Mohler to call for ‘Truth & Unity’ amendment to SBC Constitution at annual meeting

By / May 18

ORLANDO (BP) – Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler announced his intention today (May 18) to propose an amendment to Article III of the SBC Constitution that, he said, “would make clear” how cooperating Southern Baptist churches will view the role of women in the office of pastor/elder/overseer.

Such churches, Mohler said, would not “act to affirm, appoint or endorse a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor/elder/overseer, such as preaching to the assembled congregation.” He further announced his intention to move that Standing Rule 6 be suspended so that the Committee on Order of Business would schedule discussion for the motion at next month’s meeting in Orlando.

Standing Rule 6 states that all motions to amend the SBC’s governing documents shall be automatically referred to the Executive Committee for review and reported back to the following convention. Suspending the rule essentially moves up debate by a year.

“I believe the need for this is made abundantly clear,” Mohler said. “Frankly, that need has been building in recent years, and the Southern Baptist Convention has always risen to the occasion and met the need of this kind of challenge with a statement of conviction.”

The announcement comes amid continuing debate over churches’ placement of women with titles or in roles that include actions and/or responsibilities typically associated with a pastor/elder/overseer.

Both announced SBC presidential candidates endorsed Mohler’s proposal.

“Southern Baptists have been clear: ‘the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture,’” wrote South Carolina pastor Josh Powell in a re-post of Mohler’s announcement on X. “I have supported & continued to support any effort to make our Constitution equally clear.”

Florida pastor Willy Rice issued a nearly three-minute-long video of his thoughts in support of Mohler as well. At the same time, he continued supporting his call for a task force to study the issue and bring recommendations.

“Baptist people can, and should, do two things at once – two things that are not inconsistent at all,” he said. “We should affirm the unique biblical office of pastor/elder/overseer and the qualifications given in Scripture for that office and … affirm the work of women in vocational ministry in ways that are not inconsistent with that understanding of pastoral office.”

Rice also cited the “high threshold” for a constitutional amendment – two-thirds affirmative vote in two consecutive years – versus the single majority vote to approve a task force. Previous attempts to amend the constitution, informally known as the Law Amendment, reached the two-thirds mark in New Orleans in 2023, but failed to do so the following year in Indianapolis. Another vote last year in Dallas came after Standing Rule 6 was suspended, but the amendment once again did not reach the two-thirds threshold.

Numerous Southern Baptist leaders, including SBC President Clint Pressley, voiced support for Mohler’s amendment announcement.

To make his point, Mohler referred to actions the SBC took over another previous debate among churches, and the continued impact of those steps.

“A generation ago, the SBC took this kind of action in the Constitution by making very clear that our cooperation is not extended to those who would endorse or affirm LGBTQ lifestyles and activities,” he said. “That has clarified the SBC’s conviction. It has created even deeper unity in the truth. And that kind of language in the Constitution has served the SBC very, very well.

“One of the greatest testimonies to that is this is not an issue of open debate at the SBC year by year, and it hasn’t been for a generation. That’s exactly what we need on the issue of the office of pastor.”

The business portion of the SBC Annual Meeting takes place on June 9-10. Opportunities to present new motions are scheduled for 9:35 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, with the Committee on Order of Business delivering its report regarding those motions at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday and 8:15 a.m. Wednesday. Should Standing Rule 6 be suspended and Mohler’s amendment be received, debate would take place on Wednesday, either at 8:45 a.m. or 4 p.m.



Supreme court protects mail-order, telehealth abortion pills as lower courts wrangle

By / May 15

WASHINGTON (BP) – Telehealth and mail-order abortion pill prescriptions remain accessible as a case challenging the medication works its way through lower courts, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled May 14th.

The high court extended its earlier stay of a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that had required in-person doctor’s appointments expressly in Louisiana and Texas – but effectively nationwide – for mifepristone prescriptions.

