Baptist

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — When the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention opens, a little-noticed ritual usually occurs, involving the 1872 Broadus gavel. It has a questionable history — especially in a church body that has sought racial reconciliation within its ranks.

One of the oldest Southern Baptist churches in Missouri will celebrate 200 years of Christian work at a special worship service at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23.

DECATUR, Ga. — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will gather in Birmingham, Ala., June 19-21 for its annual General Assembly as they focus on racial justice. 

A day after Hattie Mitchell and Darlene Turner-Harper received Master of Divinity degrees from Central Seminary, there was a celebration of CENTRAL Wisconsin's 10th graduating class including a message featuring Biblical accounts of God working through "two women."

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Three women who experienced sexual abuse took center stage on Monday (June 10) to address how the nation's largest Protestant denomination should deal with the issue. And they didn’t mince words.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Southern Baptists have overwhelmingly adopted changes to governing documents that will bring greater visibility to their desire to disaffiliate with churches that do not handle instances of abuse properly. Moments after the votes, about 50 abuse victim advocates and media members attended a rally outside the meeting where speakers declared that what Southern Baptists accomplished inside was not sufficient.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Speaking at a black church Sunday (June 9) in a city that is nearly 75% percent African American, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, J.D. Greear, said white Christians who are racially insensitive are disregarding the gospel.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Declaring that "the story of my life cannot be told without Acteens," Woman's Missionary Union Executive Director Sandy Wisdom-Martin welcomed current and former Acteens and leaders from across the nation to an Acteens for Life dinner June 7.

DECATUR, Ga. — A Missouri senior pastor and young leader deeply invested in CBF life is the nominee to become the next Moderator-Elect for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship at the 2019 General Assembly in Birmingham, Ala.

(RNS) — A new Southern Baptist Convention report on sex abuse, filled with the voices of survivors, acknowledges numerous ways the denomination has failed to protect members of its churches. The “Caring Well” report also summarizes a range of next steps to address the issue, including educating congregations about abuse, preparing them to help survivors and fostering abuse prevention.