{"id":43697,"date":"2022-09-13T08:40:39","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T13:40:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/?p=43697"},"modified":"2022-09-13T09:37:06","modified_gmt":"2022-09-13T14:37:06","slug":"twenty-year-labor-of-love-coming-to-an-end-to-god-be-the-glory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2022\/09\/13\/twenty-year-labor-of-love-coming-to-an-end-to-god-be-the-glory\/","title":{"rendered":"Twenty-year labor of love coming to an end; to God be the glory"},"content":{"rendered":"

(EDITOR’S NOTE:<\/strong> Read related article here<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, though somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.\u201d \u2013 Unknown<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

When I step aside as editor of The Pathway<\/i> on Jan. 1<\/a>, it will be with a grateful heart for having the privilege of serving Jesus by serving you. It is wonderful doing something I love (producing a newspaper) for the Savior who died for my sins. It has been 20 years of struggles, tragedies and victories, but through it all, God has been faithful and the Lord Jesus has been glorified.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Pathway<\/i> is a product of the \u201cConservative Resurgence\u201d in the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) and the brave men and women known as Project 1000 (its name taken for the required number of votes needed at the annual meeting for conservatives to get control of the convention\u2019s renegade trustee boards). When I was hired I was told Missouri Southern Baptists wanted a newspaper that would be guided by the inerrant, infallible, sufficient Word of God. I was told that the newspaper must be pro-Southern Baptist Convention and pro-Missouri Baptist Convention. That may seem obvious now, but it was not the case in 2002. Theologically moderate Baptists with the upstart Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, seized control of Windermere Baptist Conference Center, the Missouri Baptist Foundation, The Baptist Home and the convention newspaper, The Word & Way<\/i>, triggering a 17-year legal battle.<\/span><\/p>\n

When I took the helm of The Pathway<\/i>, the convention\u2019s moderate executive director had resigned. Angry moderates were running to their liberal news media allies. One was quoted in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, referring to Missouri Baptist conservatives as \u201cThe Taliban.\u201d The MBC Executive Board literally tossed The Word & Way<\/i> out of the Baptist Building. The MBC was often the subject of jokes and ridicule at the SBC annual meeting. \u201cAll Missouri Baptists want to do is fight,\u201d was a common wisecrack.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the legal battle bogged down in what seemed like an unresponsive court system, the convention went through four executive directors, multiple executive boards and more staff restructurings than I can recall \u2013 all in just the newspaper\u2019s first six years. There were many nights I went home, shedding tears in frustration. It felt like the MBC was on the brink.<\/span><\/p>\n

I was certain God called me to Missouri. Then I remembered something else God said: \u201cI am going to do something in Missouri.\u201d We walk by faith, not by sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, conservative leaders stabilized the MBC and churches began responding positively. The result is a theologically sound state convention, with vibrant, growing ministries. And yes, a state newspaper, true to the convention\u2019s mission as a voice of Christian love while advocating a biblical worldview of reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

I hope my tenure will be remembered for readership accessibility. Historically state convention newspapers have been geared toward pastors and church leadership. I wanted to expand readership by engaging the laity. We have told the story of what Southern Baptists are doing in Missouri, while encouraging readers to apply biblical principles to the issues of the day. We have never been an academic publication, striving to write most of our stories at about an eighth-grade reading level.<\/span><\/p>\n

I reminded the MBC Executive Board that The Pathway<\/i> belongs to the churches. I urged them to guard it from Satan and from those who lust for influence and control of its message. With the clamor of the Internet and other media, having a newspaper guided by Scripture is essential. We are a non-profit publication before Caesar, but our message comes from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Pathway<\/i> has stubbornly fought to stay in print (it costs about 40 cents to produce and mail a copy to your family). Most other state conventions have stopped publishing printed editions, opting for digital products. Research suggests this is a grave mistake. Too many regions of Missouri do not have Internet service. Research suggests readers are creatures of habit and people are often unwilling to go to digital sites for state news, jeopardizing Cooperative Program giving.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Pathway<\/i> is an award-winning newspaper. It\u2019s circulation has grown from zero to nearly 30,000, making it the fourth largest paid circulated newspaper in Missouri.<\/span><\/p>\n

I am delighted to pass the editor\u2019s baton to my friend and colleague Dr. Benjamin Hawkins. He has excelled as associate editor for eight years and I am certain he will lead The Pathway<\/i> to even greater accomplishments. Thank you for letting me serve you for the past two decades. I am grateful to God that He has bestowed on me a title \u2013 Founding Editor of The Pathway<\/i> \u2013 that will last until Christ returns. Sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, soli Deo Gloria.<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When I step aside as editor of The Pathway on Jan. 1, it will be with a grateful heart for having the privilege of serving Jesus by serving you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":43442,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":"","_wpscp_schedule_draft_date":"","_wpscp_schedule_republish_date":"","_wpscppro_advance_schedule":false,"_wpscppro_advance_schedule_date":"","_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_selected_social_profile":[]},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nTwenty-year labor of love coming to an end; to God be the glory<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When I step aside as editor of The Pathway on Jan. 1, it will be with a grateful heart for having the privilege of serving Jesus by serving you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mbcpathway.com\/2022\/09\/13\/twenty-year-labor-of-love-coming-to-an-end-to-god-be-the-glory\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Twenty-year labor of love coming to an end; 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