ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – The board of trustees for the North American Mission Board unanimously passed a resolution on cooperation and missional strategy at their February 2021 board meeting. The resolution comes just days after the SBC Executive Committee released a white paper titled “Cooperation Is the Way Forward.” The document was drafted by the EC and advised NAMB and state conventions to walk in unity; to communicate honestly, clearly, and consistently; to work in cooperation with one … [Read more...]
Lifeway reports $45 million shortfall in revenue during 2020 budget year
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lifeway Christian Resources trustees celebrated a successful rebrand while renewing a focus on kingdom work and serving church leaders during their two-day board meeting, Jan. 25-26. “At Lifeway, our mission is to design trustworthy experiences that fuel ministry. We are servants to the servants of local churches, walking alongside them in ministry,” said Lifeway President and CEO Ben Mandrell. “God has called us to be a part of the … [Read more...]
Missourians consider opportunities in Montana
Long-term partnerships ‘make a difference,’ Montana’s Fowler says JEFFERSON CITY – More than a dozen Missouri Baptists gathered, Jan. 28, to hear from former Missourian and long-time Montana minister Steve Fowler about opportunities for building mission partnerships with churches in the state. “We’re excited about the partnership (with Missouri),” Fowler told The Pathway after the meeting at the Baptist building here. “We’re especially excited about this being a seven-year commitment … [Read more...]
Former Missourian to lead Texas Baptist Men
HILLSBORO – Former Missourian, David Wells, has been selected as the disaster relief (DR) director for Texas Baptist Men, located in Dallas. Wells moved from Sandy Baptist Church, Hillsboro, last year to be the assistant director for Texas Baptist Men DR. He served as an interim director and was then promoted this past month for the position which was vacated last fall by former Missourian, Dwain Carter. Carter is now serving as a pastor in Tilden, Texas. Wells has been involved … [Read more...]
Task force releases report on Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
NASHVILLE – A Southern Baptist task force studying the effectiveness of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) issued its report, Feb. 1. Commissioned in February 2020 by the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, the task force was charged with reviewing the activities of the ERLC, which is tasked with helping churches understand the moral demands of the gospel and public policy, as well as promoting religious liberty on behalf of Southern Baptists. The task … [Read more...]
Four nominees announced for SBC president
NASHVILLE – Four men have expressed their intention to be nominated as Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) president when SBC messengers gather in Nashville, June 15-16. R. Albert Mohler Jr. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. announced his willingness to be nominated as SBC president last October, citing his desire to help unite Southern Baptists amid turbulent times. He is expected to be nominated by H.B. Charles, senior pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan … [Read more...]
MBTS students challenged to pursue faithful ministry
Four new faculty members welcomed during convocation KANSAS CITY (Michael S. Brooks/MBTS) – President Jason Allen opened Midwestern Seminary’s spring semester with an Academic Convocation message calling believers to press on in Christ. The service took place in the Daniel Lee Chapel on Jan. 19. Additionally, four newly-elected seminary faculty members signed the institution’s Articles of Faith during the service. The four new faculty members were: Geoffrey Chang, Andrew King, Charles … [Read more...]
FBC Diamond pastor to head up Kentucky’s Disaster Relief efforts
DIAMOND – Ron Crow is following the call of God to a new place of ministry in Kentucky where he will head up the Kentucky Baptist disaster relief (DR) ministry. Crow, the pastor of First Baptist Church, Diamond, in southwest Missouri, said he needed the call of God to be clear. He is moving away from his home area where he has lived most of his life within twelve miles of his present location. He and his wife, Lisa, will be leaving behind their grandkids and their adult children to move … [Read more...]
NAAF leaders, SBC seminary presidents hold ‘honest and open conversation’
NASHVILLE (BP) – A multi-ethnic group of Southern Baptist leaders described a meeting, Jan. 6, as productive and trust-building, saying although they did not agree on all points, they were committed together to fighting racism and to honoring “our common commitment to the inerrant Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” The meeting was called by Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, to address turmoil resulting from several recent statements issued by various … [Read more...]
LifeWay Donates Nearly 30,000 Spanish Bibles to Struggling Venezuelan Communities
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Somewhere in a Venezuelan prison, *Luis, a 26-year-old inmate, recently received new life after placing His trust in Christ. And his newfound faith has been bolstered in large part due to a new Bible he received through a partnership with LifeWay and an organization that has been mobilized to distribute copies of God’s Word throughout the country. In August 2020, LifeWay Christian Resources donated nearly 30,0000 copies of Spanish “Reina Valera” (RVR) Bibles of nine … [Read more...]
A Statistical Analysis of Growth in SBC Congregations by Race and Ethnicity from 1990-2018
Last spring, I commissioned our Great Commissions Relations and Mobilization Team to discover where we were in our SBC congregations by race and ethnicity from 1990-2018. The team consists of Julio Arriola, Peter Yanes, Charles Grant, Ashley Clayton, and team leader, Willie McLaurin. Our Asian American Executive Director, Peter Yanes, was asked to lead this study and secured the needed assistance to accomplish the project. This fall, one of the most informative and encouraging sessions … [Read more...]
NAAF, Ausberry respond to seminary presidents’ statement
FAIRFAX STATION, Va. (BP) – Citing “concerns that affect all ethnic groups in the SBC,” the president of the National African American Fellowship of the Southern Baptist Convention issued a statement on behalf of the group related to the “breadth and depth” of a recent statement by presidents of the six Southern Baptist seminaries. Marshal Ausberry, who is also pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Fairfax Station, Va., and first vice president of the SBC, said his hope was for Southern … [Read more...]