I thought I had seen arrogance in Southern Baptist Convention agency heads in my 62 years of living, but I had not heard from Ben Mandrell until today. His cold-hearted arrogance speaking before the SBC annual meeting today is in…
Chair of SBC abuse task force explains why it is hard to get anything done
Because of the massive size of the Southern Baptist Convention, it is nearly impossible to bring about internal change. Nowhere is that more evident than in the failure of two consecutive sexual abuse reform task forces to bring meaningful change….
SBC engages feisty debate on meaning of religious liberty before adopting resolution
That there are two distinct views on the meaning of religious liberty among Southern Baptists came into stark contrast June 11 during lengthy debate of a resolution “on defending religious liberty.” The convention’s Resolutions Committee put forward the resolution that…
Critics see NAMB race car as symbol of financial excess they still want to curb
The quest to demand great financial accountability from the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board accelerated as messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis were greeted by an Indy race car wrapped with the NAMB logo. This prominent…
Trump tells Southern Baptists, ‘You cannot vote for Democrats’ while Mohler opposes IVF
Donald Trump spoke to a group of Southern Baptists for about a minute and a half June 10 and warned them they cannot vote for Democrats because “they’re against religion” and “they’re against your religion.” Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee…
Dear SBC: Let my people go!
Dear Southern Baptist Convention: Welcome to Indianapolis! We Baptists — at least, the “normal” kind, whose pastoral leaders possess no desires of grandeur to elevate themselves to “bishop,” or “prophet,” or “apostle” — frequently joke about who might be bishop…
The Law Amendment may not be the most important action taken at next week’s SBC annual meeting
The Southern Baptist Convention has been at war with itself for more than 40 years, with each new battle promising uniformity that never materializes for long. This year’s SBC annual meeting, happening next week in Indianapolis, represents another major front…
Motion will ask SBC to add Nicene Creed to Baptist Faith and Message
Four Southern Baptist theologians and pastors intend to ask messengers to this year’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting to adopt the Nicene Creed as part of the denomination’s official faith statement. In the sweep of Baptist history, this is an…
What can be learned from the SBC Book of Reports? The circle remains unbroken
The Southern Baptist Convention is so big and its empire so far-reaching that it’s hard to get true perspective on its scope and trends. One of the few snapshots to give insight is the Book of Reports, published just prior…
Second vote on Law Amendment will take the spotlight at this summer’s SBC annual meeting
When the Southern Baptist Convention meets in annual session in Indianapolis in June, one vote may be the most consequential in determining the future of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. And it will not be the vote to elect an…
Mike Stone will make repeat run at SBC presidency
A Georgia pastor who has been a standard bearer for the most conservative wing of the Southern Baptist Convention will make a second run to become SBC president at this June’s annual meeting in New Orleans. Mike Stone, pastor of…
Still no external review of North American Mission Board finances
For at least two years, critics of the current leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention North American Mission Board have been seeking some way to crack open the mission board’s books, where they believe fraud is being hidden. This week,…