Posted on 09/13/2004 3:13:37 AM PDT by Sybeck1
Rev. Adrian Rogers, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church, said Sunday that in six months he will retire as pastor of Shelby County's largest church.
Rogers made the announcement on his 73rd birthday during an evening worship service.
"He said tonight that he was announcing his retirement; that he would continue to pastor for six months," said Mark Dougharty, Bellevue Baptist's associate pastor, reached later at his home.
Rogers, whose home telephone number is unlisted, could not be reached for comment.
Dougharty said a press conference is planned for today.
Rogers told the congregation that during the six months he continues to lead the church, a search committee would look for his successor, Dougharty said.
With more than 28,000 members, Bellevue Baptist is among the biggest Southern Baptist congregations in the nation.
Rogers told those at the service that he plans to pursue other activities.
Those include continuing a worldwide radio and television ministry called "Love Worth Finding," and producing a training institute for pastors.
Rogers also plans to serve as an interim professor at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Dougharty said.
Rogers, born in West Palm Beach, Fla., was preaching in Merritt Island, Fla., when a Bellevue Baptist pulpit committee chose him to pastor the Memphis church in 1972.
He was only the third pastor of the church since 1927.
Under his leadership, the congregation flourished and moved from Midtown to its 377-acre, paid-for campus in Cordova. The church traces its roots back to a one-room chapel called the Bellevue Avenue Baptist Church, founded in 1903.
Rogers also assumed a leadership role in the Southern Baptist Convention, where he was elected president in 1979, 1986 and 1987.
The church's Internet Web site - bellevue.org - notes that he is "credited with leading the denomination back to its historic roots of biblical inerrancy."
Rogers suffered a heart attack in January 2002, but told The Commercial Appeal for a May 2003 article that his health was good and that at that time he had no plans to retire.
Rogers and his wife, Joyce, have four grown children.
- Kevin McKenzie:
529-2348
Stretch...
Great Preacher ...and he seems to walk the walk & that is getting rarer and rarer.....
God Bless Adrian Rogers and Family....
Intentional discourtesy = rude behavior.
Take a pill and get out of my face.
I am pleased to hear that Pastor Rogers will go on with his ministry. He is only retiring from his church responsibilities. I hope the TV ministry will continue.
One of the best preachers and teachers to grace the American airwaves in the las 50 years. Can't tell you enough all the things I learned from this man.
Intentional discourtesy = rude behavior.
I agree. Didn't your mother ever tell you it was better to say nothing?
Totally uncalled for. Go easy Brother. We are on the same team, sorry if I offended you, God bless
I suggest that you drop it.
I love listening to this man preach the Word of God. My pastor says the Pastor Rogers is a pastor's pastor. Great msn of God.
I love listening to this man preach the Word of God. My pastor says the Pastor Rogers is a pastor's pastor. Great man of God.
Well for your information nobody cares if you are yawning and stretching. Some of us do care about Adrian Rogers. If you don't, then just move along and make no comment, otherwise you are being a jerk.
Amen!
How long do I have to wear the Scarlett Letter?
I'll be over at the dunking pool all day today, so feel free to stop by and save me.
Hey, didn't you learn any manners as a child?There are a lot of threads posted here on FR. If I find one that I'm
not interested in or am bored with, my SCROLL button works fine.
Knock it off.
You too, knock it off.
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