BALTIMORE — Southern Baptist volunteers in Maryland and Delaware are ready to respond as needed after the Francis Scott Key Bridge suddenly collapsed into the Baltimore harbor following a “ship strike” in the early-morning hours on March 26.  Search and rescue efforts continue for at least six people who fell into the harbor. “Because of the search and rescue efforts, currently no response groups can access the area until this

He has risen! As you celebrate this Easter season, please remember your many IMB missionaries on the field. In some areas, like where we live in the Asia-Pacific Rim, it’s the perfect time to explain the true meaning of this holiday. We want you to know how Christians are presenting the gospel on the island nation where we live. A couple of years ago, we partnered with national believers to

Jeff Iorg has been discussing leadership, calling and ministry in his weekly “Lead On” podcast for nearly seven years. What he didn’t anticipate was that he would indeed continue to “lead on” in a major capacity after his time as a seminary president. “It wasn’t very many weeks ago that we were tracking toward retirement plans,” Iorg, who is 65, said of his upcoming retirement from Gateway Seminary after 20

INDIANAPOLIS — A preliminary schedule for the Southern Baptist Convention 2024 Annual Meeting June 11-12 in Indianapolis was released March 18 by the Committee on Order of Business. Worship and prayer June 11 at 8 a.m. precede the official 8:15 a.m. call to order, launching two days of business and updates concluding June 12 at 4:45 p.m. The agenda includes a Tuesday night session for the first time since 2018.

NASHVILLE —SBC president Bart Barber has named Kristen Ferguson, associate dean of educational effectiveness and director of online education at Gateway Seminary, to serve as chair of the 2024 Committee on Resolutions. It will be Ferguson’s third year to serve on the committee, having been vice chair at the New Orleans Annual meeting. “The resolutions process empowers the messengers to speak with one voice on current and enduring topics that

NASHVILLE — Southern Baptist sexual abuse reform leaders say work must persist even as investigations into allegations of the SBC’s mishandling of sexual abuse continue. The SBC Executive Committee released a statement on March 6 saying it had been informed there would be no further action taken in the investigation that was launched in 2022. In August 2022, a statement from SBC entity leaders and SBC President Bart Barber said multiple SBC entities were

NASHVILLE — The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded its investigation of the SBC Executive Committee, Southern Baptist leaders learned Feb. 29. In a statement today, Jonathan Howe, interim SBC EC president/CEO, said the DOJ has told the EC’s legal counsel there is “no further action to be taken.” Email requests for comment from the DOJ were not returned by time of publication. The SBC has been represented during the