Posted on Sep 24, 2007

TAYLORS, S.C. (BP)--Over the past year, many questions have been asked about how I have been treated by other leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention. This question normally comes forth out of recognition that I was not the most popular choice among some leaders.

The answer to that question is an easy one for me. I have been treated with respect, honor and consideration by the leaders of this convention. The presidents of the entities and educational institutions, and the trustees, have been a wonderful group of people with whom to work. I have been encouraged by their competence and have been personally encouraged by their spirit of cooperation.

Yet another question I often am asked is: What has been my greatest surprise? The answer to this is that I have been deeply surprised by the amount of contact I have had with secular politicians.

The timing of the presidential election has coincided with my time as president of the SBC. Add to that the fact that I pastor a church in South Carolina, which has one of the first presidential primaries, no doubt has added to this phenomenon. Please pray for me as I continue to meet with persons such as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson. I already have spent time with leaders such as John McCain, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani. I have spoken on the phone with persons such as Mitt Romney.

While I do not endorse a presidential candidate as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, nor as pastor of a local church, I am attempting to use this opportunity to speak to all of these persons about their personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that I will be able to present a positive message to each one of them.
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Frank Page is president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C.