LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the world’s largest providers of Christian products and services, held its semi-annual meeting on Tuesday, during which the company’s trustees, by unanimous vote, authorized $6 million in reserve funds to assist Southern Baptist Disaster Relief efforts.

The funding will begin immediately and continue throughout the 2006 fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2005, through Sept. 30, 2006, according to statement released by LifeWay.

LifeWay President James T. Draper, who recommended the action to the trustees’ executive committee, said that the funds will be dispersed, “based on specific identified needs,” with expected recipients including, “[Southern Baptist] conventions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, to states assisting in handling evacuees, and possibly to the North American Mission Board and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.” more >>

The 59-member board of trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources, one of the world’s largest providers of Christian products and services, last night unanimously approved Dr. Thom S. Rainer to become the organization’s ninth president.

Confirmed as president-elect, Rainer will begin Oct. 17 and work alongside Lifeway President James T. Draper Jr. until Draper’s retirement on Feb. 1, 2006.

"This is a great day for all Southern Baptists and for LifeWay Christian Resources," said Rick Evans, pastor of Dalraida Baptist Church, Montgomery, Ala., and chairman of the LifeWay presidential search committee, who recommended Rainer in early August. "Dr. Rainer will provide the kind of leadership that will enable us to be the leading producer of Christian materials for years to come. His theological and doctrinal positions are synonymous with who we are as Southern Baptists. He is a visionary who possesses the skills to both communicate and administer the goals of LifeWay." more >>

The 59-member board of trustees representing one of the world's largest distributors of Christian products and services today nominated a new president to take the helm.

Dr. Thom S. Rainer may become LifeWay Christian Resources's next president after James T. Draper Jr. retires next year due to his "love for LifeWay" and a "commitment to do what is best."

Rainer is dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He said he was "honored and excited to be the nominee of the search committee." more >>

The Southern Baptist Convention may undergo a fundamental demographic shift in its leadership, thanks to the efforts of one of its longest-serving leaders.

"We have often allowed our churches to become country clubs for members instead of rescue stations for the lost," said James T. Draper, Jr. president of LifeWay Christian Resources. "We are slow to venture beyond the safety of our walls."

Draper, who retires next year after serving the SBC for over 50 years, toured the nation speaking with younger leaders in conversational sessions for the last 12 months. more >>

LifeWay president James T. Draper Jr. will host "Young Leaders’ Summit 2005" on June 19, two days prior to the annual Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

During last year's Convention, Draper addressed the need for greater numbers of younger leaders to participate in the denomination. Since then, Draper held a series of dialogue sessions with "under 40" leaders to greater understand their viewpoint and role in the church.

At the Young Leaders' Summit, the fruits of that labor will be revealed, according to a recently released statement by LifeWay. more >>

President of LifeWay Christian Resources, James T. Draper Jr., launched a new weblog, Wednesday, on LifeWay’s younger leaders webpage.

His blog - an online journal organized according to descending date with the latest entry on top - states the reason for moving from a different website to Lifeway: he needed a comments box.

"When I ventured into the blogosphere a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what type of response my blog would generate," Draper said, alluding to the massive response he received while blogging on Crosswalk.com. "That’s why I wasn’t overly concerned about there not being a built-in response mechanism. I now realize I need to provide that avenue for comments." more >>