PHOENIX (ABP) – Atlanta-area pastor Bryant Wright was re-elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention Tuesday afternoon. Wright, pastor of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., received 95 percent of ballots cast. Wiley Drake, a former convention vice president,…
Southern Baptists issued ‘1 percent challenge’ for Cooperative Program
PHOENIX (ABP) – A Southern Baptist leader urged pastors June 14 to lead their congregations to increase the percentages of their budgets for the denomination by a percent. Frank Page, president of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention,…
Executive Committee recommends changes for mission boards
PHOENIX (ABP) — The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention voted June 13 to recommend to convention messengers meeting June 14 in Phoenix changes to working agreements that will allow the International Mission Board to work directly with internationals…
Church buys apartment complex for intentional ministry
GREENVILLE, N.C. (ABP) — While some churches try to figure out how to gain access for ministry in neighboring apartment complexes, Oakmont Baptist Church in Greenville, N.C., just bought the place. Now the new landlord is moving forward to establish…
SBC reports statistical decline
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) – The Southern Baptist Convention reported declines last year in several categories traditionally used as markers of denominational vitality, according to annual statistics released June 9 by LifeWay Christian Resources. The 2010 Annual Church Profile showed dips…
Longtime Baptist journalist Bill Junker dies
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) – Longtime Baptist journalist Bill Junker died June 8 after a long illness. Bill Junker Junker, 83, retired from the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1992. For most of his 13-year tenure he…
Brueggemann points to a food fight in Scripture
SAN ANTONIO (ABP) — People of faith are in a food fight — a conflict between two narratives about food, Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann said. Brueggemann labeled one narrative “aggressive accumulation” and the other “shared, grateful abundance.” The conflict…
2010 Lottie Moon Offering falls short
Lottie Moon RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) – Southern Baptists gave $145.6 million to international missions through the 2010 Lottie Moon Offering, $3 million less than the previous year and $8.3 million less than the International Mission Board needs to meet its…
Groups call on SBC to apologize for treatment of gays
PHOENIX (ABP) – Six groups are joining to call on the Southern Baptist Convention to apologize for its treatment of gays. A new coalition announced plans June 8 to hand deliver a petition at next week’s SBC annual meeting in…