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TENNESSEAN TOM STRODE RETIRES FROM ERLC POST

April 17, 2023

By David Roach
Baptist Press

Strode

WASHINGTON — When God called a young sportswriter named Tom Strode to ministry 40 years ago, Strode thought that meant leaving journalism forever. But God had other plans. 

After serving several years on staff at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Strode became Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. 

Thirty-two years later, he’s still the Washington bureau chief, a position from which he retired at the end of March (though his byline may still appear occasionally for a few more weeks). 

Under his byline are thousands of articles on the public policy issues that matter most to Southern Baptists. Not bad for a man who thought he was leaving journalism.  [Read more…]

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SBC EC CALLS MAY 1 SPECIAL MEETING TO CONSIDER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

April 13, 2023

By Brandon Porter
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — The search for a new president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee (EC) may be nearing a completion. The EC will hold a special-called meeting on May 1 in Dallas to consider a recommendation from the search team.

“Over the last 14 months, the search team has diligently prayed, discussed, and worked to identify the person to best lead the SBC Executive Committee through its present challenges and into a brighter future for our Committee and Convention,” search team chairman Adron Robinson said in a statement. “As a search team, we are confident the candidate we are presenting represents the humility, wisdom, administrative skill and Christlikeness necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee.” [Read more…]

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ARITF PIVOTS, MOVES AWAY FROM GUIDEPOST SOLUTIONS

April 5, 2023

By Baptist Press staff reports

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Abuse Reform and Implementation Task Force chair Marshall Blalock announced Tuesday (April 4) the task force will no longer recommend Guidepost Solutions to establish and maintain a database for those credibly accused of sexual abuse. Messengers approved the creation of a “ministry check” website at the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Calif.

The move comes after continued concerns were expressed by Southern Baptists to the ARITF in connection to a Guidepost tweet last June during gay pride month in which the group stated it was “proud to be an ally” to the LGBTQ+ community.

The ARITF had recommended in February that Faith-Based Solutions, a new division of Guidepost run by Southern Baptist Samantha Kilpatrick, be secured for the role, but in an update posted to the group’s website, they will “consider alternative pathways (dividing the work among smaller firms which share [Southern Baptists’] values) to establish and maintain the Ministry Check website. The ARITF is presently sourcing and evaluating additional firms to assist with the Ministry Check process who meet our qualifications for the highest professional standards.” [Read more…]

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OVERSIGHT PLAN FOR SBC’S MINISTRY CHECK WEBSITE REVISED; NO LONGER FOCUSED ON ONE FIRM

April 4, 2023

By Jennifer Davis Rash
The Baptist Paper

Leaders of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force announced a strategic turn in their efforts on April 4 related to the plan to establish and maintain a Ministry Check website. They are no longer focused on partnering with one firm to do all the work.

“In the spirit of unity and cooperation, the ARITF met in Atlanta on Monday, March 27, and voted to consider alternative pathways (dividing the work among smaller firms which share our values)” for overseeing the website, according to a statement from ARITF leaders. [Read more…]

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SBC EC CALLS MAY 1 SPECIAL MEETING TO CONSIDER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

April 4, 2023

By Brandon Porter
Baptist Press

NASHVILLE – The search for a new president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee (EC) may be nearing a completion. The EC will hold a special-called meeting on May 1 in Dallas to consider a recommendation from the search team.

“Over the last 14 months, the search team has diligently prayed, discussed, and worked to identify the person to best lead the SBC Executive Committee through its present challenges and into a brighter future for our Committee and Convention,” search team chairman Adron Robinson said in a statement. “As a search team, we are confident the candidate we are presenting represents the humility, wisdom, administrative skill and Christlikeness necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee.”

The meeting is scheduled for noon on May 1 at the Grand Hyatt DFW. It will be held in executive session and is scheduled for Dallas “to expedite and simplify travel” for the 86 members of the EC, according to an EC press release. [Read more…]

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FLORIDA STATE CONVENTION PREPS FOR POTENTIAL REALLOCATION OF CP FUNDS

April 1, 2023

By Jennifer Rash Davis
The Baptist Paper

The relationship Southern Baptists have with the investigative firm Guidepost Solutions continues to draw mixed reactions across the denomination.