The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, which has advocated extensively for protections of unborn life, expressed sadness upon the high court’s announcement Thursday evening.

"We are heartbroken by the immediate ramifications of this decision, which will result in direct harm to women and countless preborn lives lost nationwide,” the ERLC said in response to the ruling. “In Louisiana alone, the state estimates 1,000 preborn lives are lost each month to these pills. In the U.S., 1 in 10 women taking mifepristone each year experience serious, often life-threatening, adverse complications, harming women at a rate of over 22 times the reported rate for mifepristone.”

Medication abortion is the most prevalent mode of ending unborn life in the nation since the high court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“This unfortunate decision means that while legal proceedings are underway in the Fifth Circuit, the lower court’s decision does not hold,” ERLC lamented. “Abortion drug providers can continue sending mifepristone into pro-life states, defying the laws of those states, circumventing an in-person consultation with a provider, and putting thousands of women and babies at risk.”

Associate justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented in the ruling issued at the close of the court’s day without explanation, granting the request from drug manufacturers who challenged the Fifth Circuit ruling.

“The May 1, 2026 order of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, case No. 26–30203, is stayed pending disposition of the appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari, if such a writ is timely sought,” the high court wrote. “Should certiorari be denied, this stay shall terminate automatically. In the event certiorari is granted, the stay shall terminate upon the sending down of the judgment of this Court.”

In his dissent, Alito said the stay undermines states’ rights to protect unborn life.

“The Court’s unreasoned order granting stays in this case is remarkable. What is at stake is the perpetration of a scheme to undermine our decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 597 U. S. 215 (2022), which restored the right of each State to decide how to regulate abortions within its borders,” Alito wrote. “Some States responded to Dobbs by making it even easier to obtain an abortion than it was before, and that is their prerogative. Other States, including Louisiana, made abortion illegal except in narrow circumstances. … But Louisiana’s efforts have been thwarted by certain medical providers, private organizations, and States that abhor laws like Louisiana’s and seek to undermine their enforcement.”

Louisiana and Texas are among 17 states where abortion is illegal in most circumstances. In the case at hand, the states are challenging the 2023 loosened guidelines for mifepristone prescriptions that allow virtual office visits and mail order delivery. In states where unborn life is protected, telehealth provision for abortion pills increased from 74,000 in 2024 to 91,000 in 2025, the Guttmacher Institute said in an annual report.

Among states continuing to curtail mifepristone use, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt signed a bill May 7th making it a felony to provide abortion pills without a prescription, carrying 10-year prison terms and fines of up to $100,000, according to House Bill 1168. The new law, set to take effect in mid-August, does not restrict pharmacists, drug manufacturers, or legal distributors from dispensing the pills for lawful medical purposes.



IMB trustees appoint 71 missionaries, look toward deep investment in Great Commission task

By / May 14

RICHMOND, Va. – International Mission Board trustees appointed 71 fully supported missionaries during their May 13-14 meeting near Richmond. Missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration Tuesday, June 9, at 10:30 a.m. EDT during the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. The event will be livestreamed on sbcannualmeeting.net. 

John McCullough, trustee from Texas, called Thursday’s plenary session to order and opened in prayer.

McCullough recognized guests Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and Jon Jeffries of Woman’s Missionary Union. Wolfe presented a check for $1 million to IMB President Paul Chitwood to be used for renovation of missionary housing at the International Learning Center, the IMB’s campus in Rockville, Va., where new missionaries are trained and where missionaries return during stateside assignments.  

“The decision is one of the easiest we’ve made,” Wolfe said of the vote to give the large gift to the IMB.

Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, tours a missionary housing unit with his wife Vanessa. Allen Hawkins (right), former missionary from South Carolina, is leading upcoming renovations at the International Learning Center. On behalf of South Carolina Baptists, Wolfe presented a check for $1 million to the IMB to be used for upgrades to missionary housing at ILC. IMB Photo

“South Carolina is a sending state,” he continued. “We have full confidence in the IMB’s vision, leadership and missional strategies. We’re honored to invest in future Southern Baptist missionaries and their families in this way.”

