Southern Baptists looked back 100 years to commemorate the adoption of their unified giving plan and their statement of faith. They looked back 15 years to examine the impact of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force. And they are looking forward as several entities are poised to name new leaders in 2026. These are Baptist Press’ selections for the most significant stories of 2025.
Important centennials
Southern Baptists celebrated 100 years of efficient financial cooperation with the centennial of the Cooperative Program and the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message.
The celebration went on throughout the year, with encouragement from SBC President Clint Pressley and plenty of “first-person” pieces in Baptist Press like these from Jeff Iorg, Tony Wolfe, Sandy Wisdom-Martin and Nate Adams.
Members of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 committee (left to right) Albert Mohler, Chuck Kelley, Fred Luter and Richard Land were on hand to celebrate the statement of faith’s 100th anniversary during the June 11 afternoon session of the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas. (Photo by Sonya Singh)
Celebrations included a special recognition ceremony held on the actual 100th anniversary of the 1925 adoption of CP near the exact location in Memphis, as well as the release of the book “A Unity of Purpose” dealing with the history and impact of CP.
Then, at the SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas, messengers had plenty of opportunities to mark the occasion, even a CP-centric scavenger hunt in the Exhibit Hall.
Tuesday afternoon’s main session featured a moving tribute to CP, with dozens of national and state Baptist leaders filling the platform to celebrate. SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg focused on the anniversary of the Cooperative Program in his report to Southern Baptists.
The Wednesday afternoon session featured a tribute to the 1925 Baptist Faith and Message with a video from Southern Seminary President Albert Mohler.
2. Baptisms, attendance increase; membership declines
Data released in the spring of this year painted a complicated picture of Southern Baptist churches and their effectiveness. While the number of Southern Baptists decreased by 2 percent, baptisms in the SBC jumped by more than 10 percent. Worship and Bible study attendance also each grew by more than 5 percent.
Five-year trends show 40 percent of Southern Baptist churches are declining, while 21 percent are growing. Surprisingly, the region with the highest share of growing churches is the Northeast. Churches planted in the last 25 years are also more likely to show growth.
3. Record missions offerings
Southern Baptist generosity reached new heights this year with a record-breaking Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the second-highest Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in history.
4. SBC/EC legal cases
The year brought quite a few developments in ongoing legal cases that involve the SBC and some of its entities and leaders.
In March, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it was closing its investigation of the SBC, which had been ongoing since 2022. No sexual abuse-related charges were filed as a result of the investigation.
Also in March, a federal judge issued a summary judgment in former SBC President Johnny Hunt’s defamation lawsuit against the SBC, dropping all but one count. The judge ruled that Guidepost Solution’s 2022 report on its investigation into the SBC did not intentionally single Hunt out but rather addressed issues of public concern.
Another defamation suit brought against the SBC by former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills and his wife, Mary, had been heading toward a trial in early 2026. It was announced Dec. 15 that the trial was canceled. The parties are awaiting further instruction from Federal Judge William Campbell.
A third defamation lawsuit, brought by Preston Garner, a former East Tennessee music minister whose claims stem from an inquiry brought by the SBC Credentials Committee, has made its way to the Tennessee Supreme Court, where it will be heard Jan. 8, 2026.
5. CP Allocation Budget
In an unusual move, Southern Baptists adopted a Cooperative Program Allocation Budget for 2025-2026 that had $3 million taken off the top to go toward the SBC’s legal bills.
SBC Executive Committee President and CEO Jeff Iorg explained the reasons for the request at the EC’s February meeting before EC members adopted the proposed budget, after some discussion.
6. SBC Abuse Prevention and Response
In January, the SBC officially instituted its Department of Abuse Prevention and Response with the appointment of Jeff Dalrymple to lead the effort.
Efforts so far include a revamped abuse helpline and resources and events designed to help churches prevent and respond well to abuse. More events are planned for early 2026.
7. Revised Business and Financial Plan
Iorg introduced a proposed revision to the SBC’s Business and Financial Plan. The revised plan was designed to increase trustee accountability at the SBC’s entities, Iorg said.
Executive Committee members adopted the plan at their February meeting, and Southern Baptists messengers adopted it at the SBC Annual Meeting in June.
8. GCRTF materials released
After 15 years under an embargo, notes and recordings from several meetings of the 2009-2010 Great Commission Resurgence Task Force were released in June. In a four-part series, Baptist Press provided a look back at the task force as well as some analysis of its impact.
One of the recommendations of the group was taking the International Mission Board’s share of the CP Allocation Budget from 50 percent to 51. While the IMB’s share of the budget did increase to 50.41 over the next few years, the number of missionaries dropped significantly, before ticking back up in recent years.
Arguably the biggest change brought about by the GCRTF was the overhaul of the North American Mission Board. Southern Baptist church planting became better quantified and more focused on urban and underserved areas.
9. Leadership transitions
A few SBC entities saw changes at the top in 2025. ERLC President Brent Leatherwood resigned in July, and chief of Staff Miles Mullin served for a time as interim. In September, ERLC trustees brought in former pastor and South Carolina convention leader Gary Hollingsworth as interim. The entity’s search team continues its work.
Senior Pastor Steve Gaines greets Ben and Lynley Mandrell at Bellevue Baptist Church July 8, 2025. The church called Mandrell to follow Gaines as the church’s senior pastor. (Bellevue photo)
Also in July, Lifeway President Ben Mandrell was called as pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis. Within days, Lifeway trustees began a search for a new president and called on longtime Lifeway executive Joe Walker to serve in the interim.
In October, longtime Southeastern Baptist Theological President Danny Akin announced plans to retire next summer, and a search team began preliminary work.
Then in December, WMU President Sandy Wisdom-Martin announced she will retire in January of 2027.
In addition to SBC entities and auxiliaries, at least a dozen state Baptist conventions saw new leadership or were still searching for a leader in 2025, including Michigan, Northwest, New York, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Arizona, Arkansas, Alaska, the Dakotas, Illinois, Montana, West Virginia and Indiana.
10. Notable deaths
Southern Baptists lost a statesman in the death of Morris Chapman in October. Chapman, former pastor, SBC president and SBC EC president, was remembered for his devotion to Southern Baptists and his passion for the lost.
While well-known preacher and author John MacArthur was not a Southern Baptist, many Southern Baptists grieved his death and honored his legacy in July.
Likewise, James Dobson, following his death in August, was remembered for his unyielding defense of the family.
Voddie Baucham, an evangelist, author, theologian and former Southern Baptist pastor, died unexpectedly in September but was remembered for his “courageous love for and defense of the gospel.”
— Laura Erlanson is managing editor of Baptist Press.