William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and seminary professor and current president of Olivet University International in San Francisco, says he will allow his name to be placed in nomination for Southern Baptist Convention president when messengers meet in Indianapolis in June.
SAN FRANCISCO (BP) – William L. (Bill) Wagner, a former Southern Baptist missionary and seminary professor and current president of Olivet University International in San Francisco, says he will allow his name to be placed in nomination for Southern Baptist Convention president when messengers meet in Indianapolis in June.
Wagner formerly was a professor of missions at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary and before that an International Mission Board missionary for 31 years in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. He served as SBC first vice president from 2003-04. He also is the pastor of a small San Francisco-area church, Snyder Lane Baptist, and the author of the 2004 book, “How Islam Plans to Change the World,” published by Kregel.
“It is hard to believe that the Southern Baptist Convention, historically and currently bound together in their desire to introduce others to the Gospel all over the world, have never had an International Mission Board missionary as their president,” Wagner said in a statement to Baptist Press.
The 2006 Annual Church Profile lists four baptisms for the previous year for Snyder Lane Baptist, located in Rohnert Park, Calif., and primary worship service attendance of 30. The church gave $670 through the Cooperative Program. It did not list its total undesignated receipts or total mission expenditures.
Wagner said he has been the church’s pastor for two years and does not receive a salary. The congregation was “almost dead but is now seeing growth once again,” he said. It only had approximately 10 people attending every Sunday.
when he took the position to “see what could be done to bring new life” to the congregation.
The congregation’s record on giving is “deceptive,” Wagner said in an e-mail, explaining, “We have voted that we will give 10 percent to the Cooperative Program and have done so this year. We also have met our goals this year for Lottie Moon ($500.00) and Annie Armstrong ($300.00).”
Wagner received his bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico and his master of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Texas. He also holds a doctor of missiology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in California and a doctor of theology degree from the University of South Africa.