ANAHEIM, Calif. – Southern Baptists voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to implement safeguards to protect against sexual abuse in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. That includes the creation of a system to track abusive pastors and other church leaders.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP) – Longtime pastor Al Jackson closed out the 2022 SBC Pastors’ Conference study of the Book of Colossians by examining the list of faithful servants named at the end of the Apostle Paul’s letter, reminding pastors that even little-known saints are significant saints to God.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Georgia pastor Frank Cox is a late entry in the race for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, making it a four-man contest to lead the nation’s largest Protestant denomination through a time of turmoil and scandal.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Southern Baptists who descended on Orange County for an annual meeting at the Anaheim Convention Center have had a dramatic spiritual impact, leading 547 people to faith in Christ.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – A North Carolina pastor has been elected president of the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference. In the role, Daniel Dickard, pastor of Friendly Avenue Baptist Church in Greensboro, will plan next year’s pastors’ conference that will be held in conjunction with the SBC annual meeting in New Orleans.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP) – Noted pastor and author Tony Evans likened the church of today to referees on a football field who have chosen sides. “It becomes unfortunate when those who are to be the independent on the field decide to join the jersey of the competing teams, because the moment they do that, they have lost their uniqueness, their distinctiveness,” Evans preached before the National African American Fellowship

Connie Dixon covered some miles this past year as she served as national Woman’s Missionary Union president. She visited 20 states, had 29 speaking opportunities, attended 94 Zoom calls, recorded five videos and two podcasts, wrote 27 articles and walked through 61 airports. “I have loved every minute of it, but more than anything I am so honored to serve as president of an organization I love so much,” said Dixon, a member of First Baptist Church Elida, New Mexico.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Texas pastor Jared Wellman didn’t jump at the chance to become chairman of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, which has been navigating a tumultuous couple years amid a lingering sexual abuse scandal. “When I was originally asked, I said no, and I referred to someone else to serve,” Wellman said at a Monday press conference at the Anaheim Convention Center.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Georgia’s Clay Smith told Southern Baptist pastors on Monday that, amid cultural shifts that have made their jobs tougher, it’s more crucial than ever to be faithful to their calling. “As has often been said, we’re now the away team in our world,” said Smith, pastor at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga. “The fans aren’t wearing our jerseys. They’re not clapping for us. They’re not rooting for us.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Lee Brand Jr., the Southern Baptist Convention’s current first vice president, will officially nominate Georgia’s Javier Chavez for the position of recording secretary at an annual meeting that begins Tuesday. That announcement was made on Monday.

ANAHEIM, Calif. – The strength of the Southern Baptist Convention lies with small churches where Christians serve without fanfare just because they want to please God. So says Mark Clifton, the small-town preacher who serves as senior director of church replanting for the North American Mission Board

ANAHEIM, Calif. (BP) – Following a week of Southern Baptist seminary students engaging neighborhoods around Anaheim, 34 churches engaged their communities through various outreach events Saturday through Crossover, which partnered with Send Relief to host a Serve Tour experience that took place ahead of the 2022 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting.

The greatest problem in the world is lostness. The only solution to the world’s greatest problem is the gospel. The biblical example for taking the gospel to the lost is by physical presence. And for Southern Baptists, physical missionary presence to the nations is how we cooperate to fulfill both the Great Commission and the Great Multitude pictured in Revelation 7:9.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Next summer, kids will pass go and collect truth about Jesus in “Twists & Turns.” Lifeway Christian Resources’ 2023 Vacation Bible School theme celebrates games of all kinds, from classic tabletop favorites to video games and more.

ADA, Okla. (BP) – During their VBS day-camp last week, the kids of Ada First Baptist Church raised exactly $3,300 for Ukraine relief through Send Relief. Brad Graves, senior pastor at Ada First Baptist, told Baptist Press the church does a missions offering every year as a part of its week-long VBS.

ALTHA, Fla. – It all started with hikers, trekking the Florida National Scenic Trail, who asked to pitch a tent on the property of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Altha, located just south of Marianna in the Florida Panhandle. The church’s answer was to launch a hiker’s ministry that offers two small cabins with a kitchen, bathroom, hot shower and a laundry room – accommodations welcomed by weary hikers.

We continue to be grieved by the findings of the recent Guidepost report and remain committed to helping Georgia Baptist churches be safe places for everyone. But the recent revelation regarding Guidepost’s support of Pride Month has caused many Georgia Baptists to be concerned with the SBC Executive Committee’s use of the firm. To be clear, the Georgia Baptist Convention, nor the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, has any contractual agreement with Guidepost, nor have we ever.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Changes to the recommendations that Sexual Abuse Task Force members will present to messengers at next week’s SBC annual meeting will address the nature of …

NASHVILLE (BP) – For many churches, Easter Sunday is not only a special day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but it also represents the start of their ministry. One of these churches, Christ Community South Brevard in Palm Bay, Fla., held its inaugural service this past Easter Sunday. The church has already experienced spiritual growth in its first few weeks.

VALDOSTA, GA – Perhaps the most strategic ministry in America today is the one focused on the redemption, mentoring and discipling of college students. Many secular colleges and universities are doing more indoctrination than education, suggesting that God is irrelevant to the real business of living. In many ways there is even an insidious danger that comes with secular education.

NASHVILLE (BP) – An increase in attacks on pro-life centers has led those groups to call for prayer and protection. On Tuesday morning, Mountain Area Pregnancy Services in Asheville, N.C., shared pictures of vandalism that had occurred at its offices overnight, including threatening messages spray-painted in red and shattered and broken windows around the building.

I love a good deal and I love markers.  So, when there’s a good deal on markers, you can count me in. When I found Crayola Classic 10-pack markers on sale a while back, I snatched them up.  Labeled “Preferred by Teachers,” I knew they would be just right for children’s church or Wednesday Nite Kidz.  I tucked them away for future use.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Send Relief has announced its intent to give $3 million to fund the proposed Sexual Abuse Task Force recommendations for sexual abuse reform, and an additional $1 million to establish a survivor care fund to provide trauma care for survivors and trauma training for pastors.

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The way Mary Cox sees it, the job of pastor’s wife can be one of the most difficult and most rewarding in ministry. “There are times when not everyone will like what you do, what you say, or even how you dress,” Cox said. “There can be a lot of pressure, but God gives us the strength and grace to push through so that we can enjoy the blessings that come with the role.”

DULUTH, Ga. – Candidates for president of the Southern Baptist Convention have been influenced by a variety of preachers from the modern era, including Adrian Rogers and Martin Lloyd-Jones. They see themselves in biblical characters like Luke, Jeremiah and even Balaam’s donkey. The Christian Index did a Q&A with the candidates on a variety of topics for a series of stories that have been published over the past week. In today’s installment, which wraps up the series, the candidates were asked to answer 10 questions as briefly as possible.