ORLANDO, Fla. (ABP) — President George W. Bush mistakenly praised a church affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship during a speech to the Southern Baptist Convention June 21.
College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., sent money to the SBC from 1928 to January 2004 but now affiliates with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, which is composed largely of Baptist churches opposed to the SBC's rightward shift.
In thanking Southern Baptists for their support of his controversial faith-based initiatives, Bush lauded the Orlando church as an example of a “faith-based charity” receiving government funding. “For example, my administration awarded College Park Baptist Church in Orlando, Fla., $5.8 million to build 68 homes for seniors,” Bush said in his live satellite address.
The Southern Baptist Convention has backed away from doing social ministry in recent years. Ironic? College Park pastor Ron Crawford thinks so.
“The SBC has been moving away from social ministries, and I think they may have something to learn in that regard,” Crawford said. But he predicted, “Bush's mistake is not likely to change their ways.”
Crawford said he is not offended by Bush's reference and he hopes Bush is focused on issues weightier than whether or not College Park Baptist sends money to the SBC.
“I am proud the President had good things to say about our church and ministry,” Crawford said.
The church received government money for its social ministries beginning 22 years ago, long before Bush's faith-based initiatives, Crawford noted.
Crawford said the church's staff has had fun with the new notoriety and with a call from the White House. He joked that the secretary who answered the call from the White House thought someone was calling from “the white house across the street.”