Southern Baptists: After a slew of controversies, the SBC turns to a low-key leader to keep things cool
YONAT SHIMRON, of Religion News Service, reports that Clint Pressley does not have a national following or a big social media presence. As SBC president, his goal is to tone down the acrimony…
More than 10,000 Southern Baptists gather for meeting that could bar churches with women pastors
Indianapolis, US AP More than 10,000 voting representatives gathered Tuesday for the opening of the Southern Baptist Convention’s two-day annual meeting, where they will vote on whether to ban churches with women pastors and deliberate yet again on how to respond to sexual abuse within churches. Some 10,553 messengers, as delegates are known, are meeting […]
Southern Baptists, losing members, find solace in baptisms and better attendance
United States RNS The bad news for Southern Baptists is that the denomination, the largest Protestant group in the US, shrunk in 2023, with a drop of about a quarter-million people. The good news, according to the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual statistical report, is that the decline slowed from 2022. In addition, of those who […]
In the US, Bruce Frank, former SBC abuse taskforce leader, joins crowded SBC presidential race
United States RNS A North Carolina pastor who championed sex abuse reforms in the Southern Baptist Convention plans to run for president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Bruce Frank, longtime pastor of Biltmore Church in Asheville, announced on Tuesday that he would allow his name to be placed for nomination at the SBC’s annual […]
Heads of SBC mission boards say they will not fund new abuse reform non-profit
Nashville, Tennessee, US RNS Leaders of two major Southern Baptist mission boards said they will not help fund a proposed independent non-profit meant to implement the denomination’s abuse reforms. Plans for the non-profit were announced on Monday night during a meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. The headquarters of the Southern Baptist Convention is seen […]
Texas Baptists affirm women in ‘ministerial’ roles as SBC debate moves to states
United States RNS A month after Southern Baptists confirmed the expulsion of churches from their denomination for allowing women to serve as pastors, the Baptist General Convention of Texas adopted a statement on Tuesday urging its staff to continue to affirm women in “ministerial and leadership roles”. After half an hour of debate, the BGCT […]
Many African American SBC churches have women pastors on staff. Will they be expelled next?
United States RNS Earlier this year, Southern Baptists expelled five churches from the nation’s largest Protestant denomination for having women as pastors. Now, the leader of a fellowship of African American Southern Baptist pastors wonders if their churches will be next. Messengers vote during the first day of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting at […]
Women in church leadership: Southern Baptists say no to women pastors. But what does the Bible say a pastor is?
The expulsion of Saddleback Church and other congregations for having women pastors has prompted questions about thousands of other churches where women serve in roles such as children’s pastor or music minister. BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service, reports…
Southern Baptists refuse to take back megachurch because it has women pastors
New Orleans, US AP The Southern Baptist Convention has refused to welcome Saddleback Church back into its fold, rejecting an appeal by the California megachurch over its February ouster for having women pastors. Southern Baptist church representatives at their annual meeting here also rejected a similar appeal by a smaller church, Fern Creek Baptist of Louisville, Kentucky, which is led by […]
In the US, Southern Baptists end first day of annual meeting with key questions hanging
New Orleans, US RNS During the opening day of their annual meeting, Southern Baptists re-elected a president, debated the place of women leaders in the church and spent hours debating using Robert’s Rules of Order. Still, nearly 10 hours after the opening gavel, key issues that brought nearly 13,000 members of the nation’s largest Protestant […]