The same weekend Ron DeSantis released a campaign video saying he had been sent to Florida directly by God on the eighth day of creation, a prominent Southern Baptist pastor offered an invocation at a DeSantis campaign rally and then…
New Saddleback pastor affirms women as preachers, SBC conservatives want constitutional amendment to exclude churches that affirm women as pastors
The battle over women serving as pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention took on new heat this week when the new pastor at Saddleback Church affirmed his belief that both men and women are qualified to preach and when a…
Abortion ‘abolitionists’ produce documentary accusing the SBC of heresy for not making criminals of women seeking abortions
They’re called “abortion abolitionists,” and their movement is so extreme that it has been rejected by mainstream pro-life groups and the ethics agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. But some pastors at the most far-right edge of the SBC are…
Not everyone believes there’s a sexual abuse crisis in the SBC
First, Jennifer Lyell had to defend herself against a public misrepresentation of her story of sexual abuse published by Baptist Press; now she’s facing a second public humiliation from critics who believe the Southern Baptist Convention’s sexual abuse investigation is…
The SBC rebuffed its most extreme factions but remains extremely conservative
By some accounts, the Southern Baptist Convention once again rejected its most extreme factions during this year’s annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif. But by any outside measure, the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination remains extremely conservative. Defining the term “conservative” within…
Southern Baptists approve sexual abuse response and debate doctrinal parameters
Southern Baptists spent their annual meeting debating how tight the doctrinal boundaries should be around the denomination’s fellowship. Sexual abusers are out. But so are members of the LGBTQ community and those who support them. Women pastors are out, although a…
In surprise move, Jack Graham endorses Tom Ascol for SBC presidency
In a video released Sunday, June 12, former Southern Baptist Convention President Jack Graham endorsed current presidential candidate Tom Ascol — a move shocking to some convention insiders and a potential game-changer in this week’s contest for leadership. Ascol and…
Next week, SBC messengers will have one thing on their mind
Dozens of business items await messengers to next week’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, but there’s only one thing on everyone’s mind. All eyes are on the SBC to see how it responds to a bombshell report on mishandling of…
SBC presidential candidate says Executive Committee’s waiver of attorney-client privilege was ‘not wise’
Three days after a bombshell report from independent investigators made possible by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee waiving attorney-client privilege, one of three candidates for SBC president said he still believes waiving privilege was “not wise.” Florida pastor Tom…