Cochran named to SBC Committee on Resolutions

Elizabeth Baptist Church, Atlanta chief strategist Kelvin Cochran, shown here speaking at the second annual Pastor's Day at the Georgia State Capitol Feb. 2, has been named by SBC President Ronnie Floyd to serve on the Committee on Resolutions. BRYAN NOWAK/Special[/caption]

ATLANTA — Kelvin Cochran, chief strategic officer at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta, has been named by Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd to the Committee on Resolutions at the upcoming annual meeting June 14-15 in St. Louis.

Cochran's appointment to the 10-member committee by Floyd is in keeping with SBC Bylaw 20, stating members must be named at least 75 days prior to the annual meeting. Stephen Rummage, senior pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church in Brandon, FL, was named committee chairman and Jason Duesing, provost and associate professor of historical theology at Midwestern Seminary, will be vice chairman.

Others named to the committee, in alphabetical order, are:

• Linda Cooper, national president of Woman's Missionary Union.
• Mark Harris, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC
• Brad Jurkovich, senior pastor of First Baptist Church Bossier City in Shreveport, LA
• Shannon Royce, chief of staff and chief operating officer of the Family Research Council in Washington D.C.
• Rolland Slade, senior pastor of Meridian Southern Baptist Church in El Cajon, CA
• Jim Smith, vice president of communications for the National Religious Broadcasters in Washington, D.C.
• Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, with offices in Florida, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

The committee's composition, according to SBC Bylaw 20, must include at least two members who served the previous year, with Rummage, Duesing, and Slade meeting this requirement. Bylaw 20 also stipulates that the committee include at least three SBC Executive Committee members. This year they are Rummage, Slade, and Cooper.

Submitting resolutions

The procedure for submitting resolutions is as follows according to Bylaw 20:

• Proposed resolutions may be submitted as early as April 15 but no later than 15 days prior to the SBC annual meeting, giving the Committee on Resolutions a two-week period in which to consider submissions. This year’s cut-off date is May 30. Resolutions may not be submitted during the annual meeting.

• Proposed resolutions should preferably be submitted by email through the resolutions submission page or mailed to the Committee on Resolutions in care of the SBC Executive Committee, 901 Commerce St., Nashville, TN 37203. Proposed resolutions must be typewritten, titled, dated and include complete contact information for the person and his or her church. NOTE: The submission form on the webpage will be available beginning April 15.

• Proposed resolutions must be accompanied by a Credentials for Resolutions Submittal form (downloadable from the resolutions submission webpage) or by a letter on church letterhead, either of which must be signed by the pastor or other church officer from a church qualified to send a messenger to the SBC annual meeting, certifying that the individual submitting the resolution is a member in good standing.

• No person will be allowed to submit more than three resolutions per year.

• The Committee on Resolutions submits to messengers at the convention only those resolutions the committee recommends for adoption. Such resolutions may be based on proposals received by the committee or may originate with the committee.

• If a properly submitted resolution is not presented by the Committee on Resolutions to the messengers at the SBC annual meeting, a two-thirds vote is required to bring the proposed resolution to the convention floor for consideration.

Additional reporting from Baptist Press, newsjournal of the Southern Baptist Convention.