Thursday’s plenary session concluded the two-day gathering of trustees during which the board elected officers, met in standing committees, recognized trustees completing terms of service, and honored retired staff and missionaries who died in 2025. 

President’s report

IMB President Paul Chitwood drew attention to celebrations and highlights as he recognized the 181-year legacy of the IMB. Chitwood celebrated points of impact presented to the trustees in the newly released Annual Statistical Report.

“With the public release today of IMB’s Annual Statistical Report,” Chitwood said, “we celebrate the reach of every Southern Baptist church that partners with IMB in praying, giving, sending and going.”

For the ministry year 2025, the overseas missionary work of Southern Baptists resulted in the following:

  • Gospel witness to more than 2 million people spread across 1,815 people groups.
  • More than 1.3 million of those Gospel shares were among unreached people groups.
  • 196,497 professed faith in Christ.
  • 31 people groups moved from unengaged to engaged.
  • 7,697 new churches were planted, the biblical faithfulness of which is being measured against the 12 Characteristics of a Healthy Church, described in IMB’s Foundations document.
  • More than 88,000 people were trained in evangelism.
  • 68,000 disciples received leadership training.

The full 2025 ASR is available on the IMB website.

“Work as expansive and impactful as the work that Southern Baptists steward through their IMB takes resources,” Chitwood said. “While we still have a long way to go in meeting our annual revenue goals, we celebrate that Southern Baptists’ generosity this year is keeping us just ahead of last year’s giving.”

The 2026-27 slate of IMB trustee officers includes Glenn Steen, first vice chair, Carol Pfeiffer, chair, Sacha Hasenyager, recording secretary, and Willie Smith, second vice chair (not pictured). IMB Photo

While acknowledging the financial health of the IMB, Chitwood noted the ongoing impact of inflation and the decline of Cooperative Program giving that keeps the company looking at greater efficiency and more effective ways to communicate opportunities for churches and individuals to offer financial support.

“Regarding efficiency, I’m pleased to report that since I began as IMB president in 2018, we have increased spending on the U.S. side of our operations only 0.6 percent,” Chitwood told the board.

“When accounting for the impact of inflation, that means we have reduced administrative support spending by 30 percent over the past seven years. During that same time period, we have increased overseas spending by 30.5 percent, which means we have protected our overseas work from the impact of inflation.”

Chitwood referred to a report given to trustees by Don Barger, IMB director of innovation and artificial intelligence. Barger’s report included how the IMB is building AI tools to extend the reach and impact of missionaries.

Four tools available to the public include:

  • FaithBot.io – a Gospel sharing tool available in more than 40 languages;
  • Engage Lostness – a tool for sharing personal faith with people who hold a different worldview;
  • Bible Pics – which illustrates Bible passages and Bible studies;
  • Missions Games – a teaching tool to help people of all ages learn about missions.

All tools can be accessed at www.faithbot.tools.

Chitwood emphasized that AI tools are not a replacement for missionaries. “Our AI tools are built on a theological framework consistent with the Baptist Faith and Message and are designed to be used ethically and responsibly,” he said.

During the May 2026 trustee meeting, Todd Lafferty, IMB executive vice president, recognized retired missionaries and staff who passed away in 2025. IMB Photo

The president also highlighted estate giving, a topic explained to trustees by Chris Kennedy, IMB’s chief advancement officer. Chitwood said the IMB encourages every Southern Baptist to consider estate planning.  

“Thoughtful and timely estate planning can set in motion one final act of stewardship that extends our Gospel witness beyond our lifetime and helps sustain a missionary presence among the nations,” Chitwood said. “When you choose to remember the IMB in your estate plans, you ensure that the most important work in the universe, the work of getting the Gospel to those who have yet to hear, can continue on even after your race has been run.”

