NAMB Archives - Baptist & Reflector

ANNIE OFFERING TOPS $66 MILLION FOR NEW RECORD HIGH

October 14, 2021

By Brandon Elrod
Baptist Press

PITTSBURGH — After a pandemic-influenced decline in 2020, Southern Baptists rallied to give $66.5 million to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) in 2021, the highest amount ever given to the offering that supports missions in North America. North American Mission Board (NAMB) president, Kevin Ezell, announced the total during the entity’s fall trustee meeting in Pittsburgh.

“The hard part about this year is we didn’t really know exactly what to expect,” Ezell said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic and other unrest. “But thank goodness, Southern Baptists love their missionaries and give sacrificially and that’s why, it’s humbling and with a great sense of gratitude that we can share the total this year is $66.5 million.”

Ezell said that since 2010, the offering has increased 22 percent.

“There are a lot of things Southern Baptist have in common,” Ezell said. “A steadfast love for Christ, a commitment to the Great Commission and Southern Baptists love their missionaries.” [Read more…]

SUPREME COURT DENIES NAMB PETITION, CASE REMANDED TO DISTRICT COURT

June 30, 2021

By Jonathan Howe
Baptist Press

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court of the United States denied a petition by the North American Mission Board (NAMB) to review its ongoing case involving a lawsuit filed by a former Southern Baptist state executive director.

Originally filed in 2017 by Will McRaney, former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD), the lawsuit alleges NAMB had intentionally defamed him and wrongfully influenced his 2015 termination by the BCMD after a dispute over collaborative missions efforts in the region. NAMB legal counsel George McCallum called the allegations “unfounded” in a statement to Baptist Press in November of last year, adding that NAMB has “consistently denied” McRaney’s claims.

NAMB is represented pro bono by First Liberty Institute, the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious liberty. Jeremy Dys, special counsel for litigation and communications at First Liberty Institute, expressed disappointment at the decision not to hear the case. First Liberty contends that an earlier decision by the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which in 2020 reversed a 2019 dismissal of the case by the U.S. District Court Northern District of Mississippi, undermines the doctrine of church autonomy. [Read more…]

NAMB APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT IN MCRANEY CASE, CLAIMS FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTIONS

February 17, 2021

By Jonathan Howe
Baptist Press

WASHINGTON — The North American Mission board has filed a petition with the Supreme Court of the United States in its ongoing case involving a lawsuit against the board filed by a former Southern Baptist state executive director.

The lawsuit, which was originally filed in 2017 by Will McRaney, former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCMD), alleges NAMB had intentionally defamed him and wrongfully influenced his 2015 termination by the BCMD after a dispute over collaborative missions efforts in the region. NAMB legal counsel George McCallum called the allegations “unfounded” in a statement to Baptist Press in November of last year, adding that NAMB has “consistently denied” McRaney’s claims.

The lawsuit was dismissed by a lower court in April 2019 because of the judge’s concerns over the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, which prevents the government from interfering in church or religious matters. But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision in July 2020. [Read more…]

TRUSTEES: NAMB CELEBRATES OFFERING, PASSES REDUCED BUDGET, LOOKS TO 2021

October 13, 2020

By Mike Ebert
Baptist Press

North American Mission Board President Kevin Ezell addresses NAMB trustees at a Monday night dinner on the eve of their Oct. 6 meeting in Alpharetta, Ga. NAMB — Photo by Alexandra Toy

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Trustees of the North American Mission Board (NAMB) gathered Oct. 5-6 to celebrate God’s provision and Southern Baptist faithfulness during a year marked by a pandemic, economic uncertainty and social unrest. Most trustees attended the meeting in person with social distancing at NAMB’s building in Alpharetta while some participated online.

At the group’s Monday evening celebration dinner, NAMB president Kevin Ezell noted that after the COVID-19 virus sent the United States into a lockdown just as most churches normally would raise funds for the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering, NAMB stopped promoting giving to the offering. But giving continued nonetheless as churches found creative ways to continue to promote and collect the offering.

“But 2020 was the greatest Annie Armstrong Offering in the history of the North American Mission Board,” Ezell said. “It was not the largest. But it was the greatest.”

