ATLANTA (BP)–J. Gerald Harris, pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., has been elected editor of The Christian Index.
Harris, who has served as pastor of the church since 1994, will assume his new ministry on June 23. The Index Board of Directors unanimously elected him during their regularly scheduled meeting May 13 at Pinebloom, the home of The Index.
The Christian Index, the state paper for the Georgia Baptist Convention, also is the oldest continuously published Christian newspaper in the nation. It was founded in 1822 and was owned by a variety of individuals before coming under ownership of the state convention, which serves as publisher.
“Our search team was excited about recommending to the Board the name of Gerald Harris,” said Allen Hughes, chairman of the Search Committee and administrative pastor at Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula.
“We looked at a number of excellent candidates from various parts of our convention and quickly came to the conclusion that Gerald was God’s man for the position. Gerald brings to The Index the qualities of leadership, vision, passion and commitment, which will serve well as he charts the new course for our state paper.
“As we went through the interview process it was easy to sense that already Gerald had begun to formulate some new ideas and desires that will make the paper a stronger part of the Georgia Baptist work and strategy.”
Hughes added that with Harris’ leadership “we believe the greatest days are still ahead for The Index.”
Harris expressed appreciation to Georgia Baptists for considering him for the state level ministry position.
“I see The Christian Index as the instrument whereby Georgia Baptists are connected for the purpose of Empowering Kingdom Growth,” he said. “I have discovered that there are a multiplicity of wonderful, God-honoring missions and ministries taking place in our churches from St. Marys to Ringold, and that lives are being changed daily.
“I look forward to getting that good news into the hands and hearts of Georgia Baptists. I believe that the paper should primarily focus on news that encourages and uplifts. The writer of Hebrews said that we should ‘consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works … exhorting one another: and so much the more, as [we] see the day approaching’ (Hebrews 10: 24-25).
“When I had the privilege of serving as president of the Convention I developed such a deep love for the pastors and people of our state that I welcome this unique and strategic opportunity for ministry.”
Harris, 62, came to Georgia in 1990 as pastor of Peachtree Corners Baptist Church in Norcross, where he served for four years. He has served as pastor in North and South Carolina, as well as Mississippi. He moved to Norcross from the pastorate of Colonial Heights Baptist Church in Jackson, where he served for 10 years.
Harris is well known to Georgia Baptists as a pastor and denominational leader. He served as president of the convention in 1999 and has been an active member on a variety of committees, including the GBC executive committee, administrative committee, budget planning committee and nominating committee (on which he served as chairman). He also served as chairman of the literature distribution committee for the 1994 Super Bowl outreach and is a current trustee of Mercer University.
On the national level he is currently serving on the SBC Executive Committee and has served on the Resolutions Committee and on the board of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources).
In addition, he has served as president of the Pastors’ Conference for the Mississippi Baptist Convention, as vice president of the Mississippi convention, and on the board of Criswell College in Dallas.
Georgia Baptist Convention Executive Director J. Robert White said he was “delighted” when The Index Search Committee and the full Board unanimously named Harris as editor.
“Gerald brings unique abilities to this position. He is a long-time and highly respected pastor of Georgia Baptist churches and is currently pastor of one of our strongest and finest churches.
“Dr. Harris has broad acceptance and respect among Georgia Baptists across the state. He has an outstanding reputation in ministry, a great love for people, a profound commitment to the communication of the Gospel, a love for missions, an outstanding family, and along with all of these positive characteristics, he is an extremely effective communicator in both the spoken and written word.
“Dr. Harris is an extremely fine preacher of the Gospel as well as a published author. Georgia Baptists can with confidence join The Index Board in looking forward to the enthused and energetic leadership of Dr. Gerald Harris as editor of The Christian Index.
“The Search Committee reviewed a significant number of résumés that included both journalists and pastors. In the final analysis, they selected one of our outstanding pastors for numerous reasons, but one that was prominent in the discussion was that through his preaching in the pulpits across our state, Gerald Harris would be able to effectively extend the ministry of The Christian Index.”
Harris has written for a variety of denominational publications, especially for LifeWay Christian Resources. For that publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, he has written devotions for Open Windows and HomeLife magazine. He also has authored two books, Pardoned to be Priests, a book of sermons published by Broadman Press in 1988, and Olympic Heroes, World-Class Athletes Winning at Life, published by Broadman and Holman in 1996.
He has written Sunday School lessons for the Baptist Courier, state paper for South Carolina Baptists; and devotions for the Baptist Record, the Mississippi state paper.
Harris was born Nov. 26, 1940 in Hickory, N.C., and accepted Christ in 1950 at First Baptist Church of Valdese, N.C. The same church called him to preach as a high school senior and ordained him in 1961.
He has a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University, a master of theology degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., and a doctor of ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary in Jacksonville, Fla. (now relocated in Greater Atlanta). He was alumnus of the year for 1997 for Southeastern Seminary.
Harris and his wife, the former Martha Jean Maxwell of Newnan, are parents of a daughter, Miriam, who is married to Billy Godwin, pastor of Ephesus Baptist Church of Douglasville; and twin sons John Mark and Gerald David.
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(BP) photo posted in the BP Photo Library at http://www.bpnews.net. Photo title: GERALD HARRIS.