Anyone with interest in discussing gift planning options can contact IMB team members at [email protected]. 

Chitwood turned attention to global engagement strategies and the continuing growth and shifts needed to reach the lost amidst current world trends.

“We began a process two years ago of our field leaders examining the global harvest fields to find any gaps in our work or any opportunities for greater effectiveness,” Chitwood reported. “That process now has us surveying more than 1,000 of our overseas missionaries to get their perspective. We’re simply asking the question: Are our structures and strategies keeping up with growing lostness around the world?”

Chitwood participated in a similar effort nearly 20 years ago, when he served as IMB trustee chair. Since that time, world population has grown by close to 2 billion people and seen increasing migration of people groups. The IMB has significantly increased a focus on the remaining unengaged, unreached people groups.  

Chitwood said, “A review of our structures, to ensure we are best positioned to have the maximum impact possible upon the global harvest fields, is in order. To be clear, this process is ultimately about one thing – getting the Gospel to the lost.”

Foundational commitments, theology and missiology that guides IMB’s work remains firmly in place, according to Chitwood. These commitments are detailed in IMB’s Foundations document.

“The Core Missionary Task remains IMB’s core task,” Chitwood said.

Paul Chitwood, IMB president, thanks Joyce Chambers for her commitment to missions. Chambers, from Georgia, concluded her service as IMB trustee with the May 2026 meeting. IMB Photo

He concluded his report with an overview of upcoming renovations at the International Learning Center, affirmed by trustees.

“For nearly half a century, this campus has been a tremendous resource for preparing missionaries heading to their overseas fields of service and receiving them back upon their return,” Chitwood said. “For Southern Baptists, this is holy ground. And it is ours to steward. That stewardship demands a renewed investment, and we have the privilege of making it.”

Phase 1 of the investment will include renovations and updates to missionary housing, as well as the construction of a pavilion in each of three housing villages. Phase 2 will be an updated and expanded child education center and the construction and relocation of IMB's warehouse operations from Richmond to the ILC campus.

Chitwood reported that the combined estimated cost of the two phases is $23.8 million.

“Already, many of our state convention partners have committed to assist with the funding of missionary housing renovation, pledging gifts of more than $4 million with several more states considering the opportunity,” he said. “With today’s gift, Tony Wolfe and the South Carolina Baptist Convention is leading the way with the most generous gift to date. I look forward to seeing how others will be inspired by the generosity of South Carolina Baptists.”

Continued business

Chitwood and trustee chair Carol Pfeiffer thanked trustees completing their terms of service. Trustees recognized included: Marshall Blalock, South Carolina; Alan Brumback, Florida; Joyce Chambers, Georgia; John Hinze, New Mexico; Justin Lohmeirer, Mississippi; John McCullough, Texas; Tommy Turner, Texas; and Chris Wall, Oklahoma.

Three trustee officers were elected for a second term, with one new officer joining the slate. Glenn Steen of South Carolina was elected as first vice chair. Returning officers, voted to a second term, include Carol Pfeiffer of Texas as chair, Willie Smith of Oklahoma as second vice chair, and Sacha Hasenyager of Montana as recording secretary.

Thursday’s meeting included reports from standing committees: Administration, Global Engagement, Human Resources, Global Business Services and U.S Engagement.

In memoriam

IMB Executive Vice President Todd Lafferty led a time of remembrance for the lives of emeritus and active colleagues who died in 2025. Two field personnel and one missionary kid passed away last year. For security reasons, they were not publicly named.

Seventy-five retired missionaries were remembered in the tribute. Their years of service totaled 2,093, with an average of 28 years. The average age at time of death was 88 years.

