Resolutions of the Association of State Baptist Publications
Each year, ASBP honors its members who are retiring and who have made significant contributions to Baptist state publications. These members are honored with resolutions that recognize their many achievements throughout their careers. These are the men and women who laid a solid foundation for Southern Baptist journalists today to move forward in their callings with integrity, credibility and faith.
2025 2024 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017
2025
Trennis Henderson
WHEREAS, Trennis Henderson is an esteemed communicator, editor and journalist who has faithfully served the Southern Baptist community for decades; and
WHEREAS, he earned an undergraduate degree from the College of the Ozarks and a master’s degree in religious education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; and
WHEREAS, his professional journey included tenures as editor of the Kentucky Baptist news publication, Western Recorder, from 1999 to 2008; editor of Arkansas Baptist News from 1992 to 1999; and managing editor of Missouri Baptists’ Word & Way from 1982 to 1992; upholding the highest standards of Christian journalism and ensuring Baptist publications remained a trusted source of news and inspiration; and
WHEREAS, he served as vice president for communications at Ouachita Baptist University from 2008 to 2018, where his leadership greatly enhanced and expanded the university’s communication and marketing efforts, including his service as editor of Ouachita’s 125th anniversary commemorative book, “Ouachita Voices: Celebrating 125 year of Academic & Christian Excellence,” and The Ouachita Circle alumni magazine; and
WHEREAS, he served as national correspondent for national Woman's Missionary Union from 2018 to 2021, where his writing was instrumental in bringing to light the impactful work of missionaries, effectively communicating their efforts to a broader audience; and
WHEREAS, he most recently served as a regional correspondent for The Baptist Paper, a national news publication of TAB Media Group, from 2021 to 2024, continuing his legacy of excellence in Baptist journalism by providing insightful coverage of Baptist life as he circled back to state Baptist paper life; and
WHEREAS, he has served as president of both the Association of State Baptist Publications and Baptist Communicators Association, and has been an exemplary mentor and friend to many, offering guidance, wisdom and encouragement to fellow communicators, editors and believers, and
WHEREAS, he retired in June 2024, after serving more than 40 years in communications roles;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Association of State Baptist Publications, on February 13, 2025, expresses its deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to Trennis Henderson for his decades of faithful service and exemplary leadership, as well as his gifted vision for the future of Baptist journalism and communication; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that members of the Association of State Baptist Publications commit to pray for him and his wife, Pam, as they enter a new chapter of ministry, for the good of their souls and the glory of God.
2024
Lonnie Wilkey
WHEREAS, Lonnie Wilkey is a noted Tennessee Baptist communicator and journalist with a long history of serving Southern Baptists; and
WHEREAS, he received an Associate of Arts degree from North Greenville College (now University) in South Carolina, and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree from the University of South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, he devoted more than 35 years of his ministry serving the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board as editor of the Baptist & Reflector, the state Baptist paper for Tennessee, for 26 years and as associate editor for 10 years prior; and
WHEREAS, he served as director of communications for the former Southern Baptist Education Commission and in communications for the development departments at North Greenville University and the Baptist College at Charleston (now Charleston Southern University); and
WHEREAS, he served as news editor of The Northwest Sentinel in Travelers Rest, South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, he is a past president of the Association of State Baptist Publications and has been actively involved in the organization throughout his career as an editor; and
WHEREAS, he served as treasurer of the Baptist Public Relations Association (now Baptist Communicators Association) for three years and has been an active member of BCA throughout the years, including being honored for his writing through BCA’s Wilmer C. Fields annual awards competition; and
WHEREAS, he was inducted as a fellow into the Center for Media, Faith and Culture at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, for his work in reporting on the tornado that caused $40 million in damage to the campus in February 2008; and
WHEREAS, his reporting has spanned the globe with coverage being not only in the United States but also Brazil, Canada, Cuba, England, the Philippines and West Africa; and
WHEREAS, he is the author of Jerry Currey: A Man with No Excuses (1998) and Faith, Family and Life Lessons: Reflections of a Baptist Journalist, to be published in 2024; and
WHEREAS, he has preached, spoken and led conferences in many Tennessee Baptist churches; and
WHEREAS, he has an intention to retire December 31, 2024, after serving nearly 45 years as a journalist and in communications roles, the majority of which has been for and about Baptists;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual dinner in conjunction with the SBC Annual Meeting, held this year in Indianapolis, do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of Lonnie Wilkey to Southern Baptist communications on this date, June 10, 2024.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the Association of State Baptist Publications do commit to pray for him and his wife, Joyce, as they enter a new season of ministry, for the good of their souls and the glory of God.
