2006
  11. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    "Cough, Cough, Cough!!"

    He ain't turned um down yet, Son!!

    He's prayin' about it--------while his wife is packin'!!!! [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #11 blackbird, Feb 10, 2006
  12. dh1948

    dh1948 Member
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    I posted a related article under the Pastoral Ministries section. Pastors' Conference was over on the evening of Feb. 7. At that time, no once knew for sure who the candidate would be, but rumor was that Brunson would be the next pastor. He is a mighty preacher of the Scriptures. Just a short time ago, Steve Gaines was selected to succeed Adrian Rogers at Bellview. With the selection of Brunson, two of the Convention's most influential churches will have filled their pastor vacancies with men who are strict conservatives who believe in the primacy of Scripture.
     
    #12 dh1948, Feb 10, 2006
  13. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    This is NOT news to anybody associated with First Dallas. Discussions about this began in late 2004 and the folks as FBCD have known about it for about that long.

    Frankly, there will not be too many tears shed in downtown Dallas over this, and it has nothing to do with any "hold" that the ghost of Criswell (or his widow) might still have on the church. A few will be sad to see him go. More would line up to help him pack if they could.

    I could write much more, but time constraints and discretion won't allow it right now.
     
    #13 RandR, Feb 10, 2006
  14. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    I have not heard this before. So why would you say that?
     
    #14 gb93433, Feb 10, 2006
  15. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    gb,

    Not wanting to delineate specifics on a forum such as this, please allow me instead to temper my comments above by retracting the last line. It was probably unnecessarily harsh anyway.
     
    #15 RandR, Feb 10, 2006
  16. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

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    RandR, is it safe to assume that you are not the president of any local fan club for anyone here mentioned in the article?
    Ed
     
    #16 EdSutton, Feb 10, 2006
  17. RandR

    RandR New Member

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    Ed,

    If your question is implicitly asking if I have some sort of vendetta against Brunson, the answer is no. No vendetta. Just great disappointment.

    All my initial comments were meant to imply is that the people of FBCD are tired, they're beat up, and they're ready for closure.
     
    #17 RandR, Feb 11, 2006
  18. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Tired of what? Beat up about what?
     
    #18 gb93433, Feb 11, 2006
  19. computerjunkie

    computerjunkie New Member

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    Wondered that myself!
     
    #19 computerjunkie, Feb 11, 2006
  20. blackbird

    blackbird Active Member

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    I have not heard this before. So why would you say that? </font>[/QUOTE]The ghost of W A Criswell???

    I smell a ballad coming---things out there in the middle of the church---make a strong man die from fright---things are crawlin'--things are runnin'---things creep around at night . . . a la Charlie Daniels of course [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
    #20 blackbird, Feb 11, 2006
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