Lloyd Elder died Nov. 3 after a lengthy illness. Southern Baptists lost a statesman — and bivocational and small church pastors across the denomination lost a friend. (See obituary HERE).
Many people will remember Lloyd Elder for his years as president of the former Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway Christian Resources). He served as head of the Baptist publishing agency during the “conservative resurgence” which began in 1979 and lasted through the early 1990s.
Baptist News Global described Elder as the last “moderate” leader of the BSSB. Elder led the BSSB from 1984 until he was “forced out” in 1991 by trustees who were appointed during the resurgence. An earlier attempt to force him out in 1989 failed, but two years later the trustees negotiated an early retirement.
Baptist News Global reported that “trustee leaders said Elder’s departure was not due to theology or politics but was about management style, philosophy and performance.” Elder was later replaced by conservative leader and Texas pastor Jimmy Draper. [Read more…]