In a business session, messengers admitted 21 churches into affiliation, bringing the 11-year-old convention's total churches to 503, with various others still pending. Within a few weeks, the total of 511 is anticipated.

SBCV executive director-treasurer Doyle Chauncey noted for messengers his retirement plans he had previously shared with the SBCV's executive board last May. Though he has yet to set an exact date of retirement, Chauncey said the seven-member search committee is receiving résumés for a person to be employed as executive director-treasurer elect.

Messengers adopted a 2008 budget of $10 million which anticipates $9.3 million in Cooperative Program receipts from SBCV-affiliated churches. The SBCV also anticipates an additional $625,000 from the North American Mission Board, and $75,000 from LifeWay Christian Resources. The budget represents a 6.9 percent increase over the current budget and will be split 50/50 between SBCV statewide ministries and SBC national and international missions and ministries.

By acclamation messengers elected all convention officers: Tim Height, pastor of Main Street Baptist in Christiansburg, president; Mike Palmer, pastor of Green Ridge Baptist Church in Roanoke, first vice president; Rick Caldwell, pastor of Concord Baptist Church in Concord, second vice president; and Allen McCullough, pastor of First Baptist Church in Damascus, secretary.

The convention theme, "Pushing Back the Darkness," was reflected in sermons from keynote speakers, including O.S. Hawkins, president of Guidestone Financial Resources in Dallas; Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla.; Ergun Caner, president of Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg.; and Tom Elliff, senior vice president for spiritual nurture and church relations at the International Mission Board in Richmond.

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