McLaurin resigns as interim EC president, removed from search consideration

Willie McLaurin has stepped down as interim president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee and is no longer considered to be a candidate for that position by the presidential search team. McLaurin confessed to EC Chairman Phillip Robertson and EC Presidential Search Committee Chairman Neal Hughes Aug. 17 that his education credentials were forgeries. […]

Daniel Dickard guest on recent ‘Road to New Orleans’ video

Daniel Dickard, president of the 2023 SBC Pastors Conference, joined SBC Executive Committee Vice President for Communications Jonathan Howe to preview this year’s conference. In the latest installment of “Road to New Orleans,” a video series hosted by Howe to prepare and inform Southern Baptists leading up to the 2023 SBC annual meeting, Dickard, senior […]

Finn to be re-nominated for SBC recording secretary

North Greenville University provost and current SBC Recording Secretary Nathan Finn will be re-nominated for the position by Florida pastor Dean Inserra at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans, La., on June 13-14. “Nathan Finn is not only committed to being a Southern Baptist, he is also excited to be one,” Inserra […]

Most significant Baptist stories of 2022

The year 2022 saw the most troop activity in Europe since World War II as well as a major victory for pro-life warriors in the U.S. A year of historic giving in the SBC was also a year of major natural disasters and the ongoing challenge of confronting sexual abuse. Here’s what we saw as […]

Barber’s ’60 Minutes’ interview brings positive reviews from SBC leaders

A wide-ranging interview on CBS’ “60 Minutes” Oct. 9 focused on the SBC’s recent decisions to address sexual abuse, was well-received by a group of Southern Baptist leaders. The Sunday evening interview by Anderson Cooper covered not only sexual abuse, but political divisions in the country regarding former President Donald Trump, the separation of church […]

Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong offerings reach historic highs

  Both mission boards of the Southern Baptist Convention are reporting all-time highs in offering giving. The International Mission Board is rejoicing at God’s work through the generosity of Southern Baptists, who gave $203.7 million to the 2021-2022 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering — the largest offering in the 177-year history of the IMB. Meanwhile, the […]

National CP giving tops $200 million for first time since 2008

In the midst of ongoing financial challenges related to the economic aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern Baptists have given more than $200 million through the national Cooperative Program allocation budget for the first time since 2008. Giving for the 2021-2022 fiscal year totaled $200,452,607.68, becoming the first time in 14 years that CP giving […]

Leatherwood named Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission president

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission board of trustees named Brent Leatherwood the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy entity in a unanimous vote Sept. 13. “Rooted in Scripture and guided by the Baptist Faith and Message, this team will remain fervently committed to carrying out our ministry assignment — faithfully serving […]

Blalock, Keahbone to head Abuse Response Implementation Task Force

Bart Barber, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, has announced the names of those who will lead and serve on the SBC Abuse Response Implementation Task Force, according to a Baptist Press release. The news follows an announcement that Marshall Blalock will chair the task force and Mike Keahbone will serve as vice chair. Both […]

SBC leaders respond to DOJ investigation

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has been informed that the United States Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into the SBC that will include “multiple SBC entities,” according to an Aug. 12 statement from all SBC entity leaders and SBC President Bart Barber. “Individually and collectively, each SBC entity is resolved to fully […]