By Brian Koonce Baptist Press DALLAS — Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention proposed 20 motions during two 15-minute scheduled segments of the 2018 annual meeting in Dallas June 12. Messengers debated then defeated June 13 a motion by Tom Hatley of Immanuel Baptist Church in Rogers, Ark., that messengers dismiss Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s trustee Executive Committee. The debate included comments from two current SWBTS trustees, a former convention

By Erin Roach Baptist Press DALLAS — Kie Bowman, pastor of Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, Texas, preached the convention sermon from Ezekiel 37, calling on Southern Baptists to ask God to breathe life into families, churches and the Southern Baptist Convention at the annual meeting in Dallas June 13.

By Tom Strode Baptist Press DALLAS — Messengers to the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention affirmed the dignity and worth of women, denounced all forms of abuse and called for sexual purity among Christian leaders in adopting 16 resolutions Tuesday (June 12).

By Julie McGowan Baptist Press DALLAS — International Mission Board trustees approved the appointment of 47 new missionaries sent by Southern Baptist churches to take the Gospel to the nations during their June 10-11 meeting in Dallas. The new missionaries were part of a Sending Celebration June 12 during the evening session of the SBC annual meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Trustees also heard an update on

By Diana Chandler Baptist Press DALLAS — Personal evangelism and tithing are imperative for reversing declines in key Southern Baptist Convention metrics, SBC Executive Committee Interim President D. August Boto told messengers June 12. Key statistics including top-enrollment seminaries and the largest Protestant membership in the U.S. can camouflage less favorable trends such as declining baptisms and a sharp dip in personal giving, Boto said. “I think it’s important that we

By Barbara Denman Baptist Press DALLAS — J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area, was elected the 60th president of Southern Baptist Convention during the 2018 SBC annual meeting in Dallas. Greear will lead a diverse slate of officers including A.B. Vines, pastor of New Seasons Church in San Diego, first vice president; Felix Cabrera, pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City, second vice

By Erin Roach Baptist Press DALLAS — Personal finance speaker and author Dave Ramsey, addressing the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting June 12, urged pastors to lead people out of debt by teaching them what the Bible says about money. “When you stand up in front of your congregation, you’re looking at a large number of people who do not have the ability to handle their money,” Ramsey, CEO of Ramsey