HOUSTON — Paul Pressler, the Texas judge whose grassroots strategy redirected the Southern Baptist Convention, died June 7, 2024, in Houston, Texas, three days after his 94th birthday and less than six months after the settlement of a lawsuit alleging decades-long sexual assault by Pressler against multiple victims. For decades in the SBC, Pressler was venerated as an almost mythical hero of Southern Baptists for his coordination and leadership of what

INDIANAPOLIS — SBC messengers at the 2024 annual meeting approved the reports of three groups that were formed at last year’s annual meeting in New Orleans. Here’s a closer look at what transpired:

INDIANAPOLIS — Dean Inserra said “football nerds” like him watch with great interest every February as football players showcase what they can do at the NFL Combine, which takes place in Indianapolis just down the street from where Southern Baptists held this year’s annual meeting. “One of the events during the Combine that fans pay attention to is the 40-yard dash,” said Inserra, pastor of City Church Tallahassee in Florida,

INDIANAPOLIS — Newly appointed missionaries looked around the Indiana Convention Center’s hall at the urging of Paul Chitwood, International Mission Board president. He gestured from the stage to more than 13,000 messengers and guests sent by local churches to the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. “Beside you and behind you are row upon row, thousands of Southern Baptists, here to celebrate with you as you prepare to go

INDIANAPOLIS — Kate, a young member of a Girls in Action group, approached her parents in the fall of 2023 with the idea of doing a project for Haiti. They thought it might be something small, but she told them she wanted to raise $7,000 to build a church in Haiti. “In two weekends selling hot apple cider, Kate raised $28,000 to build four churches in Haiti,” said Sandy-Wisdom Martin,

INDIANAPOLIS — Lifeway president Ben Mandrell told messengers at the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting on June 12 that he was “more excited than ever for the future of Lifeway.” “Our finances look great,” he said of the SBC entity, which provides resources to the local church. After experiencing a $55 million revenue drop during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lifeway has experienced God’s favor “as we’ve had three consecutive years of