NASHVILLE (BP) – Brent Leatherwood has resigned as president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, ending nearly nine years of service that began in 2017 as director of strategic partnerships. The ERLC Board of Trustees accepted Leatherwood’s resignation in a called meeting on July 31 in Nashville, gratefully noting his character and achievements in the role he began in 2021 in an acting capacity before becoming president in 2022. “Brent has led the … [Read more...]
Midwestern Seminary professor’s departure to Anglicanism prompts discussion of Baptists & tradition
NASHVILLE (BP) – Social media buzzed with reaction when Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary theology professor Matthew Barrett announced his departure from the SBC to become an Anglican (Learn more about Anglicanism here). He cited the “beauty of Anglicanism” and claimed its practices better align with “how Christians have worshipped across history.” But a cadre of Baptist theologians who focus on connecting Southern Baptists with the broader Christian tradition disagree. They say … [Read more...]
John MacArthur leaves legacy ‘on a generation of preachers’
SUN VALLEY, Calif. (BP) – Longtime pastor, author and teacher John F. MacArthur died July 14 after a short battle with pneumonia. MacArthur, 86, pastored Grace Community Church in the Los Angeles area for 56 years. “At the center of Dr. MacArthur’s ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God’s truth, and Pastor John preached the Word in season and out of season,” the church’s elders said in a statement posted on the church website. “Even in recent years, though beset with … [Read more...]
Texas residents assess losses, welcome Southern Baptist DR volunteers
SAN SABA, Texas – A welcome sign off U.S. Highway 190 identifies San Saba as the “Pecan Capital of the World”—a claim hard to deny. The Central Texas town of just over 3,000 is surrounded by pecan orchards and boasts numerous shellers, packers, retailers, and distributors. People around here say this is a community on the rise. Actor Tommy Lee Jones owns a large ranch in the county. An enormous western store covers half a city block, which is also graced by restaurants, shops, a restored … [Read more...]
Lifeway President/CEO Ben Mandrell called as Bellevue senior pastor
CORDOVA, Tenn. (BP) – Ben Mandrell has been called to be the senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church. Mandrell has served as president and CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources since summer of 2019. “I cannot tell you how thankful we are for this moment,” Mandrell, 48, said in a statement from the church. “This big hurricane of Bellevue love has just swallowed us up.” The vote came as the entire church met in an overflow worship service followed by a special-called business session. … [Read more...]
Bellevue Baptist Church search committee announces Lifeway’s Mandrell as pastor candidate
by Carol Pipes & Noah Sidhom CORDOVA, Tenn (Lifeway) – The pastor search committee at Bellevue Baptist Church has unanimously recommended that Ben Mandrell, CEO of Lifeway Christian Resources become the church’s next senior pastor. Mandrell will preach in view of a call on July 13. The congregation will vote on the committee’s choice after a 10 a.m. service. Pastor Search Committee Chairman Chad Hall said, “The pastor search committee’s only goal during the past eight months was … [Read more...]
Tennessee Supreme Court will hear defamation case against SBC
NASHVILLE (BP) – The Tennessee Supreme Court will hear the appeal of the Southern Baptist Convention as it tries to protect its constitutional rights in a case connected to an inquiry by the SBC Credentials Committee. Preston Garner, a longtime worship pastor and school music teacher, and his wife Kellie filed suit in 2023 against the SBC, Guidepost Solutions and others. The Garners are alleging defamation/libel and slander, defamation by implication, invasion of privacy and loss of … [Read more...]
‘Stand together’ for the sake of reaching nations, Chitwood tells SBC messengers
DALLAS (IMB) – International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood encouraged all Southern Baptists to recognize their role in missions during the IMB report at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas. Chitwood delivered the report to messengers Wednesday afternoon near the conclusion of the two-day meeting. The focus of the entity’s report amplified the essence of IMB’s recurrent message that Southern Baptists are stronger when reaching the nations, together. “I’m … [Read more...]
Amendment on role of women in pastoral ministry fails to achieve 2/3 vote
DALLAS (BP) – A proposed amendment to the SBC Constitution stating the office of pastor should be held only by men was rejected by messengers, receiving approximately 60 percent of the vote, but not reaching the required two-thirds marker. The motion was brought forward by Juan Sanchez, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. With 5,632 ballots cast Wednesday (June 11), 3,421 messengers (60.74 percent) voted for its passage, and 2,191 (38.9 percent) voted against. … [Read more...]
Citing challenges overcome 100 years ago, Iorg urges Southern Baptists to choose cooperation
DALLAS (BP) – In 1925, Southern Baptists faced a “percolating maelstrom of denominational uncertainty,” Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg said in his EC report to messengers to the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting June 10. And in a time when solutions were needed, “courageous leaders redefined cooperation.” Concerns abounded with the nation’s economy – despite it being the Roaring ‘20s – due to government decisions that ultimately produced the Great Depression. Financial scandals within the … [Read more...]
Messengers celebrate 100 years of Cooperative Program giving
by Shannon Baker DALLAS (BP) – During the June 10 afternoon session of the SBC annual meeting in Dallas, SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg led messengers in celebrating 100 years of Cooperative Program giving. Referencing Joshua 4, he shared the story of God instructing His people to gather 12 commemorative stones from the Jordan River and to create a memorial to the miracle of God, who stopped the river so the Israelites could cross on dry ground. The memorial had two … [Read more...]
Pressley leads slate of SBC officers
DALLAS (BP) – Clint Pressley has been reelected SBC president and will begin his term with two newly elected officers and two officers reelected during the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas. President Pressley ran against David Morrill, member of Applewood Baptist Church in Colorado. Morrill, writer, producer, podcaster and member of Applewood Baptist Church in Colorado, was nominated to the office of SBC president by Chris Cunningham, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of … [Read more...]
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