2023
Rudy Gray
WHEREAS, James “Rudy” Gray graduated from Anderson College in 1973 after serving as editor of the school paper and went to the University of South Carolina to major in journalism and then felt called into Christian vocational service and changed his major to Bible and transferred to Southern Wesleyan College after his junior year; and
WHEREAS, he graduated from Southern Wesleyan College with a Bachelor of Arts in Bible in 1976 and later earned a Master of Theology degree in 1978 and a Doctor of Ministry degree in 1979 from Luther Rice Seminary; and a Master of Arts degree in 1987 from Liberty University; and did post graduate studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; and
WHEREAS, he served as a senior pastor of four Baptist churches in South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, he served as a trustee of the Baptist Courier for three terms (1991-95, 1997-2001 and 2009-2012) including serving as chairman and vice chairman; and
WHEREAS, he has served on numerous committees and entities of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, including convention president, and as a trustee of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and
WHEREAS, he served as a columnist for the Baptist Courier from 2000-2012 and became editor and president of the Baptist Courier in 2013 and has written six books; and
WHEREAS, he has retired after serving 10 years as editor and president of the Baptist Courier;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, meeting during their annual meeting in Hilton Head, South Carolina, do express their heartfelt appreciation to Rudy Gray on this date, February 16, 2023.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications wish him and his wife, Anne, the very best as he begins this new journey in his life and ministry.
Don Hinkle
WHEREAS, Donald Edward Hinkle, 68, founding editor of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s newspaper, The Pathway, died in his home in Ashland, Mo., on Sept. 22, 2022; and
WHEREAS, he was the son of Cecelia (Gibbs) Hinkle and the late Tracy Hinkle, as well as the oldest of three children, and grew up in Springfield, Tenn., a small farming community 25 miles north of Nashville; and
WHEREAS, he was a life-long Southern Baptist, being saved and baptized at Grace Baptist Church, Springfield, Tenn., in 1964; and
WHEREAS, he began his lifelong journalism career as a newsman for WDBL Radio in Springfield, Tenn., in 1975; and
WHEREAS, he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1977, serving 10 years as a newspaper reporter, editor and consultant for two base newspapers and a major command news service, winning the Thomas Jefferson Award in 1981 as the top news writer in the Department of Defense and being awarded with the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal and was honorably discharged in January 1988; and
WHEREAS, he graduated in 1988 from Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Va., with a bachelor of art’s degree in English, after which he continued his journalism career by working for three major metropolitan daily newspapers; and
WHEREAS, he was called by God into gospel ministry in 1996, was ordained into the ministry two years later, and trained for ministry at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., where he earned his Master of Arts in Christian Education and his Master of Theology; and
WHEREAS, during his years in seminary, he served as a writer for the public relations department at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and as a national correspondent for the Southern Baptist Convention’s news service, Baptist Press; and
WHEREAS, he moved with his late wife, Bernadette, to Jefferson City, Mo., in 2002 to begin his 20-year tenure as the founding editor of the Missouri Baptist Convention’s Pathway newspaper, where he served until his death; and
WHEREAS, he also served as public policy advisor for the Missouri Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS, he served as president of the Association of State Baptist Publications in 2015; and
WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his father, Tracy, and by his beloved wife, Bernadette, and survived by his mother Cecilia (Gibbs) Hinkle, brother Jeffrey Dale Hinkle, sister Tracy Leann Lamberth (Bryant), niece Hillary Chilar, and nephews Grant Austin Lamberth and Trace Lee Lamberth;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, meeting during their annual meeting in Hilton Head, South Carolina, express their heartfelt gratitude to God for the life and journalistic ministry of Donald Edward Hinkle on this date, February 16, 2023.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications express their condolences to Don’s mother, brother and sister, as well as to his other family members and friends.
2022
Terry Barone
WHEREAS, Terry Barone is a noted California Baptist communicator and journalist with a long history of serving the Southern Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS, he received an undergraduate education from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and a Master of Journalism degree from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas; and
WHEREAS, he devoted more than 40 years of his ministry serving the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the California Southern Baptist Convention in their communications initiatives; and
WHEREAS, he served as president and in numerous other leadership positions with several religious communications associations, including Association of State Baptist Publications, Baptist Communicators Association, Texas Baptist Public Relations Association and Religion Communicators Council; and
WHEREAS, he served as a reporter in the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting press room throughout the 1980s and 1990s; and
WHEREAS, he has served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher and member of various committees at Trinity Southern Baptist Church in Fresno, California, over the course of 30 years; and
WHEREAS, he has used his giftedness in communications to serve internationally, including a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association event in the Netherlands in 1986 and a partnership missions trip in Australia in 1988; and
WHEREAS, he retired December 31, 2021, after serving 30 years in communications leadership for the California Southern Baptist Convention, including a 17-year stint as editor of the California Southern Baptist newspaper;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual meeting in Key Largo, Florida, do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of Terry Barone to Southern Baptist communications on this date, February 10, 2022.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the Association of State Baptist Publications do commit to pray for him and his wife, Linda, as they enter a new season of ministry, for the good of their souls and the glory of God.
