During its regularly scheduled meeting May 6, the Judson College for Women board of trustees pulled the trigger on what they had hoped wouldn’t happen — a vote to close the 183-year-old Alabama Baptist institution. Eighteen members of the 24-member board voted in favor of suspending academic operations and to move through an orderly closing […]
GuideStone trustees elect Dilbeck as president-elect
D. Hance Dilbeck Jr. was unanimously elected GuideStone president-elect during a called meeting of the GuideStone trustee board on May 20. Dilbeck, executive director-treasurer of Oklahoma Baptists since 2018, accepted the call and gave thanks to the Lord, his family and trustees for the opportunity to serve at GuideStone. Dilbeck will serve beginning July 1 alongside […]
Southern Baptists grow in number of churches, plant 588 new congregations amid COVID-19 pandemic
Annual Church Profile data collected for 2020 by LifeWay Christian Resources shows the staggering impact of COVID-19 but also the faithfulness of Southern Baptists to give to missions, even when many couldn’t gather for in-person worship for much of the year. Importantly, the number of cooperating Southern Baptist churches grew to 47,592, even with a […]
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church to be observed June 6
The International Mission Board is collaborating with Nik Ripken Ministries to raise awareness about current religious persecution through the Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. This SBC-wide initiative will be observed June 6. It is a call for Southern Baptists to increase their awareness of and pray fervently for the global persecuted church. In […]
Disappointment, concern greet Bethany’s policy reversal
Southern Baptist leaders expressed disappointment and concern for the ramifications of Bethany Christian Services’ national policy reversal to place children for adoption and foster care with same-sex couples. Bethany, the country’s largest evangelical Christian adoption agency, informed its staff in 32 states of the change in March, but its 14-member board of directors had unanimously […]
‘6 Yellow Balloons’ is author Rosalie Hall Hunt’s own mission story
From the author who brought to life the intimate stories of historic women of missions comes Rosalie Hall Hunt’s own story, “6 Yellow Balloons,” her memoir of growing up in China as a “missionary kid” and following God’s call to become an international missionary herself. At times funny, sorrowful and exhilarating, her story is one […]
Diversity of SBC on display in 2021 Committee on Committees
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear has announced the 68 members of the Committee on Committees that will meet prior to the SBC annual meeting in Nashville June 15-16. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Durham, N.C., has named Meredith Cook, a member of Neartown Church in Houston, as chair of this year’s Committee […]
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering hits cumulative $5 billion
International Mission Board leaders are celebrating a monumental milestone in Southern Baptist life. On March 31, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering surpassed $5 billion total gifts since collection to send missionaries to China began in 1888. “I praise God for this significant milestone in giving through the Lottie Moon offering as it indicates that the […]
Blalock to nominate California pastor for 1st VP of SBC
South Carolina pastor Marshall Blalock will nominate California pastor Anthony Dockery for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the 2021 SBC annual meeting in Nashville in June, Blalock announced April 6. Blalock said Dockery, who has served since 2008 as pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church in La Puente, Calif., has “a […]
2021 SBC annual meeting to remain in Nashville, venue changed
The 2021 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting will move to the Music City Center in downtown Nashville June 15-16, the SBC Executive Committee has announced. According to Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, the shift was made in order to “provide abundant space conducive to holding a meeting that is efficient, […]