“No man could be more blessed than to conclude his ministry among Southern Baptists as president and chief executive officer of the Executive Committee and treasurer of the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said when announcing his retirement. “Had I not lived it, I would not have believed it to be possible.”
Ben Cole, a longtime friend of the Chapman family, referred to the Rev. Chapman as a denominational statesman.
“Dr. Chapman never saw himself as the commanding officer nor the Executive Committee as the flagship of the Southern Baptist Convention,” Cole said in a text message. “Neither did he serve as captain of a denominational battleship forever stirring waters of strife among his brethren. He will be fondly remembered by honest churchmen as a trustworthy ballast during seasons of theological retrieval and institutional realignment.”
Unlike other leaders of the so-called conservative resurgence whose ministries ended in scandal, Chapman was known for his personal integrity.
He was not above controversy, especially when clashing with those he thought might undermine the convention or the Cooperative Program. In 2009, during his speech at the Southern Baptist Convention, he criticized then-popular megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll as someone whose behavior was unfit for pastors. He also criticized a move to cut funding to the Executive Committee.
Chapman, while he denounced abusers, opposed starting a database to track abusive church leaders.
During Chapman’s tenure, giving to the Cooperative Program remained strong.
“Total giving through CP to state Baptist conventions reached a record high of $548,205,099 in 2007-08,” according to Baptist Press. “Even without an adjustment for inflation, that is 23 percent higher than the most recent year.”
Jeff Iorg, the current president of the Executive Committee, paid tribute to his predecessor, whom he had known for years.
“He was a champion for cooperation and our global mission. He was also a friend who encouraged me for many years – including after my election as president of the EC. We honor him and pray for his family in their loss,” Iorg told Baptist Press in a story announcing Chapman’s passing.
This article originally appeared here.