Gary Ledbetter
WHEREAS, Gary Ledbetter, a noted editor and writer in Southern Baptist life, has served in a variety of denominational leadership positions for more than 45 years; and
WHEREAS, he received a Bachelor of Arts from Criswell College in Dallas, Texas, and a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Doctor of Ministry from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri; and
WHEREAS, he devoted 21 years of his ministry serving as editor of the Southern Baptist TEXAN, the official publication of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention; and
WHEREAS, he served as president of the Association of State Baptist Publications in 2009, vice president for student development at Midwestern Seminary from 1995 to 2000, and communications director for the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana in the late 1980s and early 1990s; and
WHEREAS, he also served as a member of the Southern Baptist Committee on Order of Business, Southern Baptist Racial Reconciliation Task Force, Southern Baptist Christian Life Commission (now known as the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission), and as student and college minister for churches in Indiana and Texas; and
WHEREAS, he provided communications leadership for the Southern Baptists of Texas beyond the role of editor of the TEXAN, including public relations, media relations, public policy, institutional relations, and supervision of content and design for convention publications; and
WHEREAS, he has had a storied communications career partnership with his wife of 45 years (and friend since high school), Tammi, who is a noted writer and editor in her own right; and
WHEREAS, the couple has relocated back to their home state of Arkansas in a house they designed and built for this next season of life and ministry; and
WHEREAS, he made the transition from the role of editor of the TEXAN on December 31, 2021, to become a communications adviser for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and project manager and senior editor for High Street Press, a book publishing imprint of the Missouri Baptist Convention;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual meeting in Key Largo, Florida, do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of Gary Ledbetter to Southern Baptist communications on this date, February 10, 2022.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the Association of State Baptist Publications do commit to pray for Gary and Tammi as they enter a new season of ministry, for the good of their souls and the glory of God.
2020
Debbie Shelton
WHEREAS, Debbie Sheltonis editor of the CNBC Horizon Weekly (formerly The Baptist Horizon) news journal for Canadian National Baptist Convention, where she also serves as communications coordinator; and
WHEREAS, she received an undergraduate education from Oakland City University in Oakland City, Indiana, where she earned a B.A. in art education; and
WHEREAS, she and her husband, Bob, immigrated to Canada in 1984 to plant a church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, moving to the Calgary area in 1998 to work with the convention and now have citizenship in the U.S. and Canada; and
WHEREAS, she first came to the Horizon office with seven years of experience doing magazine layout for a desktop publishing business in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and after helping Nancy McGough, the founding editor, with the layout of the convention paper, was promoted in January 2007 to editor and communications coordinator; and
WHEREAS, she led change in the layout and design of The Baptist Horizonthrough the years
of its publication, including adding color in 2002, publishing their first French translation in May of 2009, and eventually moving into a fully online digital magazine, and finally as an interactive and timely weekly online news service; and
WHEREAS, during her tenure at the CNBC Horizon, she successfully fulfilled her vision to lead the organization toward an unwavering commitment to the Bible, the Great Commission and God’s glory; and
WHEREAS, she was a faithful and active participant in the Association of State Baptist Papers, now the Association of State Baptist Publications, during her time as editor; and
WHEREAS, she will retire June 30, 2020, after serving 21 years with the CNBC;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their virtual annual meeting, do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of Debbie Shelton to Southern Baptist life and cooperation on this date, June 23, 2020.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that members of the Association of State Baptist Publications do commit to pray for her and her husband, Bob, as she enters a new season of ministry, taking time for personal growth and more time with their four children and 10 grandchildren.
Shawn Hendricks
WHEREAS, Shawn Hendricks served Southern Baptists as a journalist in various capacities for 20 years through Word and Way, the International Mission Board, Biblical Recorder and Baptist Press;
WHEREAS, he has developed and facilitated friendships and partnerships within and between Southern Baptist journalistic entities and publications;
WHEREAS, he has received recognition for his and his team’s journalistic work from both the Evangelical Press Association and the Baptist Communicators Association; and
WHEREAS, he has assisted state Baptist publications’ ability to cover Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meetings, Southern Baptist entity activities, and member publications’ stories;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications recognize his contributions to Southern Baptist journalism; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the association expresses its deep appreciation for his impact upon member publications’ ability to tell Southern Baptists’ story.
