Not long ago, a search committee called to share their final discernment after months of conversations, sermons, prayers and emails. Their words were familiar, almost rehearsed by the collective memory of Black clergy everywhere. They told me it had become…
CBF honored for partnership with the European Baptist Federation
In September, five Cooperative Baptist Fellowship field personnel joined global Baptist leaders in Amman, Jordan, to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the European Baptist Federation (EBF). During the gathering, CBF Global Missions was recognized as one of EBF’s long-time strategic…
In celebrating Spiritual Care Week, CBF announces O’Rear Chaplain Assistance Fund
In conjunction with Spiritual Care Week, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship announces the creation of the Christopher O’Rear Chaplain Assistance Fund, a new endowment through the CBF Foundation providing short-term financial assistance to CBF-endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors experiencing unexpected financial…
Legendary Baptist missions leader Keith Parks dies
Keith Parks, who led global missions enterprises for both the Southern Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, died Aug. 26 in Richardson, Texas, at age 97. Parks committed his long life to telling people all over the world about…
The time is now to preach justice, Blackmon urges CBF
“Now is the time” to proclaim a gospel that sets people free, activist and theologian Traci D. Blackmon told participants at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Dr. Emmanuel McCall Racial Justice Trailblazer luncheon June 25 in St. Louis. The annual event…
CBF session explores responses to sexual abuse in congregations
One learning lab at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s General Assembly asked attendees to consider what their church would do if abuse happened in their congregation. Jay Kieve, CBF’s abuse prevention and response advocate, joined attorney David Cooke to talk through…
CBF ratifies downsized budget, elects slate of new leaders
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship adopted a downsized budget and elected new leaders during its General Assembly in St. Louis June 24-26. The 2025-26 budget — which takes effect when CBF’s fiscal year begins Aug. 1 — calls for expenditures of…
Find purpose beyond church growth or decline, Burge urges CBF
“Your church probably is not growing, and that’s OK,” Ryan Burge, a leading analyst of politics and religion, told a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship gathering June 24 in St. Louis. But that doesn’t signal a cause for apathy or despair, he…
Baylor and CBF announce new partnership
Baylor University and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship have announced a joint venture that will place three CBF field personnel — missionaries — on campus to guide students in responding to God’s call to ministry. Baylor is a Baptist heritage university…
‘No vouchers, no cuts’ rally opposes ‘big beautiful bill’
A coalition of education and religious freedom groups rallied near the U.S. Capitol urging senators to defeat a Republican spending plan that would create a federal school voucher program and impose deep cuts to social service programs like Medicaid. “Today,…
Some Baptist leaders hopeful about Pope Leo XIV
“I did not think this would happen in my lifetime,” Baptist scholar Elizabeth Newman said of the election of an American as pope. Newman, a theologian and ethicist who serves as co-chair of the Baptist-Catholic dialogues convened by Baptist World…
CBFNC focuses on diversity, inclusion and ‘serving together’ amid trying times
Last week’s annual gathering of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina, hosted by Pritchard Baptist Church in Charlotte, centered the theme “Serving Together,” bringing forth unity in diversity among North Carolina congregations in the current political, social and economic…