ORLANDO, Fla. — Supporters of the Great Commission Resurgence task force took a final opportunity to garner votes for their report when they encouraged 1,300 primarily younger pastors attending the B21 conference Tuesday to leave the luncheon and become fixtures…
Messengers embrace report, focus on Great Commission
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Southern Baptist Convention embraced a future uncertain but focused on the Great Commission when a solid majority of messengers adopted the report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force June 15. “We are a Great Commission…
OPINION: Executive Committee treats new boss shoddily
ORLANDO, Fla. — Frank Page was elected president-elect of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee during a bizarre and shoddy exercise June 14 in Orlando. Page is currently vice president for evangelism of the North American Mission Board and is…
Vestal confident in future as CBF emerges from its adolescence
MARION, N.C. (ABP) — With the death of founding coordinator Cecil Sherman and the approaching 20th anniversary of its birth, the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is reaching a point where its viability into the future will either be cemented or…
Congregational-health expert says churches and ministers are ‘in crisis’
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (ABP) — During his installation March 18 as president of the Center for Congregational Health, Bill Wilson said churches and ministers are "in crisis." That's a breath-sucking observation from the head of an organization that has dealt with…
Church health center installs former Virginia Baptist leader as president
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A parade of friends and colleagues from past ministries helped to install Bill Wilson March 18 as second president of the Center for Congregational Health during a service at United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C….
SECOND OPINION: How do we best help Haiti recover?
How that Haiti is completely wrecked, how does anyone fix it? With tremors still shaking the island nation that has never recovered from its own birth pains, the world’s nations are sending tons of food and barrels of water to…
Former HMB president says NAMB merger was a mistake
CENTRALIA, Mo. (ABP) — Combining three Southern Baptist agencies into the North American Mission Board in 1995 was a bad idea, says the last president of one of the agencies. Larry Lewis, president of the Home Mission Board of the…
North Carolina convention cuts jobs
CARY, N.C. (ABP) — With income trailing last year's gifts by 3.2 percent or $647,000 through seven months, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina has laid off three people and eliminated six positions, effective immediately. Two of the…
SBC needs overhaul, says writer of ‘Great Commission Resurgence’ document
WAKE FOREST, N.C. (ABP) — The lead author of a “Great Commission Resurgence” document circulating among Southern Baptist Convention leaders says a major overhaul of denominational structures must occur if the convention is going to engage younger pastors. Danny Akin,…
Southeastern Seminary president calls SBC executive’s comments ‘shameful’
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary called comments in a speech by the Southern Baptist Executive Committee President Morris Chapman “disingenuous” and “shameful.” Seminary President Danny Akin was addressing a panel discussion hosted by B21 at…
SBC resolution commends, cautions Obama
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Southern Baptists both commended President Barack Obama and expressed opposition to some of his policies in a resolution passed June 24 at their annual meeting in Louisville. A resolution commending Obama for his “evident love for his…