Rogers undergoing medical treatment

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story went to press Nov. 10 as news broke a few days before that Dr. Rogers was in the hospital. The Nov. 17 issue of the Witness went to press earlier than normal in order to have the paper available for distribution at the Florida Baptist State Convention meeting in Ocala. Please click here for the news story about Dr. Rogers’ death.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)–Adrian Rogers, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, has been hospitalized for double pneumonia.

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“He was admitted last Thursday and is responding to the antibiotic treatments,” Bill Skelton, executive vice president of Rogers’ Love Worth Finding radio and TV ministry, told Baptist Press Nov. 8. “As of this morning, he was resting comfortably, and prior to this incident he was responding well to the chemotherapy.”

Rogers, 74, who retired earlier this year as pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., has been undergoing treatment for colon cancer the last several months, following surgery May 16.

Skelton directed those seeking updates on Rogers’ condition to check the Love Worth Finding Ministry Web site, www.LWF.org. He also thanked Rogers’ friends and well-wishers for their concern and encouraged them to continue to intercede spiritually.

As the Witness went to press Nov. 10, the LWF Web site contained the following update:

“We are grateful to bring you updated news that Joyce Rogers has reported. She shares that there is slight improvement, and he is responding to the treatments that are being administered. Praise the Lord!

“Dr. Rogers has been having brief visits with his family and is resting comfortably. That’s just about all the work the doctors want him to do. The doctors have said the next few days are critical, and we knew that you would want to know this in order to pray effectively for him. 

“We at Love Worth Finding want to assure you we are hearing the same rumors you are. But it is our hearts’ desire to relate accurate and up-to-date information to you. Please continue to check back here on our Web site for reliable information.”