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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Greear calls for cover-up probe, 2 SBC entity heads fess up

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) — J.D. Greear has asked the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention to undertake the “necessary steps to determine whether the following churches meet the standards of having a faith and practice which closely identifies with the Convention’s adopted statement of faith.” Greear, SBC president and pastor of The Summit in North Carolina, targeted six Texas congregations, two churches in Georgia and one each in Kentucky and Arkansas that were identified with cover-up behavior in an exposé by the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News relating to convictions, confessions and credible accusations of sex abuse involving 380 Southern Baptists pastors, deacons, staff, ministry leaders and volunteers and 700 victims during a period of two decades. About 220 of the perpetrators were convicted or made plea deals. Greear made his case during the Feb. 18-19 meeting of the SBC Executive Committee in Nashville. The SBC fellowship of churches included about 47,500 congregations with a membership of about 15 million in 41 state conventions as of 2017, the most recent data collected. In 1998, there were about 40,870 churches with more than 15.7 million members. Despite general records of … [Read more...]

BGR accepted as associate member of Sphere

By Baptist Global Response communications NASHVILLE — Baptist Global Response (BGR) has been accepted as an associate member of Sphere, a community of organizations committed to the highest standards of humanitarian response. BGR Director of Disaster Response and Training Pat Melancon says with its inclusion in Sphere, BGR “joins other international organizations in affirming the need for ‘knowing what to do’ in a time of crisis to meet the survival needs of people.” BGR began training as a Sphere organization in 2016. Now, as a member, BGR can actively help Sphere implement its policies on improving the quality and accountability of humanitarian aid. Sphere was founded in 1997 under the conviction that people affected by disasters or conflict have the right to receive protection and assistance that ensures both quality of life and dignity. Sphere members created a set of minimum standards for humanitarian response in four areas: water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); food security and nutrition; shelter and settlement; and health. According to Sphere’s website, the Sphere standards are the most widely recognized humanitarian standards around the world. Melancon says Sphere recognized BGR’s commitment to … [Read more...]