Among others who served faithfully, the following were recognized as having served for 35 or more years: Joyce Wyatt, age 97, served in Colombia, Chile and Spain for 40 years; Ruth Harris, age 101, served in Bermuda for 39 years; Rose Mary Register, age 86, served in Israel for 38 years; Will and Frances Marie Roberts, both age 90, served in Tanzania for 38 years; Evelyn Moss, age 93, served in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi for 37 years; Les Hill, age 93, served in the Philippines and Singapore for 37 years; Sharon Peddicord, age 75, served in Brazil for 37 years; Nettie Gammage, age 96, served 36 years in Korea and the Philippines for 36 years; Jerry Stanley Key, age 92, served in Brazil for 36 years; Pratt Dean, age 91, served in Japan for 36 years; Hubert Fox, age 92, served in Thailand for 35 years; Sistie Givens Riley, age 93, served in Brazil for 35 years; Mary Swedenburg, age 82, served in Japan for 35 years; Ed Jolley, age 95, served in Argentina for 35 years; and Joyce Watson, age 91, served in the Philippines for 35 years.

Twelve retired staff whose lives were remembered included: Keith Parks, who served for 38 years in Indonesia and as IMB president; Lloyd Atkinson, who served for 31 years in Chile and as vice president for the office of mission personnel; Bob Shoemake, who served for 33 years as associate vice president for stateside logistics; Robert Ethridge who served for 11 years as associate vice president for communications strategy and marketing; Ritchie Lipscomb, who served for 47 years in receipts and disbursements; Judi Bell, who served for 33 years in event coordination; Bill Peacock, who served for 30 years in Korea and in volunteers in missions; Pat Moneymaker, who served for 27 years in development; Ann Markey, who served for 25 years in personnel selection; Shirley Norris, who served for 23 years in the IMB resource center; Carolyn Price, who served 19 years in global research; and Jeannette Stone, who served for 16 years in student and candidate guidance.

Chris Wall closed the meeting in prayer. The next trustee meeting will be Sept. 16-17 in Virginia.



Meet & greets, scavenger hunt, entity updates, swag on tap for SBC 2026 Exhibit Hall

By / May 13

ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – Have your say at the Cooperative Program interactive display at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting Exhibit Hall in Orlando, where the SBC Executive Committee will gather testimonies on how the CP has impacted individual journeys, churches and ministries.

“Many of the testimonies will be shared throughout the year on the ‘SBC This Week’ podcast,” Brandon Porter, SBC Executive Committee (EC) vice president for convention communications, told Baptist Press. “We’ll be filming our podcast interview series in the booth at various times on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Folks are welcome to gather ‘round and watch the interviews with a wide variety of ministry leaders.”

The CP booth will mark the end of this year’s Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt, leading messengers on a 30-station trek of diverse tasks including answering trivia questions, chatting with a ministry representative, signing up for a newsletter or demonstrating a resource, said Jonathan Howe, SBC EC vice president for convention administration.

“The SBC Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt isn't just a fun activity. It’s an onramp to real conversations between attendees and the organizations who serve Southern Baptist churches every day,” Howe told Baptist Press. “We were thrilled with the response last year in Dallas, and this year we've built on that momentum with 30 participating booths and 10 prize packs that represent the best these exhibitors have to offer.”

This year’s scavenger hunt is presented by Pushpay and supported by SBC entities including the six seminaries, the two mission boards, Send Relief, GuideStone Financial Resources, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), the Woman’s Missionary Union and other ministry organizations.

“We're grateful to Pushpay for presenting this experience and helping us make the exhibit hall feel accessible and exciting for everyone,” Howe said, “first-timers and longtime messengers alike.”

In additional EC displays in the exhibit hall, connect with leaders from multiethnic and multiracial congregations that comprise nine ethnic fellowships representing nearly a fourth of Southern Baptist congregations, said Charles Grant, SBC EC associate vice president for convention partnerships, citing data from the SBC Ethnic Research Network.

“With 23 percent of SBC congregations being multiethnic/multiracial, this is an opportunity to celebrate in one location what will be made perfect in the Revelation 7:9 vision,” Grant said. “Messengers can be informed about the purpose and goals of each fellowship. Churches can learn how to partner with one or more of our national fellowships to reach the nations represented in churches’ backyards. We invite everyone to hear what our Lord is doing to advance the kingdom of God through our SBC multiethnic churches.”

