For nearly a century, Southern Baptist churches have banded together to raise funds for mission in the US and around the world, raising more than $20 billion through their Cooperative Program. But the trust that once held the program together is fraying.
A pair of new lawsuits, including one that includes civil RICO claims, come at a time when the SBC Executive Committee faces a fiscal and leadership crisis.
Former church members allege that Jurkovich and other church leaders illegally changed the church's articles of incorporation to require unquestioned loyalty to the pastor.
The Executive Committee, which oversees the SBC's operations between meetings of the convention's governing body, has been without a permanent leader since 2021.
Revelations about the decadeslong abuse by a prominent SBC leader have led to fears that the denomination's sex-abuse reforms are doomed to fail.
In 2004, Southern Baptists voted to allow their insurance and retirement agency to work with other churches. The latest denomination to sign up is the Global Methodist Church, made up of former United Methodists.
A friend-of-the-court filing has led to questions of whether the Southern Baptist Convention has changed its ways in dealing with abuse.
This issue of A Public Witness introduces you to the 56th speaker of the House — the founding dean of a failed Baptist law school, an attorney for three firms devoted to advancing Christian Nationalism, a crusader for prayer in public schools, an evangelist proclaiming
The conservative denomination has in recent years expelled churches for various reasons — most prominently Saddleback Church for having women pastors.
The former SBC president and longtime megachurch pastor covered up his sexual misconduct for a decade. Now he's suing SBC leaders for revealing his sins.