By J.D. Greear & Brad Hambrick Baptist Press DURHAM, N.C. — Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear has set forth counsel to victims of sexual abuse who have not yet sought help. An article coauthored with biblical counselor Brad Hambrick has been posted at Greear’s website, jdgreear.com, and is printed in full below.
By Art Toalston Baptist Press EDITOR’S NOTE FROM BP: This story was updated Feb. 11 at 7:30 a.m. Central time. HOUSTON — A Houston newspaper, in reporting on instances of sexual abuse by pastors and others at Southern Baptist churches, has left SBC President J.D. Greear “broken over what was revealed today.” “The abuses described in this @HoustonChron article are pure evil,” Greear stated in a series of tweets after
Baptist Press RICHMOND — International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood announced Jan. 30 that Todd Lafferty will be presented to the entity’s board of trustees as his recommendation for the IMB’s next executive vice president. IMB trustees, who meet Feb. 6-7 in Richmond, are responsible for electing the person who serves in that role. Lafferty currently serves as pastor of mobilization for Shades Mountain Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala. He
Baptist And Reflector NASHVILLE — As accounts of sexual abuse in churches increase, congregations are more aware than ever that background checks for volunteers and staff are now a necessity and not an option to consider. A 2018 survey, conducted by LifeWay Research in Nashville, revealed that 12 percent of Protestant pastors say someone on church staff has sexually harassed a congregation member at some point in the church’s life,
By Ann Lovell IMB communications office RICHMOND, Va. — Unity, fellowship and promises of mutual support characterized the installation of International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood, a native of Jellico, Tenn., and the Sending Celebration of 19 newly appointed international missionaries at Grove Avenue Baptist Church, in Richmond, Wednesday, Feb. 6. Chitwood is the 13th president of the 173-year-old International Mission Board, the largest denominational missionary-sending body among American evangelicals.
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] CUNNINGHAM — David Mackens is well aware there are not many openings for former Pentecostal pastors in Southern Baptist life. But nearly 12 years ago, there was an opening at Lone Oak Baptist Church in Cumberland Furnace and Mackens was asked to preach one Sunday. Though he was, indeed, a former Pentecostal pastor, they asked him to come back and serve on
LEADERS Fellowship Baptist Church, Milan, has called Ron Harper as minister of music. Larry Gilmore, a retired Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (then Executive Board) and past Tennessee Baptist Convention president, has been called as interim pastor of First Baptist Church, Milan. Roger Freeman recently announced his retirement as pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Nashville. Freeman is a past president of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. He will continue to serve as
Four Mile Baptist, a congregation of 28, had five baptisms in 2018 By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] PIGEON FORGE — At an age when most pastors are stepping away from the ministry or moving into interim or supply work, David Oliver did just the opposite. At the age of 68, Oliver became pastor of Four Mile Baptist Church in Maryville. And, what’s more, God blessed in a
By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector [email protected] PIGEON FORGE — When he was invited to the Bivocational Ministers and Wives Retreat for the first time, Jim Haggard wasn’t even sure if he wanted to go. Ten years later, he now considers it to be one of the best decisions he’s ever made. Haggard, the pastor of Middlebrook Baptist Church in Knoxville, was dealing with the death of both of his
By Roger Britton Pastor, Whites Creek Baptist Church, Rockwood On Jan. 12, 1997, my wife Kathy, daughter Kacie and son Cody and I began our ministry when I became the pastor of Whites Creek Baptist Church in Rockwood. Kathy and I were married in 1979 and had been in ministry from day one of our married lives. We started out as bus ministry director and children’s church pastor at First
By J.D. Greear & Brad Hambrick Baptist Press DURHAM, N.C. — Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear has set forth counsel to victims of sexual abuse
By Art Toalston Baptist Press EDITOR’S NOTE FROM BP: This story was updated Feb. 11 at 7:30 a.m. Central time. HOUSTON — A Houston newspaper,
Baptist Press RICHMOND — International Mission Board President Paul Chitwood announced Jan. 30 that Todd Lafferty will be presented to the entity’s board of trustees
Baptist And Reflector NASHVILLE — As accounts of sexual abuse in churches increase, congregations are more aware than ever that background checks for volunteers and
By Ann Lovell IMB communications office RICHMOND, Va. — Unity, fellowship and promises of mutual support characterized the installation of International Mission Board President Paul
By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] CUNNINGHAM — David Mackens is well aware there are not many openings for former Pentecostal pastors in
LEADERS Fellowship Baptist Church, Milan, has called Ron Harper as minister of music. Larry Gilmore, a retired Tennessee Baptist Mission Board (then Executive Board) and
Four Mile Baptist, a congregation of 28, had five baptisms in 2018 By Lonnie Wilkey Editor, Baptist and Reflector [email protected] PIGEON FORGE — At an
By David Dawson Baptist and Reflector [email protected] PIGEON FORGE — When he was invited to the Bivocational Ministers and Wives Retreat for the first time,
By Roger Britton Pastor, Whites Creek Baptist Church, Rockwood On Jan. 12, 1997, my wife Kathy, daughter Kacie and son Cody and I began our