2023 SBC MEETING: MERCY NEEDED TO FOLLOW JESUS’ EXAMPLE, ORR SAYS

For his sermon on mercy, Bartholomew Orr turned to a text that might seem surprising — the story of Jesus cleansing the temple in Matthew 21. Orr, senior pastor of Brown Missionary Baptist Church in Southaven, Mississippi, had been tasked with unpacking Matthew 5:7 — “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” — at the Southern […]

2023 SBC MEETING: CELEBRATION CHURCH BAPTIZES 17 DURING CROSSOVER BLOCK PARTY

NEW ORLEANS — Seventeen people went all in for Jesus on June 10, participating in believer’s baptism during a block party at Celebration Church’s Lower St. Bernard campus in Violet, Louisiana. One by one, each person came in and out of a water-filled portable trough and was greeted with applause during the church’s first-ever Jesus Fest […]

2023 SBC MEETING: COLLINS, OTHER PASTORS EXAMINE JOY, MOURNING

NEW ORLEANS — Roc Collins, strategic objectives director for the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, said the source of joy for Christians should never be in question.   “Joy is the overflowing expression of the Lord Jesus living in us,” said Collins while addressing attendees at the 2023 SBC Pastors’ Conference. “When the Holy Spirit sets […]

2023 SBC MEETING: PASTORS CONFERENCE UPDATES FUNDRAISING

— The officers of the 2023 Southern Baptist Pastors Conference have partnered with the Southern Baptist Foundation to create an endowment that will allow the event to fund itself in the future, said Daniel Dickard, president of this year’s Pastors Conference. Dickard, pastor of Shandon Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina, spoke briefly about the […]

LIFEWAY’S 2024 VBS BEACH THEME PLACES KIDS ON ROCK-SOLID TRUTH

BRENTWOOD — “Truth can be different for different people. Do what makes you happy. If you don’t agree with me, you don’t love me.”  These are just a few of the lies today’s culture is telling our kids. But standing tall amid the changing tides of popular opinion is God’s rock-solid truth. This imagery forms […]

FIRST U.S. LAW BANNING PUBLIC DRAG SHOWS RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL

NASHVILLE — A federal district judge has ruled unconstitutional a Tennessee law prohibiting gender-bending drag performances in front of minors, which had been the only such law in the nation. Tennessee’s Adult Entertainment Act (AEA) violates constitutionally protected freedom of speech, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker ruled late June 2 in the Western District Court […]

ATTORNEYS FOR MCRANEY, NAMB FILE RESPONSES REGARDING SUMMARY JUDGEMENTS

OXFORD, Miss. — Legal representation for Will McRaney as well as the North American Mission Board filed separate documents June 1 in response to previous filings from the opposing party. Both have the opportunity to file further responses by June 8. Key areas of debate in the case include language related to the Strategic Partnership […]

NEIGHBORING CHURCHES’ EFFORTS LEAD TO 58 BAPTISMS AT JAIL

GALLATIN — When more than 50 people were baptized at the Sumner County Jail in early May, it was the culmination of many years of ministry from two neighboring churches. “It was a beautiful thing, one of the highlights of my life,” said Danny Spano, a chaplain from the Sumner County Jail, of the 58 […]

SBC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SEARCH TEAM ELECTS OFFICERS

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee presidential search team met June 1 to elect officers and establish organizational plans for the group. Neal Hughes of Alabama was named chair and Nick Sandefur of Kentucky was named vice chair. Nancy Spaulding of Michigan will serve as secretary. Other members of the search team are Corey Cain […]