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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

MBC offers ‘Plan B’ to bypass SBC entities

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board has authorized a new method of cooperative giving for its churches. “Plan B” allows churches to withhold funds from selected Southern Baptist Convention entities without withdrawing from Cooperative Program support altogether, according to The Pathway, the news service of Missouri Baptists. The MBC Executive Board overwhelmingly voted to approve “Plan B” during a special-called Zoom meeting, April 7. During the meeting, MBC leaders described “Plan B” as an attempt to acknowledge Missouri Baptists’ concerns with some SBC entities – for example, the SBC Executive Committee’s hasty decision to hire a law firm that promotes LGBTQ+ causes. “Plan A” is the MBC’s traditional form of CP giving through which churches send undesignated gifts to the SBC Executive Committee for distribution according to the allocation plan approved each year by Southern Baptist messengers at the SBC annual meeting. If churches opt for “Plan B,” they can select which SBC entities to withhold their funds from, and the MBC will forward their gifts only to those SBC entities that are not explicitly excluded by the church. “The MBC Executive Board continues to forward 38 percent of all … [Read more...]

SBC 2023 annual meeting may move to New Orleans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will meet via Zoom, April 28, to discuss moving the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting from Charlotte, N.C. to New Orleans, La. Rolland Slade, chairman of the SBC EC told Baptist Press the move was a sign of good news because “attendance at the annual meeting is trending up, which is the primary reason for the move.” Charlotte was confirmed as the 2023 host city by messengers to the 2016 SBC Annual Meeting in St. Louis. Since that meeting, however, attendance at the annual event has grown, which means the 280,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center is not large enough to host the now-anticipated 15,000 messengers and guests, Baptist Press reported, noting that space requirements have recently surged to 400,000 square feet. Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director Steve Horn was enthusiastic. “We are excited to welcome back the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2023,” Horn told Baptist Press. “It’s been 11 years since Louisiana last hosted this gathering, and we’ll be ready to roll out the welcome mat for our Baptist family from across the nation. We’ll also be sure and save some of your favorite Louisiana cuisine!” Jamie Dew, … [Read more...]