FORT WORTH, Texas (SWBTS) – Renowned Baptist historian and theologian Tom J. Nettles has been appointed a visiting professor of historical theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, President Adam W. Greenway announced today. Nettles will be teaching a course entitled “Scripture” that will examine the doctrine of the Bible, December 7-11 on the Fort Worth campus. “I am delighted to welcome back Tom Nettles to the Southwestern Seminary classroom,” says President Adam W. … [Read more...]
Floyd calls for Great Commission vision
ST. CHARLES – Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, shared a sobering statistic with the Missouri Baptist Annual Meeting audience. “Seventy five percent of the people in the United States are unable to testify to faith in Christ,” he said. “That means 329 million people are in desperate need of Jesus Christ. 7.7 billion across the globe don’t know Jesus as Savior.” “The vision of Jesus Christ,” Floyd continued, “is for us to reach … [Read more...]
Messengers approve Montana mission partnership, Minnesota-Wisconsin partnership to continue
ST. CHARLES – Messengers to the Missouri Baptist Convention annual meeting, Oct. 26-27, approved a new seven-year missions partnership with the Montana Southern Baptist Convention. The missions partnership with the Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention will continue for another five years. Rick Hedger, MBC Multiplying Churches director said, “I am very thankful for the overwhelming response to the new state- to-state partnership between Missouri and the Montana state convention. It is … [Read more...]
Former Missourian reaches unchurched in Montana
LAUREL, Mont. – Gazing out the window in Big Sky Country, Greg Payton wonders how you can see the majesty on display and not instinctively feel the need to acknowledge the One who created it. And yet, that is what most Montanans do, Payton said. “I'm not going to say that they're just resistant to God,” he said. “They're open; they don't see a need. Their parents and grandparents have survived on this land since the 1800s. How does God relate to what we've been doing for generations here … [Read more...]
Kentucky pastor finds treasured photo of Billy Graham in filing cabinet
TAYLORSVILLE, Ky. (BP) – A Kentucky Baptist pastor unearthed a real treasure in the church office on Oct. 26. Pastor Chance McConnell had heard about the photograph from 1953 of the late Rev. Billy Graham holding a child on his lap in the church parsonage, but he’d never seen it. Until Monday, Oct. 26. And thanks to social media, a lot of other people have seen it now too. The color photograph shows Graham holding Bill Crouch, the son of Henry Crouch, who was pastor of First … [Read more...]
Worship God by tithing, Floyd says in free biblical stewardship resource
NASHVILLE (BP) – The financial offering is an exciting part of worship deserving preparation and exhortation on par with sermons, SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Ronnie Floyd believes. That’s a main point of the new resource he authored, “Ten percent: A Call to Biblical Stewardship,” available in digital format and in print at sbc.net. “Giving is an act of worshipping God; therefore, as we give, we should give our best with a pure heart,” Floyd said. “Pastors are privileged … [Read more...]
Mohler to be nominated for SBC presidency
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Citing a desire to serve as a uniter amid turbulent times, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. said he has agreed to accept a nomination to serve as SBC president at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting. Mohler is expected to be nominated by H.B. Charles, senior pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla. Almost a year ago, Charles announced his intention to nominate Mohler for president at the 2020 Annual Meeting, which … [Read more...]
Arizona missionary overcomes pandemic restrictions to reach Native Americans
ARIZONA – Eric and Brittany Gibbs have built their ministry to Arizona’s Native American community on the theme “You are loved,” and their "Live Love Ministries" seeks to make as many partner individuals and churches a part of that as possible. “Hospitality is key for followers of Jesus,” Eric Gibbs said. “Hospitality is bringing people into your life, not just welcoming them into your home. As a believer it is important to love people, all people, and especially those who are … [Read more...]
CP feeds international students during COVID-19 economic slump
EDITOR’S NOTE: October is Cooperative Program Emphasis Month in the Southern Baptist Convention. BATON ROUGE (BP) – Longtime Baptist collegiate minister Steve Masters received a call from an international student at the start of the COVID-19 economic shutdown. The Louisiana State University student’s job was no longer available. “He wanted to know if we could provide him with some money or some food. So I gave him some personal money and I provided him with some direct food,” Masters … [Read more...]
Alaska Baptist messengers vote to withhold CP funds due to friction between state convention, NAMB
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (BP) – Messengers to the annual meeting of the Alaska Baptist Resource Network voted to withhold the allocation of future Cooperative Program funds intended for the North American Mission Board. The state convention moved Sept. 29 that beginning with the 2022 budget, “the percentage of Cooperative Program funds that traditionally were intended for the North American Mission Board … be retained in Alaska” and designated for a state missions fund “until such time as there … [Read more...]
Annie Armstrong offering falls $20 million short of goal
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Southern Baptists gave a total of $49.3 million to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO), the North American Mission Board announced, Oct. 5. The amount was $20 million short of the $70 million goal and fell below last year’s total of $61.4 million, perhaps because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “For the last three years in a row [2017-2019], Southern Baptists broke the record for giving to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering,” said NAMB president Kevin Ezell. “This … [Read more...]
Executive directors from six state conventions allege, repudiate NAMB’s lack of partnership
VANCOUVER, Wash. (LBM) – Executive directors representing five Western state conventions and a Midwestern one have written a passionate letter, Aug. 12, 2020, addressed to Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, and his trustees, as well as the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee and its president, Ronnie Floyd, repudiating what they describe as a lack of partnership in the new “Strategic Cooperative Agreement” that NAMB presented to “non-South Baptist state … [Read more...]