Roger S. "Sing" Oldham
WHEREAS, Roger S. "Sing" Oldham has served in Christian ministry as a pastor, church staff member, and denominational leader in Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee since 1974;
WHEREAS, he has served his denomination faithfully as a member of the board of trustees of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a member of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Committee on Nominations and Executive Committee and also as vice president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, a member of and chairman of the board of directors of Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes, and a member of numerous other TBC and associational committees;
WHEREAS, he has served as vice president of convention relations and later vice president of convention communications and relations for the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention since 2007;
WHEREAS, he has served as convention spokesperson and executive editor of SBC Life for 12 years, in addition to a host of other communications-related assignments and duties; and
WHEREAS, he has worked diligently to develop relationships with members and support the ministry of members of the Association of State Baptist Publications;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona, do convey their deep appreciation for the contributions of Roger S. "Sing" Oldham to Southern Baptist life on this date, February 13, 2020; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications commit to pray for him and his wife, Debbie, as they begin this new chapter of their life and ministry.
Art Toalston
WHEREAS, Art Tolaston completed nearly 28 years of service with Baptist Press upon his retirement, September 30, 2019;
WHEREAS, he also served as a writer with the Foreign Mission Board, now the International Mission Board, for seven years and at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for one year;
WHEREAS, his work helped Baptist Press receive recognitions for excellence from the Evangelical Press Association and the Baptist Communicators Association;
WHEREAS, his “thousands of news articles, interviews, and op-ed pieces” have helped to shape Southern Baptist and Christian journalism and have preserved the narrative of Southern Baptists’ activities; and
WHEREAS, his personal character, spiritual life and writings have inspired his coworkers and others in the journalism field and in local churches;
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona, do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of Art Toalston to Southern Baptist life and Christian journalism on this date, February 13, 2020.
2019
K. Allan Blume
WHEREAS, K. Allan Blume is a noted North Carolina Baptist minister, statesman and journalist with a long history of serving Southern Baptist churches; and
WHEREAS, he received an undergraduate education from Wingate College and Carson-Newman College, along with a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas; and
WHEREAS, he devoted more than 35 years of his ministry to Southern Baptist churches in Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina, leaving each church with the admiration and love of those he pastored; and
WHEREAS, his pastoral tenure was marked by fervent devotion to promoting the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations and supporting Southern Baptist missions and ministries; and
WHEREAS, he served a three-year term as president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s board of directors, one term as president of the North Carolina Pastors’ Conference and participated in multiple committees and trustee boards of the Southern Baptist Convention; and
WHEREAS, he led the Biblical Recorder, news journal for North Carolina Baptists, to be one of the nation’s most respected Southern Baptist news agencies, recognized by the accolades of many church leaders and numerous awards from the Baptist Communicators Association; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure at the Biblical Recorder, he successfully fulfilled his vision to lead the organization toward an unwavering commitment to the Bible, the Great Commission and God’s glory; and
WHEREAS, he will retire May 31, 2019, after serving eight years as editor-president of the historic newspaper;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, gathering for their annual meeting in Charleston, S.C., do convey their deep appreciation for the contribution of K. Allan Blume to Southern Baptist life and cooperation on this date, February 14, 2019.
BE IT FURTHER
RESOLVED that members
of the Association of State Baptist Publications do commit to pray for him and
his wife, Pam, as they enter a new season of ministry, for the good of their
souls and the glory of God.
2018
Bobby S. “Bob” Terry
WHEREAS, Bobby S. “Bob” Terry is a Decatur, Alabama, native who began his journalism career as a sports writer for The Mississippi Collegian, the student newspaper for Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, he graduated from Mississippi College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1965 and later earned a Master of Divinity degree and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1968 and 1979, respectively, and was awarded the honorary Doctor of Sacred Theology degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, in 1989; and
WHEREAS, he was a faithful and active participant in the Association of State Baptist Publications, having served as associate editor of the Western Recorder in Kentucky for seven years; editor of the Word and Way in Missouri for 20 years; and since 1995 has been editor and president of The Alabama Baptist; and
WHEREAS, he has served as president of the Association of State Baptist Publications in 1985 and 1986 and executive secretary of the organization for 25 years before retiring from the position in March 2018; and
WHEREAS, his writing and editing have been honored with awards from Associated Church Press, the Evangelical Press Association, the Baptist Communicators Association and the Alabama Press Association; and
WHEREAS, his leadership has kept The Alabama Baptist among the top-honored Christian newspapers in the nation, being selected as either the first- or second-place winner in the “Best Regional Christian Newspaper” category each year the paper competed, which was every year after his first full year as editor; and
WHEREAS, he will retire December 31, 2018, after serving 23 years as editor and president of The Alabama Baptist, and more than 50 years in denominational journalism with 43 of those years in the role of editor;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, meeting during their mid-year meeting in Dallas, Texas, do express their heartfelt appreciation to Bob Terry on this date, June 11, 2018.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Association of State Baptist Publications wish him and his wife, Patricia, the very best as he begins this new journey in his life and ministry.
