SBC Elects First Woman to a Convention Office in a Generation

[Jerome]

The last woman to be a Convention officer was Christine Gregory, first vice-president in the early 1980s.

Tuesday June 11, 2019 • SBC Messengers Elect Diverse Slate of Officers

Birmingham (BP)....Kathy Litton [was elected] SBC registration secretary, edging out incumbent SBC registration secretary Don Currence

Kathy Litton serves on the steering committee of the new 'SBC Women's Leadership Network'.

Congratulations!

 

[Jerome]

SBC Officers Kathy Litton and JD Greear thanking the SBC Women's Leadership Network last night:

 

[Jerome]

From the 2016 Convention:

Kathy Litton Accepts Dawson Award

Kathy Ferguson-Litton gives a speech after her acceptance of the Willie Turner Dawson Award at the annual Ministers' Wives Luncheon in St. Louis on Tuesday, June 14.

The Dawson Award is named for Willie Evelyn Turner Dawson, wife of Pastor J.M. Dawson of First Baptist Church Waco. Mrs. J.M. Dawson was a nominee for, and was nearly elected SBC Vice President way back in 1923.

 

[Jerome]

The Dawson Award is named for Willie Evelyn Turner Dawson, wife of Pastor J.M. Dawson of First Baptist Church Waco. Mrs. J.M. Dawson was a nominee for, and was nearly elected SBC Vice President way back in 1923.

Some newspaper clippings from 1942, pertinent to recent discussions in the SBC:

Special Meetings from Palm Sunday till Easter. Mrs. J.M. Dawson of Waco, Tex., will speak at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and daily next week at 8 p.m.

[and on Easter Sunday]

Mrs. J.M. Dawson of Texas Will Speak 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Mr. James Wilson of New Orleans Will Sing—"The Holy City."
Easter Music.

.

 

[Jerome]

From Texas Baptists A Sesquicentennial History

Joseph Martin Dawson...a leader among Texas Baptists...he married Willie Turner, who became an outstanding Texas Baptist speaker, and even her husband acknowledged that she was the better preacher of the two

Let us join the SBC Ministers' Wives in encouraging many other Baptist ladies to follow in the footsteps of Mrs. J.M. Dawson!

 

[Jerome]

Disturbing incident that happened during the voting, reported by SBC messenger Rhonda Gordon:

SBC Voices

"As a messenger for our church, today I was listening to the nomination speeches for the two people desiring to serve as SBC Registration Secretary. For the first time ever a woman’s name was on the ballot. After listening to the instructions about how to mark our ballot, I made my vote. I am a messenger. This is my responsibility and right. An older gentleman was standing next to me and said, 'I am so tired of women wanting to further themselves. They need to sit down.' I was shocked…and appalled. I turned to him and said, 'Excuse me?' He went on to tell me that I needed to just go sit down. Women are not qualified and have no place serving in leadership positions in the convention."

I asked him how he knew who I voted for. He told me he looked....I explained that I voted as I saw fit for the person I believe will best serve our convention in the roll of registration secretary. He proceeded to continue explaining that...things just needed to be left as they were."

 

[Reynolds]

Disturbing incident that happened during the voting, reported by SBC messenger Rhonda Gordon:

SBC Voices

"As a messenger for our church, today I was listening to the nomination speeches for the two people desiring to serve as SBC Registration Secretary. For the first time ever a woman’s name was on the ballot. After listening to the instructions about how to mark our ballot, I made my vote. I am a messenger. This is my responsibility and right. An older gentleman was standing next to me and said, 'I am so tired of women wanting to further themselves. They need to sit down.' I was shocked…and appalled. I turned to him and said, 'Excuse me?' He went on to tell me that I needed to just go sit down. Women are not qualified and have no place serving in leadership positions in the convention."

I asked him how he knew who I voted for. He told me he looked....I explained that I voted as I saw fit for the person I believe will best serve our convention in the roll of registration secretary. He proceeded to continue explaining that...things just needed to be left as they were."

I agree with him.
Any placing of women in authority over men in the church is unscriptural.

 

[rsr]

I once — a long, long time ago — believed as the fellow in the story did. I got better.