Connect with the Asian Collective NextGen Pastors Network, the Brazilian Baptist Fellowship of America, the Chinese Baptist Fellowship of the U.S. and Canada, the Filipino Southern Baptist Fellowship of North America, the Myanmar Baptist Churches USA, the National Haitian Fellowship, the National Hispanic Baptist Fellowship, the Pacific Slavic Baptist Association and the Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship.

The SBC Abuse Prevention & Response ministry booth will complete the EC representation in the exhibit hall, unveiling the ministry’s new Fortify Initiative in concert with its reveal at the Southern Baptist Convention Associational Leaders meeting.

Jeff Dalrymple, SBC EC director of Abuse Prevention & Response, encourages messengers and others to visit the booth for the latest resource guide, with free resources available for associational leaders.

“The Annual Meeting exhibit hall is stocked with evangelism and discipleship resources designed to help church and ministry leaders fulfill the Great Commission. Of course, this includes a number of companies and ministries that operate and resource in the abuse prevention and response field,” Dalrymple said. “Don’t miss exploring these organizations and learning how their products and services can help support your church in protecting kids and the vulnerable.”

Southern Baptist entities and related organizations will offer resources in the exhibit hall, open Sunday, June 7, from 3-7 p.m.; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. June 8 and 9; and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 10.

ERLC

Visit the ERLC booth Monday, June 8, to meet newly elected ERLC President Evan Lenow. The entity is offering a time to engage with its team and voice questions of concern to your individual congregation.

“The ERLC exists to serve Southern Baptist pastors and churches,” the entity said, “and the annual meeting is one of our favorite opportunities to do that face to face.”

As the nation approaches its semiquincentennial, the ERLC will offer its new booklet celebrating Baptist influence on America’s founding. “One Nation Under God: Reflections on 250 Years of Faith and Democracy,” will be available exclusively at the ERLC booth. Snag the booklet in addition to your choice of several free practical and theological church guides covering a wide range of issues of interest to Southern Baptists.

“We know pastors are navigating some of the most complex cultural questions their congregations have ever faced – questions about life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity,” ERLC said of its booth. “What does it look like to be faithful in the public square? We also want to hear from you.”

Gateway Seminary (GS)

Celebrating the upcoming launch of a new website and branding, GS will publicize the phrase “Faithful Theology. Faithful Leadership. For Faithful Service.”

“The theme of faithfulness is reflective of our past and helps us look to the future,” GS Director of Communications Tyler Sanders said. “Our mission is still shaping leaders who expand God’s kingdom around the world. We want to train a generation of pastors and ministers who will be faithful to God and His Word, to their churches, and to the character and integrity to which they are called.”

Snag GS swag including T-shirts for those inquiring about the seminary’s master’s and doctoral programs, North Face backpacks for those who start an admissions application, and stickers, coasters, patches and lapel pins for others.

On Monday, June 8, register for GS events including a 10 a.m. Advance global ministry information session at 10 a.m.; an 11 a.m. information session on Desarollando Teología Fiel: Gateway Español, Gateway’s new Spanish language program; a 1 p.m. Doctor of Ministry panel on developing faithful leaders; a 2 p.m. session on developing faithful scholarship with Gateway’s Doctor of Philosophy degree, a 3 p.m. panel discussion on faithful international missions featuring Gateway President Adam Groza, and a 4 p.m. session on local teaching sites Gateway is launching nationally.

GuideStone Financial Resources

Visit GuideStone’s free Wellness Booth for blood pressure checks, grip strength tests and general wellness assistance, and engage with GuideStone representatives for retirement planning, health plans and insurance products. Engaging in GuideStone’s wellness and financial health activities will qualify messengers and guests to enter a drawing for a set of golf irons.