J. Gerald Harris
WHEREAS, J. Gerald Harris, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, who was called to preach the gospel as a high school senior on January 29, 1961; and
WHEREAS, he thus began a ministry and journalistic career earning a master’s degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and later a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida, also eventually earning distinctions from Southeastern as Alumnus of the Year (1997) and president of the National Alumni Association (1998); and
WHEREAS, he served with honor and distinction as a pastor in churches throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and the Atlanta metro area; and
WHEREAS, his journalistic leadership as editor of The Christian Index since June 2003 has been reflected in his faithful and active participation in the Association of State Baptist Publications; and
WHEREAS, he has contributed as a writer to other Southern Baptist publications, such as devotions for Open Windows and HOMELIFE, both of LifeWay Christian Resources, and the Baptist Record, state paper for Mississippi Baptists, as well as Sunday School lessons for the Baptist Courier, state paper for South Carolina Baptists, and LifeWay Christian Resources; and
WHEREAS, he has been recognized in his career for award-winning editorials through the Baptist Communicators Association and overseen The Christian Index’s move into an online format that has witnessed tremendous digital growth since its inception in January 2016;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications, meeting at the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas, Texas, do express their heartfelt appreciation to J. Gerald Harris on this date June 11, 2018.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Association of State
Baptist Publications wish him and his wife, Martha Jean, the best in their
further course of ministry during his retirement set to begin at the end of
2018.
2017
Bill Webb
WHEREAS, Bill Webb began his journalism career as a 17‑year‑old high school student working for his hometown newspaper, the Register‑News in Mt. Vernon, Ill.; and
WHEREAS, he graduated with a journalism degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in 1977 and attended Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., from 1978‑81, leaving there to accept a news writer position with the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board); and
WHEREAS he was a faithful and active participant in the Association of State Baptist Papers, now the Association of State Baptist Publications (ASBP), during his time as editor of the Illinois Baptist 1984‑96, then as editor of Word&Way 1996‑2016; and
WHEREAS, he retired Dec. 31, 2016, after serving more than 20 years as editor of Word&Way, more than 35 years in denominational journalism, and nearly 50 years as a journalist; and
WHEREAS Word&Way was a member of the ASBP until the publication no longer related to a state convention of Southern Baptists; and
WHEREAS Bill Webb held several positions in ASBP including president 1996‑97, serving during the group’s annual meeting in San Francisco in February of 1997;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications meeting in Ontario, Calif., do express their heartfelt appreciation to Bill Webb on this date, February 16, 2017.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wish him and his wife Susan well in their recent retirement move to Marion, Ill., where they are now within three hours of all members of their family, including their three grandchildren.
Martin F. (Marty) King
WHEREAS, Martin F. (Marty) King spent a 20‑year career combined in healthcare marketing and public relations in Indiana and as vice president of an advertising agency in Indianapolis; and
WHEREAS, his denominational service includes: vice president for institutional advancement for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; director of public relations with the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention; and, senior director of communications and development for the North American Mission Board, encompassing more than 14 years of representing Southern Baptists; and
WHEREAS King served as a Baptist Press Bureau Chief while also at the Home Mission Board and North American Mission Board; and
WHEREAS, he became associate executive director and team leader for the communications, Cooperative Program and public relations team of the Illinois Baptist State Association, and editor of the Illinois Baptist newsjournal, serving Illinois Baptists five years; and
WHEREAS, King most recently served as director of corporate communications for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, supervising internal and external communications, including Facts and Trends magazine, news media relations, and social media, while also being the official spokesman for the entity, for more than five years; and
WHEREAS, he contributed to the leadership of the Association of State Baptist Papers, now known as the Association of State Baptist Publications, in many ways, including as president; now,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that on February 16, 2017, the grateful members of the Association of State Baptist Publications meeting in Ontario, California, do express their heartfelt appreciation to Marty King for his faithful service to Southern Baptists and his many contributions to this professional organization; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we pray for continued blessings for him as he transitions to retirement from formal service with the Southern Baptist Convention, and wish him well as he and his wife Barbara enjoy their relocation to Jackson, Tenn., to be near their two daughters and four grandchildren.