CONSTITUTION OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of the organization shall be The Southern Baptist Research Fellowship.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this organization is to provide an informal forum for Southern Baptists with professional interests in and/or assignments for religious research.

The objectives of this Fellowship are:

1. To contribute to the development of a more comprehensive understanding of the scientific study of religion, church and denomination;
2. To stimulate the development of basic research skills through the sharing of research efforts and data bases;
3. To further the understanding of the role of research skills through the sharing of research efforts and data bases;
4. To promote maximum use and the practical application of religious research in the work of the conventions and their agencies, associations, and local churches, particularly in development and evaluation of programs;
5. To provide a supporting fellowship for members and to give recognition for outstanding professional achievement.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Members

The members of the Fellowship shall be, upon receipt of annual dues,

1. Interested employees of any Southern Baptist church, association, state convention agency, or convention agency engaged in the work of religious research or statistics;
2. Interested employees of any Southern Baptist church, association, state convention agency, or convention wide agency whose work includes the use of religious research or statistics; or
3. Other interested Southern Baptists whose work relates to the execution or use of religious research or statistics.

Section 2. Charter Members

A charter member of the Fellowship is any person enrolled as a member before the end of June, 1979.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers

The officers of the Fellowship shall be the president, the program vice-president, the membership vice-president, the newsletter editor/web coordinator, the secretary-treasurer, and the awards chairperson. The term for all offices shall be two years.

Section 2. Election

The officers shall be elected at an annual meeting of the Fellowship. In case of a vacancy between the annual meetings, the Administrative Committee shall appoint a person to fulfill the unexpired term.

ARTICLE V – DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS

The duties of the offices shall be as follows:

1. President: The president will preside at all regular and called meetings, serve as chairperson of the Administrative Committee, serve as an ex officio member of all committees, and perform other duties required of the office.
2. Program Vice-President: The program vice-president shall preside at the meetings of the Fellowship as requested by the president and shall serve as chairperson of the program committee. The program vice-president will automatically succeed the president.
3. Membership Vice-President: The membership vice-president will serve as chairperson of the membership enlistment committee.
4. Newsletter Editor/Web Coordinator: The Research News Bulletin editor will be responsible for editing and distributing a research news bulletin. As Web Coordinator, coordinate SBRF web presence on the Web including hosting, design, content, and technical issues; serve as chairperson of the web committee.
5. Secretary-Treasurer: The secretary-treasurer shall keep all records and care for all fund of the Fellowship. An annual audit report shall be made to the Fellowship.
6. Awards Chairperson: The awards chairperson shall serve as chairperson of the awards committee.

ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing Committees

The standing committees of the Fellowship shall be as follows:

1. Administrative Committee: The Administrative Committee shall be composed of all of the officers of the Fellowship. It shall act for the Fellowship between sessions.
2. Program Committee: The Program Committee shall be composed of a chairperson and two members named by the Administrative Committee. It shall develop and publicize agendas for annual and special meetings of the Fellowship.
3. Membership Committee: The Membership Committee shall be composed of a chairperson and two members named by the Administrative Committee. It shall actively recruit members for the Fellowship in keeping with the constitutional provisions.
4. Awards Committee: The Awards Committee shall be composed of a chairperson and two members named by the Administrative Committee. It shall supervise an awards program in recognition of outstanding professional achievements of the members.
5. Web Committee: The Web Committee shall be composed of a chairperson and two members named by the Administrative Committee. The Web Committee shall coordinate all aspects of SBRF presence on the Web.

Section 2. Ad Hoc Committees

Ad Hoc Committees may be appointed by the president on approval of the Administrative Committee and/or the Fellowship.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS

1. Annual meeting: The Fellowship will hold an annual meeting at a place and time to be recommended by the Administrative Committee. The meeting sites should be reasonably accessible and economical. The time and place may be changed by the Administrative Committee, provided all members are notified at least thirty (30) days in advance.
2. Budget for annual meeting: The Administrative Committee shall budget an amount of money for the annual meeting in time for the program Committee to take it in consideration in its planning.
3. Special meetings: The Fellowship may vote any special meeting of the group, or the Administrative Committee may call special meetings, provided all members are notified in advance.

ARTICLE VIII – FINANCES

1. An annual budget shall be prepared by the Administrative Committee.
2. An annual audit of the secretary-treasurer’s report shall be prepared by an Audit Committee to be appointed by the president and approved by the Administrative Committee.
3. Membership dues shall be determined by the fellowship, with annual review by the Administrative Committee.

ARTICLE IX – CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAW CHANGES

The Constitution may be amended at annual meetings of the Fellowship, provided at least two-thirds of all members present approve the changes. By-laws may be added or amended by a simple majority of all members present at the meeting.