Reporting a total of $49.3 million given, Ezell said, “The faithfulness of Southern Baptists is absolutely incredible and to me, never demonstrated better than giving almost $50 million in the midst of an unpromoted Annie Armstrong offering in the midst of a pandemic.” [Read more…]

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT ALLOWS MCRANEY LAWSUIT AGAINST NAMB TO PROCEED

July 20, 2020

By Will Hall
Baptist Message executive editor

NEW ORLEANS — On July 16, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave Will McRaney, former executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, a procedural victory in his lawsuit against the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention “for intentional interference with business relationships, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”

The BCMD is an independent state organization of Baptist churches and the NAMB is a ministry arm of the SBC, an independent national organization of Baptist churches. The BCMD and SBC are considered in good fellowship with one another, but each is an autonomous organization. [Read more…]

SHOWING COMPASSION IN THE FORM OF A COUCH

April 30, 2020

By David Dawson
Baptist and Reflector
ddawson@tnbaptist.org

TAZEWELL — The mission statement of Region Education Center Ministries doesn’t mention anything about furniture. But as it turns out, couches, loveseats and footstools have certainly become an important part of what REC Ministries does.

Roger Hansard, a former Tennessee pastor, and his wife, Judy, are the founders of REC Ministries, which provides career job training for individuals by teaching computer skills, GED, adult literacy and other skills. The organization operates with the primary purpose of “winning the lost to Christ” and strives “to educate, elevate, and evangelize the people in our region.” [Read more…]

EASTER OFFERING FUELS MISSIONS IN NORTH AMERICA

February 26, 2020

By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org

The Week of Prayer for North American Missions is fast approaching — March 1-8.

Thousands of Baptist churches will be focusing on missions all across North America on these dates, praying for specific missionaries, including Rob and Annabeth Wilton in Pittsburgh, Pa. The Wiltons have Tennessee ties. See story.

Then, on Easter Sunday, or even before, Southern Baptists across the nation will collect the annual Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. The national goal for 2020 is $70 million. Every dollar of the AAEO goes to train, resource and deploy thousands of missionaries who serve as church planters or in compassion ministries.

Through the combined gifts, Southern Baptists are making a difference in North America by meeting needs, planting churches and discipling new believers. According to the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, “transformation is taking place one life at a time.”

The theme for this year’s week of prayer is “It’s All About the Gospel” and is based on I Corinthians 15:3-4 (CSB): “For I passed on to you as most important what I first received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. …” [Read more…]

IMB, NAMB TO JOIN IN SEND RELIEF EFFORTS

February 19, 2020

By IMB and NAMB STAFF
Baptist Press

Ronnie Floyd (center), president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, announced to EC members a new working relationship between the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board to combine compassion ministry efforts under the Send Relief umbrella. Floyd was joined in the announcement by IMB president Paul Chitwood (left) and NAMB president Kevin Ezell. — Photo by Eric Brown

NASHVILLE — The International Mission Board (IMB) and the North American Mission Board (NAMB) will work together to combine compassion ministry efforts in North America and abroad under the umbrella of Send Relief. Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee (EC) announced the new working relationship during a plenary session of the EC in Nashville Tuesday, Feb. 18.

“Today I want to announce to you a formal relationship between the North American Mission Board and the International Mission Board for the purpose of compassion ministry,” Floyd said.

“Southern Baptists are always at their best anytime we can cooperate together for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” [Read more…]

SEEDS SPREAD IN STEEL TOWN

February 18, 2020

Missionary wants to make gospel part of Pittsburgh’s renewal

By Brandon Elrod
NAMB News Office

Rob Wilton, far right, a former Tennessee Baptist minister who is now a church planter in Pittsburgh, interacts with attendees after a Sunday service.
— NAMB photo by Daniel Deggado.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh has, in decades past, been synonymous with steel. In the years following an economic hit to the blue-collar town, the city has been experiencing a renaissance as technological and medical companies are beginning to thrive.

While the economic renewal has been a boon for the city, missionary Rob Wilton is praying and working to see a spiritual revival as well.

Only 15 percent of the population is evangelical, with less than one percent of that being Southern Baptist.

As Wilton, the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) Send City Missionary in Pittsburgh, has dug in and established roots, though, he has seen a responsiveness to the gospel.

“It’s very clear Pittsburgh doesn’t have a harvest problem. [Read more…]

TENNESSEE CHURCHES HELP REACH ANNIE ARMSTRONG RECORD

October 22, 2019

Baptist Press

SAN FRANCISCO — For the third straight year, the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering (AAEO) for North American missions has hit a record high.

The 2019 offering total was announced during an Oct. 7 gathering with North American Mission Board (NAMB) trustees. Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd revealed the $62.2 million total in a video call.

“This record-breaking offering that our churches have given this past year through our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions demonstrates the passionate desire our churches have to reach each person for Jesus Christ in North America,” Floyd said. [Read more…]

Missionary wants to make gospel part of Pittsburgh’s renewal

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