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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

SBC CP rises in April, trends down for FY 23

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) -- The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee released the April 2023 financial report, May 8, showing that gifts to SBC causes through the Cooperative Program rose 1.92 percent while designated giving for the month dropped 12.64 percent compared to April 2022. Meanwhile, year-to-date figures showed both funding channels in decline. From October 2022 through April 2023, CP contributions were down 6.41 percent overall compared to the same timeframe for the last fiscal year. Likewise, designated giving was down 4.94 percent year-to-date for the same months. Both the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering were negatively affected. The national report showed April giving to SBC causes by Louisiana Baptists rose 8.78 percent for CP and dropped 8.48 percent for special offerings. However, the year-to-date data showed Louisiana Baptist giving through the CP and to designated offerings trended higher for both funding channels, 1.62 percent and 9.18 percent, respectively. … [Read more...]

SBC EC trustees vote down Wellman as president, CEO

By Baptist Message staff DALLAS (LBM) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee trustees, during a special called meeting May 1, voted not to elect Jared Wellman as the next president and CEO. According to news reports, only 30 of the 81 trustees at the meeting inside the Grand Hyatt DFW hotel cast their ballots for Wellman. Wellman, pastor of Tate Springs Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas, took to Twitter after the meeting to thank Southern Baptists for the opportunity to serve as a trustee of the EC. He recently served as EC chairman and a member of the search committee. “Our lives are in the hands of a sovereign God,” he wrote. “We’re called simply to be faithful and put our ‘yes’ on the table (Gen 22). My prayers are with the EC. I’ll always cherish getting to serve.” David Sons, EC chairman and a member of the previous search committee, said in a news conference after the meeting that a new search committee will be formed. According to the Baptist Paper, the new search committee members are: Corey Cain of Tennessee, Neal Hughes of Alabama, Drew Landry of Virginia, Nick Sandefur of Kentucky, Sarah Rogers of South Carolina and Nancy Spaulding of Michigan. Sons will serve as an ex-officio voting member … [Read more...]

Stone to be nominated for 2023 SBC president

Mac Brunson of Valleydale Baptist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, has released a video announcing Pastor Mike Stone has agreed to accept a nomination for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention. In the video posted on April 26, Stone stated there were two issues that prompted his willingness to receive a nomination when Southern Baptists meet in New Orleans, June 11-14. He cited the need for “a Biblically based response to the horrific issue of sexual abuse” and expressed his commitment to a national evangelism initiative. Stone said that a Biblical approach would include caring well for victims while “embracing Scriptural principles of due process and of handling and publishing accusations.” Noting that when abuse occurs, it happens in local autonomous congregations, the Georgia pastor said the Convention should focus its resources on “helping local churches deal with these matters Biblically, legally, and compassionately.” He also noted that where help from outside the SBC family is needed, Convention leaders should only partner with those that are “driven by the facts and informed by the truth.” The Georgia pastor also stressed his commitment to a national evangelism strategy which he called, “Crossover America.” … [Read more...]