- After an investigation (CT, April 8, 1996, p. 92), the Florida Baptist Convention has expelled two charismatic churches for advocating doctrines such as speaking in tongues and being “slain in the Spirit.” The state mission board voted May 17 to deny voting privileges to, and mission gifts from, Trumpets of Truth International Church (formerly First Baptist) of Homosassa Springs and Riverside Christian (formerly Riverside Baptist) Church.
- Three major church agencies have agreed to begin cooperating in refugee resettlement programs in the United States: the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Episcopal Migration Ministries, and the Immigration and Refugee Program of Church World Service, the humanitarian aid arm of the National Council of Churches of Christ.
- Brian C. Stiller, who served as interim president of Ontario Bible College/Ontario Theological Seminary starting in June 1995, has been appointed to the post permanently. Stiller, 53, helped save Canada’s largest seminary and oldest Bible college from insolvency (ct, Aug. 14, 1995, p. 59). He has been the president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada since 1983.
- Chuck Kelley, Jr., has become president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, succeeding Landrum Leavell II, who held the post for 20 years. Kelley had been professor of evangelism at the seminary since 1983.
- Jay A. Barber, Jr., is the new president of Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon, replacing Marshall Christensen, who stepped down June 30 after 15 years. Barber, who previously served as executive vice president at the school, had been development director of Oregon Health Sciences Foundation.
- Rick Hicks, 46, became president of Operation Mobilization (om) USA last month after 12 years with the Forest Home Christian Conference Center in Forest Falls, California. The Tyrone, Georgia-based om has missionaries in 80 countries.
- Ken Smitherman became president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Springs-based Association of Christian Schools International (ASCI) on July 1. ASCI is the largest Christian school organization in the world, representing more than 3,600 Protestant schools in 71 countries.
- John Moore, 61, is the new president of Grove City (Pa.) College. He has been director of the International Institute at George Mason University and associate director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
- Stephen Freed, 39, is the new president and chief executive officer of International Teams/USA, a 35-year-old evangelical missions agency based in Prospect Heights, Illinois, which has 400 staff serving in 20 countries. Freed has had executive posts with Trans World Radio, Campus Crusade for Christ, and MasterWorks.
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