Morris Chapman Retires as SBC Leader
The Kosciusko native said he plans to step down effective September 30, 2010.
When he leaves the post in 2010 as president and chief executive officer, Chapman, 68, will have served as the Executive Committee's leader for 18 years.
Chapman announced his retirement in a letter at a committee meeting at SBC headquarters in Nashville Sept. 20-21. Born in Kosciusko in Attala County, he moved to Laurel at the age of 5. During his freshman year at Baptist-affiliated MC, Chapman was the minister of music and youth at Colonial Heights Church in Jackson. He is a 1963 MC alumnus.
His retirement received front-page coverage in "The Baptist Record" on Thursday. Last week, the Jackson-based newspaper reported the retirement of another high-profile MC graduate, Mississippi native Jerry Rankin as president of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Rankin will retire at the end of July 2010 and return to the Magnolia State.
Chapman plans to reside in Nashville. He also earned degrees from Southwestern Seminary with a master's of divinity and a doctor of divinity.
Chapman visited Mississippi College in late March 2009 for two days of campus lectures and interviews. He made an appearance on the MC campus radio station Star 93.5.
During his MC visit, Chapman spoke of the economic woes gripping America. "I encourage pastors to challenge the people that such time is a time of faith, not fear," he said.
"We know people are struggling," the MC graduate said, but he added that Southern Baptists remain faithful to their churches in terms of giving on Sundays.
Chapman has been a longtime SBC leader, including two terms as president. Founded in 1845 in Augusta, GA, the Southern Baptist Convention serves more than 16 million people attending more than 42,000 churches nationwide.
In "The Baptist Press" story on page one, Chapman recalled some of the key people who influenced his life.
"In college, the one person who influenced me the most was Doc Quick," Chapman said of the retired MC administrator. "As he has to so many students and former students, he (Quick) has been a lifelong friend."
Over the years, "the imprint of Mississippi Baptists on my life has been indelible," Chapman said.
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