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Baptist Press

1. Task force: Keep legal SBC name, but adopt informal name, 'Great Commission Baptists' - The task force appointed to study a possible name change of the Southern Baptist Convention is recommending that the convention maintain its legal name but adopt an informal, non-legal name for those who want to use it: Great Commission Baptists.
2. TASK FORCE'S REPORT: Transcript - Jimmy Draper, chairman of the task force that studied the question of changing the name of the Southern Baptist Convention, reports to the SBC Executive Committee during its Monday night (Feb. 20) meeting. The task force was named by SBC President Bryant Wright last September.
3. Fentress & Patterson: Descriptor would benefit African Americans, other races, non-Southerners - Maryland pastor Ken Fentress and seminary president Paige Patterson affirmed the Feb. 20 report to the SBC Executive Committee by a task force that studied the possibility of a name change of the Southern Baptist Convention and proposed the option of Southern Baptists also calling themselves "Great Commission Baptists." Following is the text of their remarks.
4. Page warns of serving with wrong motives - Drawing from the example of the older brother in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, Frank Page advised Southern Baptists to examine their motives as they consider altering the name by which they're known.
5. Report: Iran may be set to execute pastor - Iranian officials may have issued an order to execute a pastor at the center of a high-profile case that has drawn international attention, according to a legal group that has followed the case.

The Christian Index

1. The issue dated 2012-02-09 is available online -
   GBC trims budget, staff
   Fourth staff downsizing since 2009 as giving levels drop
   
   News and Stories
   • 'Courageous' hits No. 1 in nationwide DVD sales
   • 2012 GBC Committee on Nominations named
   • CP moves ahead of budgeted goal
   • Fishing and fundraising
   • George Beverly Shea celebrates 103 years
   • Luter makes it official: He'll be nominated for SBC president
   • Mission Georgia website to house Mission Volunteers information
   • N.Y. Senate committee passes church/school bill
   • NYC ban on churches 'major opportunity' for Christians
   • Neighboring conventions also struggling
   • Ralph McGill - 62 years at the church organ
   • Role of faith in Bush White House examined
   • Simms to begin new chapter of ministry
   • Smith honored with GBC Lifetime Achievement Award in Evangelism
   • State lawmakers gather at prayer breakfast
   • Survey: U.S. split on candidates' religion talk
   
   Georgia Newsbriefs
   
   Baptist News Summary
   
   Religious Newsbriefs
   
   People and Places
   • Being mobile
   • Berean Baptist in Covington retires mortgage after three years
   • Meldrim Baptist Church celebrates century of ministry
   • Ministerial Moves
   • Obituaries
   • Ordinations
   • Shorter University plans construction of new student residence facility
   • Youth choirs statewide attend REEL Fest
   
   Classified Advertisements
    
    
   Bible Study
   • Center of My Belief
   • Center of My Life
   
   Georgia Voices
   
   Letters
   
   Cooperative Program Stories
   • Executive Committee officers speak out about the Cooperative Program
   
   Columns
   • Editorial - Archive
   • The Open Door - Archive
   • Guest Commentary - Archive
   • "Since you asked ..." - Archive
2. Breaking News: Elliff: Don't trim other SBC entities to benefit IMB -
   Elliff: Don't trim other SBC entities to benefit IMB
    
   Channeling more resources to the international mission field should come from churches increasing their gifts to the Cooperative Program and not by taking funds from other SBC agencies.
    
3. Breaking News: "Great Commission Baptists" is proposed descriptor -
   "Great Commission Baptists" is proposed descriptor
    
   Southern Baptists who are unhappy with their current name will have the option of adding another descriptor to their signs, stationary, or identification. Or do nothing at all, according to a report of the SBC name change committee.
    
4. Updated Breaking News: "Great Commission Baptists" is proposed descriptor -
   "Great Commission Baptists" is proposed descriptor
    
   Southern Baptists who are unhappy with their current name will have the option of adding another descriptor to their signs, stationary, or identification. Or do nothing at all, according to a report of the SBC name change committee.
    
   Including: What happens next?
    
   Read the full report of the Name Change Task Force
    
5. Breaking News: Vote on "Great Commission Baptists" set for New Orleans convention -
   Vote on "Great Commission Baptists" set for New Orleans convention
    
   Executive Committee sends descriptor to SBC messengers