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Blume: Do N.C. Baptists want to keep their newspaper?
Seth Brown, BR Content Editor
November 16, 2015
7 MIN READ TIME

Blume: Do N.C. Baptists want to keep their newspaper?

Blume: Do N.C. Baptists want to keep their newspaper?
Seth Brown, BR Content Editor
November 16, 2015

The road ahead for printed newspapers is rough. Baptist state papers across the southeastern U.S. are cutting back, folding into other organizations or closing their doors, said Allan Blume, editor and president of the Biblical Recorder (BR).

Blume gave a special report to messengers of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina at the annual meeting Nov. 2-3 in Greensboro. In that report he sketched a dim picture for many printed news publications, but he painted a stroke of bright hope for North Carolina Baptists.

“Every state surrounding North Carolina has reduced their publication format in the past two years!” he said. “The Biblical Recorder has not yet cut back.”

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Allan Blume

Blume went on, “We continue to look for ways to grow the Biblical Recorder because we believe North Carolina Baptists need a strong news source so our people will be informed and passionate about reaching our state, our nation and the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Serving local churches is at the center of Blume’s vision for the BR. “We want to help your church face our rapidly changing culture and adapt our ministries to the opportunities all around us,” he said. “We want to bring encouragement to your church family as they see the open doors of ministry surrounding them.”

If the news journal of North Carolina Baptists is to continue on its mission unabated, then church members and leaders must decide it has value for their local church ministries, said Blume. He asked messengers of the convention, “Would you say that we do not need the Baptist Children’s Homes to reach out to abandoned children?” relying on state and federal governments alone to care for orphans.

“Would you say we do not need N.C. Baptist Men to do disaster relief work?” he continued. “Let FEMA and the Red Cross do it? Absolutely not!”

Blume also quizzed about Fruitland Baptist Bible College, the College at Southeastern and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, asking if it would be better to let secular universities train Baptist leaders.

“So, would you say, ‘We do not need the Biblical Recorder. Let the secular media inform the people in our pews’?” Blume added. “I certainly hope not!”

If people see no value in the paper, then the BR will approach its final days sooner or later, according to Blume. “I believe the Biblical Recorder is valuable to the people and churches of North Carolina,” he said. “We are your news agency, with a Christian worldview. We want to encourage and motivate the people in your church to serve God with a whole heart.”

A video was included in the presentation with endorsements from Baptist leaders across the state:

  • “The direction of the Biblical Recorder, the content of the Biblical Recorder has been radically, radically changed in recent years,” said Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. “I see it now as very valuable resource for North Carolina Baptists.”

  • Greg Mathis, pastor of Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, explained, “Here at Mud Creek we actually provide [the BR] for all of our staff, for all of our deacons and for all of our Sunday School teachers.”

  • Michael Smith, pastor of Fruitland Baptist Church in Hendersonville, said, “An informed Baptist is a good Baptist. … We feel like the Biblical Recorder is a tremendous investment.”

  • Pastor Rit Varriale from Elizabeth Baptist Church in Shelby, expressed his thanks to the paper, saying, “As we support the Recorder, we support the biblical mandate to go to our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the world with the relevancy of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Click here to view video now.

Blume told messengers about the various ways to receive news from the BR: printed edition, digital edition, website (which averages 20,000-30,000 unique visitors daily), weekly e-newsletter, mobile application (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play) and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Blume appealed to church leaders to consider subscribing church members and staff through reduced-price group plans for both the printed and digital editions. He also stressed the importance and convenience of the BRweekly e-newsletter: “Every N.C. Baptist with an email address should be receiving this.”

BR prize winners

The BR’s drawing at its booth during the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina annual meeting awarded prizes to pastors, church staff and laity from all across North Carolina.

The BR gave a silver Apple iPad mini2 with wifi and 32 gb to Renee Gregory of Statesville. John McCray of Sparta First Baptist Church won the black Amazon Fire HD 8, 8” HD display with wifi and 8 gb. Nine dual square power banks (4,000 mAh) with the BR logo on it were awarded to: Jimmy Finch of Mount Vernon Baptist Church in Boone; Bill Hare of North Kannapolis Baptist Church in Kannapolis; John Kirby of Abbott’s Creek Baptist Church in High Point; Dennis McDonald of Providence Baptist Church in Roxboro; Jason Miller of Dutch Cove Baptist Church in Canton; Jarrod Scott of Green Pines Baptist Church in Knightdale; Dennis Shaw of Yadkin Baptist Association in Yadkinville; Traci Stephens of Piney Grove Baptist Church in Williamston; and Jason Tate of Piney Grove Baptist Church in Williamston.

LifeWay Christian Resources donated a number of Bibles and books for giveaways:

  • Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Study Bible (Purple Leather Touch-Indexed) was given to Hernildo T. Concka of La Voz de la Egperanza in Charlotte.

  • HCSB Super Giant Print Reference Bible (Classic Mahogany Leather Touch) was given to Nancy Porter of Geneva Baptist Church in Camden.

  • HCSB Super Giant Print Reference Bible (Brown/Tan Leather Touch) was given to Larry Burns of Mulberry Baptist Church in Gastonia.

  • HCSB Compact Ultrathin Bible (Purple Leather Touch) was given to Rick Cockerham of Calvary Baptist Church in Salisbury.

  • HCSB Compact Ultrathin Bible (Classic Mahogany Leather Touch) was given to Doug Nalley of Plainview Baptist Church in Durham.

  • HCSB Compact Ultrathin Bible (Brown/Chocolate Leather Touch) was given to Joel Jackson of Dublin First Baptist Church.

  • A Godward Life by John Piper was chosen by Lee Cook of Sharon Baptist Church in Reidsville.

  • Expository Apologetics by Voddie Baucham Jr. was chosen by Joshua Scruggs of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Jacksonville.

  • As the Sun Has Risen by C.S. Lewis was chosen by Chris Autry, who attends First Baptist Church in Aberdeen.

  • Reframe-From the God We’ve Made … To God With Us by Brian Hardin was chosen by Renee Gregory.

  • Onward by Russell Moore was chosen by Josh Korth of Green Pines Baptist Church in Knightdale.

  • The Biggest Story by Kevin DeYoung was chosen by Rodney Clemmons of Red Hill Baptist Church in Polkton.

  • Faith on Trial by Pamela Binnings Ewen was chosen by Brenda Gaskins of Bunn Baptist Church.

Two Bibles were given away at the North Carolina Ministers’ Wives meeting Nov. 2. A Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Super Giant Print Reference Bible (Pink Leather Touch) was given to the woman who had been married the longest. Lila Murdock has been married to Paul, the interim pastor at Grandview Baptist Church in Waynesville, for 57 years.

An HCSB Compact Ultrathin Bible (Pink Leather Touch) was given to Ginnie Varnam, whose husband, Devon, is senior pastor of Tar Heel Baptist Church in Tar Heel. Varnam was the youngest wife in attendance.