Meet representatives from GuideStone’s property and casualty insurance team and the Mission:Dignity outreach to retirees and widows, and gather resources to host Mission:Dignity Sunday.

Free copies of “Just Jesus,” the latest book from GuideStone President Emeritus O.S. Hawkins, will be available Monday, along with other giveaways and resources Sunday-Wednesday.

International Mission Board (IMB)

Visit the IMB exhibit and gain a deeper understanding of your personal role in God’s global mission.

“Building on the theme ‘Together,’ this year’s emphasis is “YOU+IMB,” highlighting the unique and essential part every individual plays in advancing the Gospel among the nations,” IMB said. “Through engaging visuals and intentional conversations, the exhibit will communicate how together, we send and sustain missionaries, care for those in need, and share the hope of Christ so lives and communities are transformed.

“This message, rooted in the Great Commission and the vision of Revelation 7:9, serves as a compelling call for every attendee to see themselves as part of this greater story.”

Explore your missions involvement while engaging with IMB staff and choosing among resources tailored to missions for individual lay members, children, pastors and partners. Participants in the exhibit hall scavenger hunt will receive a special lapel pin, and limited-edition IMB T-shirts will be available for adults and children, while supplies last.

“These experiences are designed to leave attendees encouraged, equipped, and inspired to join the work of making Christ known among all nations,” IMB said.

Lifeway Christian Resources (See related story here.)

Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS)

MBTS will engage messengers with activities and freebies serving families, encouraging fellowship and celebrating church life.

“Midwestern Seminary will distribute 3,000 custom milk-glass mugs featuring state nicknames, offering attendees a unique keepsake from this year’s annual meeting,” said Kody Gibson, MBTS vice president of communications and brand strategy. “Guests will also have opportunities to participate in two flash giveaways featuring four custom outdoor flag designs and … a limited-edition Orlando-themed “For the Church” hat.”

Among interactive items for families and children will be Zip Chips, a compact flying disc toy designed for easy indoor and outdoor play. Beyond the giveaways, MBTS representatives will answer questions and provide resources on residential and online theological training.

“These opportunities reflect Midwestern Seminary’s ongoing commitment to equip men and women to live and labor for the Church,” Gibson said.

New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS)

The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College booth will offer daily, exclusive giveaways including comfort color t-shirts and NOBTS hats. Admissions personnel will be available to share information on updated curricula, degrees and delivery systems.

The entity will participate in the second annual exhibit hall scavenger hunt, an opportunity for messengers and guests to follow the clues to win an exclusive NOBTS and Leavell College crewneck sweatshirt.

North American Mission Board (NAMB)

Connect with church-planting missionaries and chaplains at NAMB’s booth, with daily special recognitions of NAMB’s core missions efforts, including evangelism and church planting. The exhibit will also provide visitors the chance to learn more about and celebrate the legacy of Annie Armstrong, the namesake of the Easter mission offering. Giveaways will include NAMB T-shirts.

Send Relief

As the joint compassion ministry of NAMB and IMB, Send Relief’s booth will highlight the global compassion ministry efforts of Southern Baptists. Receive free T-shirts and learn how you and your membership church or pastorate can engage in compassion ministry through Send Relief.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS)

Visit Southeastern Seminary and Judson College’s booth to meet faculty, staff and current students, and learn more about Southeastern’s mission to equip students to go make disciples. Visitors will also have a chance to meet President-Elect Scott Pace in the booth from 2:30-4:30 on Monday, June 8.

Snag giveaways including faculty books and chances to win a Preaching Suite from Logos, a pastor’s sabbatical, a full Christ-Centered Exposition commentary set, and a small group leader certificate course. Participate in the scavenger hunt for a chance to win a Southeastern Fellow Mug in one of 10 grand prize packages.

