HOUSTON (ABP) — Southern Baptists experienced little antagonism during their annual convention in Houston last week — a phenomenon that surprised some and delighted most SBC officials and messengers. There were plenty of opportunities for controversy. Debates ensued — but…
Called the ‘guy we need on the scene,’ Fred Luter reelected convention president
HOUSTON (BP) — Fred Luter Jr., pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was re-elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention June 11. Luter, whose historic election in 2012 as the SBC’s first African-American president was a milestone…
Do Baptist annual meetings have a future?
’Tis the season for Baptist annual meetings. But will declining numbers, the expense of gathering people for face-to-face encounters and rapid advances in technology soon mean the demise of the rite? Not necessarily and probably not anytime soon. Fellowship and…
LEADERSHIP LINK: Church governing documents: Are they necessary?
Baptists have always placed a high priority on starting new churches. As the new churches come into being, one of the questions they face is what kind of governing documents they need. In Baptist circles, four kinds of governing documents…
EDITORIAL: Movin’ on
As I write this, the Southern Baptist Convention is winding up its annual meeting in Houston and one of the voices raised was that of Fred Luter, convention president. Divisions among Southern Baptists must end, Luter said. As reported by…
HeraldBeat: Tracking Baptists across the Mid-Atlantic
Accepted a new call? Been ordained? Church celebrating an anniversary? Mission trip or project that you would like highlighted on the HeraldBeat page? Send info to HeraldBeat editor Barbara Francis at [email protected]. Transitions ON THE MOVE Joey Tucker, to Mount…
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SBC condemns Boy Scouts’ decision on gays but stops short of boycott
HOUSTON (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention stopped short of urging churches to sever ties with the Boy Scouts of America in a June 11 resolution condemning the organization’s recent decision to drop its ban on Scouts who are openly…
D.C. Baptist Convention churches will see change in representation on SBC governing boards
Churches affiliated with the District of Columbia Baptist Convention will see diminished representation on the governing boards of Southern Baptist Convention agencies and institutions, following a June 11 vote. At its annual meeting in Houston, the SBC adopted a recommendation…
WINN RECOMMENDS: Books that matter
Summer, the days I believe to be perfectly fitted for fiction, are upon us. Here are a few titles you should not miss. The Dog Stars, Peter Heller (Vintage) A flu pandemic has wiped most of the world’s populate from…
OPINION: Embrace the sand
I’ve got this little problem that I think I hide well most of the time. I’ve crafted my Jungian mask and public persona to come across as fairly laid-back, cool and collected. At least that’s what I tell myself I’ve…
Baptist Joint Committee names new communications chief
WASHINGTON — Cherilyn Crowe has been named director of communications for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, succeeding Jeff Huett, who was named the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s associate coordinator of communications and advancement. Cherilyn Crowe A graduate of Samford…