Biographical Note: M. O. Owens (1913 - 2019) served over fifty years in the pastoral ministry. He was pastor of Myrtle Beach Baptist Church (1939–1942), Palmetto Baptist Church, Palmetto, FL (1942–1944), First Baptist Church, Marion, NC (1944–1951), First Baptist Church, Lenoir, NC (1951–1960), East Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC (1960–1964), and Parkwood Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC (1964–1980). Since retirement in 1980, he served as interim pastor of numerous churches. He attended Furman University (B.A.), Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1939), and Luther Rice Seminary (D. Min., 1976).
Owens also served at various times in denominational and academic positions. He was a member of the General Board of the North Carolina Baptist State Convention, a member of the Sunday School Board (SBC), a North Carolina Director on the Home Mission Board, a trustee of Gardner-Webb College, and a faculty member at Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute. He was a proactive leader in the Conservative Resurgence within the SBC as founder and first president of Baptists United, founder and first president of The Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship, founder and first Chairman of the Trustees of the Southern Baptist Advocate, and founder and first president of Conservative Carolina Baptists.
He published three books: Encouraging the Saints (1989), a practical commentary on 2 Corinthians, God! Do You Hear Me? (2009), a common-sense explanation of biblical teaching on prayer, and A History of Eller Memorial Baptist Church (Greensboro, NC) (1987). He also edited and published for a number of years a small publication, The Watchman.Scope and Contents: This collection contains correspondence, sermon notes, articles, periodicals, and records of conservative organizations and publications within the Southern Baptist Convention such as the Baptists United, the Baptist Faith and Message Fellowship, Conservative Carolina Baptists, and the Southern Baptist Advocate. A small number of photographs are also included.