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 StatesRNS 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 became […]
Many African American SBC churches have women pastors on staff. Will they be expelled next?
United StatesRNS 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 the […]
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, USAP 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 a […]
In the US, Southern Baptists end first day of annual meeting with key questions hanging
New Orleans, USRNS 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 denomination […]
SBC messengers re-elect Texas pastor Bart Barber to a second term as president
New Orleans, USRNS Texas pastor Bart Barber was elected to a second year in office during an afternoon session of the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting. Barber received 7,531 votes, 68 per cent of the 11,014 vote total, beating out Georgia Baptist pastor Mike Stone, a more conservative challenger, who received 3,458 votes, or 31 […]
In the US, Georgia pastor Mike Stone to challenge SBC President Bart Barber this summer
United StatesRNS For only the second time in more than three decades, a Southern Baptist Convention president will face a challenge for reelection. Georgia pastor Mike Stone, who lost a hotly contested election in 2021, announced on Wednesday that he would accept a nomination for the presidency of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Pastor Mike Stone. PICTURE: […]
Southern Baptist Convention: How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? It’s complicated
The five congregations ousted last week were the first to be expelled from the Southern Baptist Convention on a national level for having women pastors since the ban on women pastors was instituted in 2000. BOB SMIETANA, of Religion News Service, reports…