One of the earliest moderate Baptist enterprises arising from the late-20th-century schism in the Southern Baptist Convention has been acquired by a later independent entity.
Smyth & Helwys Publishing was established in 1991 as a direct competitor to the SBC’s Lifeway Christian Resources. Smyth & Helwys, based in Macon, Ga., publishes books and curriculum and at one point published the newsmagazine Baptists Today.
The company took its name from two key figures in early Baptist history, John Smyth and Thomas Helwys. It was founded in the same year as the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, although it always has been independent and not funded or controlled by CBF. Today, Smyth & Helwys has a book publishing division and a curriculum division called NextSunday Resources. It most popular periodicals include the Formations series for adults and the Reflections daily devotionals.
Now, Smyth & Helwys has been acquired by Celebrating Grace Inc., another independent publisher in the orbit of CBF and related congregations.
Celebrating Grace is the name of a hymnal that was the first product of the company, beginning development in 2007 and published in 2010. This ecumenical hymnal was adopted by many CBF-affiliated churches as a replacement for The Baptist Hymnal, published by the SBC. The hymnal is now in its 10th printing.
Next, Celebrating Grace began offering a line of choral anthems and then in 2011 acquired a line of children’s music education curriculum now called Growing in Grace.
Both Smyth & Helwys and Celebrating Grace were founded by Baptist entrepreneurs in Georgia.
Cecil Staton
Smyth & Helwys was founded by and until recently owned by Cecil Staton, who later was elected as a Republican member of the Georgia Senate.
Staton served as chancellor of East Carolina University from 2016 to 2019. Previously, he served as interim president of Valdosta State University (2015–2016) and as vice chancellor for extended education with the University System of Georgia (2014–2016).
At the time of founding Smyth & Helwys, Staton was transitioning from serving as a professor at Brewton-Parker College in Mt. Vernon, Ga. (1989-1991) to becoming associate provost and associate professor at Mercer University (1991–2003).
Notably, he served on the study committee that led to creation of Mercer’s McAfee School of Theology, named for James McAfee and family, creators of Celebrating Grace. Both families also have been in the radio business in Georgia and beyond. Both families also have ties to Mercer University.
Tom McAfee
James Thomas McAfee serves on the board of The McAfee Foundation and also leads Hallmark Systems Inc., which operates adolescent residential treatment centers. He and his family are well-known philanthropists in Georgia and beyond. He now will be the top executive over Smyth & Helwys as a division of Celebrating Grace.
A news release from the two organizations said Cecil Staton and his wife, Catherine, have retired, precipitating the acquisition by Celebrating Grace and the McAfee family.
Keith Gammons remains publisher of the Smyth & Helwys products, according to the news release.
Although the acquisition was effective Dec. 31, 2024, it was not announced publicly until May 5.
“This acquisition reflects our deep commitment to resourcing the church with excellence and creativity,” said J. Thomas McAfee. “By joining forces with Smyth & Helwys, we can build on our combined heritage and expand our offerings to continue to serve churches and communities with resources they need to tell the gospel story effectively.”
Of all the independent ministries — other than seminaries — formed in the schism with the SBC, only one has retained its original name and leadership: Passport Camps. Founded by David and Colleen Burroughs in 1993, this Alabama-based camping program for children and youth has changed neither its name nor its leaders.
Baptist News Global was another such organization, founded in 1990, one year before CBF, as Associated Baptist Press. ABP has had multiple leaders over the past 35 years and changed its name to BNG after a 2013 merger with the Religious Herald of Virginia.
Baptists Today newspaper, the earliest of the moderate Baptist enterprises founded by Walker Knight in 1983, and Baptist Center for Ethics, founded in 1991 by Robert Parham, merged five years ago to create Good Faith Media.
Baptist Women in Ministry took its current name in 1995, leaving behind its founding name of Southern Baptist Women in Ministry.
BJC, formerly known as Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs and dating to 1938, was a victim of the SBC’s defunding and took on new life in response to the SBC schism. The religious liberty watchdog group was renamed Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in 2004.