As amended 6/9/1990; 9/19/2003; area in gray adopted 9/18/2009

Minh Ha Nguyen, President
International Mission Board

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Patrick Weaver, Program Vice-President
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

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Chris Forbes, Membership Vice-President
Oklahoma Baptist Convention

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Jeffrey Farmer, Secretary-Treasurer
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

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Bill Day Awards Chairperson
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

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Vacant, Newsletter Editor/Web Coordinator

Full Name	E-mail Address	Company
Carol Childress	carol@carolchildress.com	FrameWorks Consulting
Robert Cochran	robert.cochran@dcbaptist.org	DC Baptist Convention
Mickey Crawford	mcrawford@alsbom.org	Alabama Baptist Convention
Tom Crites	tcrites@gabaptist.org	Georgia Baptist Convention
Ray Phillip Dalton	rdalton@cn.edu	Carson-Newman College
Bill Day	bday@nobts.edu	New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
John W. Dowdy Jr.	jdjd2@mchsi.com	Retired–Missouri Baptist Convention
Josh Ellis	joshellis@ubahouston.org	Union Baptist Association
Ted Evans	jtedevans@yahoo.com	Retired–South Carolina Baptist Convention
Michelle Freudenthal	michelle.freudenthal@lifeway.com	LifeWay Christian Resources
Jim Haney	jhaney@imb.org	IMB
Keith Gordon	kgordon@mbcb.org	Mississippi Baptist Convention
Paula Hancock	paula.hancock@lifeway.com	Lifeway Christian Resources
Norma Hedin		Southwestern Bapt. Theo. Seminary
Scott Holste	sholste@imb.org	International Mission Board, SBC
J.W. Hutchens	jwhutchens@mindspring.com	Retired–North American Mission Board, SBC
Mark Jeffcoat		South Carolina Bapt. Conv.
Phil Jones	phillipj@earthlink.net	Retired–North American Mission Board, SBC
Lindsay Peck	peck@kncsb.org	Kansas/Nebraska Conv, Interim Dir of Missions
James Lowry	jamarlow5062@aol.com	Retired–LifeWay Christian Resources
Don Mabry	donandevad@aol.com	Retired–Louisiana Baptist Convention
Jeffrey Farmer	jeff@lifetreechurch.org	LifeTree Church
Jared Maier	jared_maier@baylor.edu	Baylor PhD graduate
Robert Mathis	RMathis@swbts.edu	Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Scott McConnell	scott.mcconnell@lifeway.com	LifeWay Christian Resources
Orrin Morris	odmarg@yahoo.com	Retired–Home Mission Board, SBC
Minh Ha Nguyen	mnguyen@imb.org	International Mission Board, SBC
Earl Nobles	earl.nobles@lifeway.com	LifeWay Christian Resources
Jay Noh	jaynoh@ibsa.org	Illinois Baptist State Association
Bryan Nowalk	bnowak@gabaptist.org	Georgia Baptist Convention
Carol Olsen	olsenbosnia@aol.com	SBTS graduate now living in Plano TX
Stephen Parks	stephenparks1234@gmail.com	Unity Baptist Association
Bobby Box	bbox@imb.org	International Mission Board, SBC
Scott Peterson	speterson@imb.org	International Mission Board, SBC
Jimmy Porter	jporter@mbcb.org	Mississippi Baptist Convention
Clay Price	clay.price@texasbaptists.org	Baptist General Convention of Texas
Gus Reyes	gus.reyes@texasbaptists.org	Baptist General Convention of Texas
Royce Rose		Baptist General Convention of Texas
Daniel Sanchez	Dsanchez@swbts.edu	Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
A. Clark Scanlon	clarkandsarahscanlon@gmail.com	Retired–International Mission Board, SBC
Jimmie Sheffield	jsheffield@absc.org	Arkansas Baptist State Convention
James B. Slack	jslack@imb.org	International Mission Board, SBC
Ebbie Smith	Smith_ebbie@yahoo.com	Retired-Southwestern Bapt. Theo. Seminary
Jeanine Bozeman	jbozeman@nobts.edu	New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Daryl Stagg	lcbaadom@sbcglobal.net	Lake County Baptist Association (IL) DOM
Richie Stanley	rstanley@namb.net	North American Mission Board, SBC
Ken Sterling	drkgs@bellsouth.net	New Zion Baptist Church
Ed Stetzer	ed.stetzer@lifeway.com	LifeWay Christian Resources
Terri Stovall	tstovall@swbts.edu	Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Cliff Tharp	c_r_tharp@comcast.net	Retired–LifeWay Christian Resources
J.V. Thomas	jvtinc@gmail.com	Retired–Baptist General Convention of Texas
Sam Vinall	sam-joyce@cox.net	Retired–Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma
Curt Watke	cwatke@iicm.net	Center for Intercultural Leadership
Rodney Webb	rwebb@iicm.net	Intercultural Institute for Contextual Ministry
J.C. Bradley		Central Baptist Association
Michael Wilson	mwilson@swbts.edu	Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
William Yount	yount@swbts.edu	Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Ed Buchanan	ebuchanan@sebts.edu	Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Michael Canady		Louisiana Baptist Convention
Jerry Chamness	jerry@caaministries.org	CAA Ministries
Phil Charpie

• SBC national agencies
• State conventions
• Associations

• Supporter fellowship
• Sharing of research efforts
• Further development of research skills
• Recognition of outstanding research by Southern Baptist students through the Researcher of the Year Award
  (For more information about our award, click here)

For membership inquiries, click here.