RICHMOND — International Mission Board trustees approved 83 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 15-16 meeting. While gathered near Richmond, trustees also affirmed numerous reports from around the world detailing Southern Baptists’ efforts in advancing the gospel among the lost. The missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration on Tuesday, June 11, at 10 a.m. EDT in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual

NASHVILLE — Dan Spencer is more than a pastor’s kid; he’s an evangelist’s kid. The pastor from East Tennessee has deep roots in the local church that have grown through generations. Spencer, 56, is one of the known candidates to be nominated for SBC president at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting. He vividly remembers one night when he was 16 years old and the weight of conviction landed on him.

NASHVILLE — Jared Moore is grateful for the influence of people who love the Lord, love the local church and loved him when he was a teenager. Moore quickly remembers a specific couple who shepherded him and a group of friends while they were teenagers at Gum Springs Baptist Church in Walling, Tenn. Moore, 43, is an announced candidate for 2024 SBC president. He fondly remembers the influence of Aaron

NASHVILLE — It was an older lady knocking on his door that truly helped Mike Keahbone start his faith journey. The lady was from a church down the street, and she was inviting him to Vacation Bible School. Keahbone, 52, pastor First Baptist Church in Lawton, Oklahoma, is one of the known candidates to be nominated for SBC president at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting. Growing up with a Native

NASHVILLE — Clint Pressley feels indebted to the Southern Baptist Convention. The North Carolina pastor told Baptist Press he’s willing to be nominated to serve as SBC president because he wants to see the Convention healthy and strong as it moves forward doing the things Southern Baptists love to do. Pressley, 55, was the first announced candidate for the office to be decided at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting. While

NASHVILLE — David Allen has been preaching the gospel for a long time. That’s because he got an early start. Allen said God called him when he was only 16 years old. Allen, 67, is one of the known candidates to be nominated for SBC president at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting and said he’s blessed to have been in church all his life, literally. “Actually, I was attending nine

KNOXVILLE — A coalition of 18 states, including Tennessee, filed suit May 13 against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for including gender identity in Title VII protections against sex discrimination. The states oppose EEOC guidance requiring employers to call transgendered employees by their preferred pronouns and to allow them to use facilities such as bathrooms, locker rooms and showers that align with their chosen gender. The Southern Baptist Ethics &