Resources from 2019

God basically sees two kinds of people. Either we're His children, or we're not. He loves everyone, even those who reject Him; but His sense of justice compels Him to respond differently to each group.

ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (KT) -- A well-known Kentucky Baptist pastor is leaving the pastorate to work with the International Mission Board (IMB) in late January. Bill Langley, senior pastor of Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, will work with the IMB to help Southern Baptist churches that have no recent connection to the mission agency.

JACKSON, Miss. (BP) -- Shawn Parker, pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbus, Miss., was unanimously called on Dec. 19 by the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board (MBCB) to succeed longtime Executive Director-Treasurer Jim Futral, who will formally retire at the end of February after more than 21 years of service. Parker will begin his duties as Executive Director-Treasurer Elect on Jan. 13 and will become Executive Director-Treasurer on March 1, upon Futral’s retirement.

WASHINGTON (BP)—Two Southern Baptist entity heads have greeted the repeal of a two-year-old tax on churches and other nonprofit organizations with gratitude. President Trump signed into law Dec. 20 a spending bill that includes language rescinding a section of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that requires houses of worship and other nonprofits to pay a 21 percent tax on such employee benefits as parking and transportation. The Senate approved the legislation that included the repeal Dec. 19 in a bipartisan, 71-23 roll call. The House of Representatives passed the measure also in bipartisan fashion by a 297-120 vote Dec. 17.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) -- El regalo más grande que Dios ha dado fue de mandar a Su Hijo unigénito, quién es el Salvador del mundo. El único requisito para recibir esta salvación es creer en Él por fe y recibir este gran regalo de Dios en nuestros corazones. Sin Cristo somos condenados eternamente. "Porque de tal manera amó Dios al mundo, que ha dado a su Hijo unigénito, para que todo aquel que en él cree, no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna. Porque no envió Dios a su Hijo para condenar al mundo, sino para que el mundo sea salvo por él. El que cree, no es condenado: ...

El regalo más grande que Dios ha dado fue de mandar a Su Hijo unigénito, quién es el Salvador del mundo.

View a video Christmas greeting from Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee.

WASHINGTON (BP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to rule once again on the freedom of churches and other religious organizations to make employment decisions without government interference. The justices announced Dec. 18 they would review opinions by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that found two Roman Catholic schools in California do not have the right to fire teachers for the purpose of the "ministerial exception" recognized by the high court in a 2012 opinion. The Supreme Court has not scheduled oral arguments in the consolidated cases.

RALEIGH, N.C. (BP) -- On Dec. 18, Paul Chitwood, president of the International Mission Board (IMB), visited the Raleigh-Durham, N.C., area to meet with leaders from five area churches that also happen to be among the top 10 missionary-sending churches in the Southern Baptist Convention. JD Greear, SBC president and pastor of the Summit Church, hosted the meeting at the Capital Hills campus of the Summit Church in Raleigh.

WACO, Texas (BP) -- Más de 2,000 participantes, en persona o a través del internet, fueron testigos del lanzamiento de Faith Fosters Texas durante la reunión anual de la Baptist General Convention of Texas del 17 al 19 de noviembre, 2019. La nueva iniciativa, la cual tiene la meta de aliviar la crisis de bienestar de los niños en Texas al movilizar a las iglesias a cuidar de los niños y familias vulnerables, fue anunciada formalmente durante la sesión vespertina del lunes en la 134ª reunión anual celebrada en Waco. Bajo el liderazgo de David Ummel, quien encabeza las relaciones de la iglesia y la red para Faith Fosters Texas en Buckner International, el esfuerzo conjunto que involucra a múltiples entidades bautistas, desea educar y capacitar a la iglesia para cumplir el mandato bíblico de cuidar a los niños y familias vulnerables, involucrar a las iglesias en el apoyo de los niños en el sistema de adopción temporal y nivelar los recursos para hacer un macro impacto en el cuidado de niños en adopción temporal.