Some continue working through the issues with SBC leaders as discussions develop, while others are taking public stands in opposition.

For instance, in Florida, the State Board of Missions acting ad interim for the Florida Baptist State Convention announced March 31 the Florida convention will escrow SBC Executive Committee funds if the relationship with Guidepost moves forward. [Read more…]

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THEIR NEW ASSIGNMENT: CARING FOR THE CALLED

March 31, 2023

By Myriah Snyder
IMB writer

Tim and Annie Tidenberg — IMB Photo

The specifics of Tim and Annie’s call to missions changed, but the calling itself never altered. God led the Tidenbergs to bring the gospel to the nations, and they’ve obeyed.

When they retired from their church planting role in East Africa, they moved to the U.S. to lead a church. Then, they felt led to move back overseas. Now, they spend their time in West Africa resourcing, equipping and supporting missionaries as member care consultants with the International Mission Board. In this new role, they provide pastoral care and counseling to contribute to the spiritual, emotional and mental wellbeing of missionaries. 

Both Tim and Annie are former missionary kids turned missionaries themselves. Annie was born in Kenya, and Tim went with his parents at age two to Tanzania. As adults, they responded to God’s call to take His Word to the spiritually lost in Africa where they have spent most of their adult lives. [Read more…]

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JOHNNY HUNT SUES SBC, EC AND GUIDEPOST

March 21, 2023

By Brandon Porter
Baptist Press

Johnny Hunt / File photo, Baptist Press

NASHVILLE — Longtime pastor and former SBC President Johnny Hunt has filed suit against the SBC, the SBC Executive Committee (EC) and Guidepost Solutions. The suit seeks unspecified damages related to allegations of defamation and the invasion of privacy based on accusations made against Hunt in the 2022 Guidepost report stemming from an investigation into the alleged mishandling of sexual abuse by the SBC EC.

Hunt filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Nashville on March 17. Hunt is represented by Nashville-based Cole Law Group.

In the report, Guidepost stated, “During our investigation, an SBC pastor and his wife came forward to report that SBC President Johnny Hunt (2008-2010) had sexually assaulted the wife on July 25, 2010.”

Guidepost says their report “was corroborated in part by a counseling minister and three other credible witnesses; and our investigators did not find Dr. Hunt’s statements related to the sexual assault allegation to be credible.” [Read more…]

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TENNESSEE AMONG STATES PASSING CHILDHOOD GENDER PROTECTION BILLS

March 14, 2023

By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee are the latest states to pass new legislation protecting minors from transgender surgery and hormonal treatment.

The three states join Utah and South Dakota bringing to five the number of states that prohibit gender-changing medical treatment on children.

Similar bills are progressing in 22 states, according to tracking sites.

While a 2021 law in Arkansas is enjoined in federal court, the Arkansas legislature sent a new bill March 8 to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to strengthen legal protections for minors. [Read more…]

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RESEARCH REVEALS IMPORTANCE OF SMALL GROUPS, EVANGELISM, ASSIMILATION FOR CHURCH GROWTH

March 13, 2023

By Marissa Postell Sullivan
Writer, Lifeway Christian Research

 

NASHVILLE — As churches continue ministry in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many are finding it increasingly difficult to grow their small groups. However, churches continue to report new commitments to Christ and changed lives.

According to a Lifeway Research study, the authority of Scripture is foundational to churches’ groups and discipleship strategies. More than 9 in 10 (97 percent) U.S. Protestant pastors say Scripture is the authority for their church and their lives, with 89 percent strongly agreeing. Meanwhile, 2 percent disagree, and 1 percent are not sure. Protestant pastors have consistently considered Scripture to be the authority for their church and their lives since Lifeway Research began asking this question in 2008.

Even as pastors hold on to the authority of Scripture, it has become increasingly difficult for pastors to move worship attendees into small groups where they’ll study Scripture. On average, Protestant churches say 44 percent of their current weekend worship attendees are involved in a small group, Sunday School or similar group, indicating a decline in average small group attendance since 2010 (49 percent). [Read more…]

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