By David Roach, Baptist Press PHOENIX (BP) -- Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines will be nominated for a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, his son Grant announced today (May 17). Gaines "has led the convention faithfully" over the past year and been "marked by ... godly traits," Grant Gaines, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Jackson, Tenn., wrote in a statement to Baptist Press announcing his intent to nominate his father at the June 13-14 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix. Steve Gaines, pastor of Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., has focused his first year in office on calling Southern Baptists to pray and rekindle a passion for personal evangelism. He has championed the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists' unified method of funding missions and ministries in North America and internationally. Grant Gaines stated three reasons he plans to nominate his father: "First, he has been a consummate statesman in a year full of political and moral turmoil in our nation. Through his example, he has shown us all how to combine both a prophetic voice when need be, as well as wise restraint when certain comments might not be helpful," Grant Gaines wrote. "Second, through his … [Read more...]

By Baptist Press Staff PHOENIX (BP) -- The program for the 2017 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting has been released. The meeting will convene at the Phoenix Convention Center Tuesday, June 13, at 8:15 a.m. and conclude Wednesday, June 14, at 4:55 p.m. A full schedule follows. TUESDAY MORNING, JUNE 13 8:15 -- Opening worship -- Mark Blair, Convention music director; music minister, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn. 8:25 -- Welcome and call to order -- Steve Gaines, SBC president; senior pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church, Cordova, Tenn. Announcement of Committee on Committees, Credentials Committee, Tellers, and Resolutions Committee 8:30 -- Scripture and prayer -- Grant Gaines, senior pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Jackson, Tenn. 8:35 -- Registration report and Constitution of Convention -- Jim Wells, SBC registration secretary, Crossway Baptist Church, Springfield, Mo. 8:38 -- Committee on Order of Business report (First) -- Rod D. Martin, chairman; founder and CEO, The Martin Organization, Destin, Fla. 8:43 -- Appreciation of Phoenix volunteers -- Steve Gaines 8:45 -- Welcome to Phoenix -- Noe Garcia, pastor, North Phoenix Baptist Church, Phoenix, Ariz. 8:50 -- Honoring America … [Read more...]

By Tom Strode PHOENIX (BP) -- Messengers and other participants in the Southern Baptist Convention's June meeting will be able to run to help feed the hungry. A coalition of Southern Baptist organizations is sponsoring the Global Hunger Relief Run June 14, the second day of this year's convention meeting in Phoenix. All registration fees for the event -- which includes a 5K race and a one-mile, family oriented fun run -- will be used to feed the hungry in the United States and throughout the world. Global Hunger Relief (GHR) is a partnership of seven Southern Baptist entities that collaborate to address hunger needs in the world. The Cooperative Program's support of SBC entities enables 100 percent of the gifts received by GHR to be used in hunger projects implemented by Southern Baptist missionaries and partners. Eighty percent of those funds are used overseas through the work of the International Mission Board (IMB) and Baptist Global Response (BGR). The North American Mission Board (NAMB) distributes the other 20 percent of the money with the supervisory help of the Baptist state conventions. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), commended GHR and the effort in … [Read more...]