Southern Baptist Foundation

From fun giveaways to tax-smart giving strategies, there are many reasons to stop by the Southern Baptist Foundation’s booth (#710). Celebrate America’s 250th birthday in style with a vibrant red, white and blue umbrella, participate in the foundation’s annual “Guess the Amount” game in the giant soda bottle, and participate in the exhibit hall scavenger hunt for a chance to win a collection of inspirational books by bestselling author and teaching pastor Robert Morgan.

One attendee will take home a jersey autographed by Seattle Seahawks wide receiver and 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, said Warren Peek, foundation president and CEO.

“We’d love to welcome you to our booth and share more about our investment and estate planning services,” Peek said. “Through faithful giving, missionaries are being trained and encouraged, students are being equipped to share the Gospel, churches are being planted, cities are being transformed, and lives are being impacted and forever changed around the world.”

Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives (SBHLA)

In recognition of America’s Semiquincentennial this year, the SBHLA booth in the exhibit hall will feature a selection of oil paintings and pencil drawings by the late Erwin M. Hearne, Jr., who was a Southern Baptist layman and professional artist. Hearne’s paintings and drawings depict Baptists’ contributions to the freedom of conscience, separation of church and state, and the struggle for religious liberty during the American Revolution and the early republic.

The artwork was commissioned by the former SBC Historical Commission and the Baptist Sunday School Board (now Lifeway) in 1962, said Taffey Hall, SBHLA director and archivist.

“The paintings were displayed in the Pavilion of Religion at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York and have been on display at the SBHLA in Nashville since,” Hall said. “The Library and Archives’ exhibit hall booth will include high quality reproduction facsimiles of the artwork, along with brief historical accounts of each piece.”

Hearne depicts the vital contributions of Baptists such as Roger Williams, Isaac Backus and his mother Elizabeth, John Leland and others.

“Baptists expressed convictions that one faith should not be favored over another or be superior to another, and many Baptists in Colonial America were fined, whipped and imprisoned for these beliefs,” Hall said. “The artwork portrays Baptists advocating for religious freedom before the Continental Congress, communicating with the nation’s early civic leaders, Baptists singing on the way to jail, and preaching from jail. The collection of artwork offers an extraordinary window to the past for remembering the important contributions of early Baptists in America in their advocacy for religious freedom for all people.”

Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS)

The SBTS and Boyce College booth will feature design elements drawn from the Louisville campus, along with a dedicated section highlighting recent faculty publications. Learn about degree programs, meet team members and receive giveaways including Southern Seminary and Boyce College T-shirts, books and other items.

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS)

The SWBTS exhibit will feature giveaways of five books, culinary seasonings, T-shirts and luncheon tickets.

Meet authors who will sign their books, including on Sunday, Daniel Darling, director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement and assistant professor of faith and culture at Texas Baptist College, author of “Biblical Wisdom for Everyday Life: Ethical Answers to Cultural Questions”; on Monday, David S. Dockery, SWBTS president and distinguished professor of theology, author of “Hearts, Heads, and Hands: A Vision for Theological Education at Southwestern Seminary”; and on Tuesday, Malcolm B. Yarnell III, SWBTS research professor of theology, and author of “Word,” the second volume in a three-part series, “Theology for Every Person.”

Other complimentary books will include “The B. H. Carroll Pulpit, Revised and Expanded,” a compilation of more than 40 sermons and addresses by Southwestern’s founder and first president, and “Children & Salvation,” co-edited by Karen Kennemur, SWBTS professor of children’s ministry.

Among other giveaways are Texas-Style SPG (salt, pepper, and garlic) seasoning on Sunday-Tuesday, and various SWBTS T-shirts Monday and Tuesday. In advance of the seminary’s annual Alumni & Friends Luncheon at noon Wednesday, stop by the booth for free luncheon tickets and a copy of Dockery’s book referenced above.

Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU)

WMU will offer extra fun for kids and adults at booth 1214, the Royal Ambassadors Racetrack, where contestants can race their derby car, which WMU spokeswoman Julia Walters described as a must-stop for families and church leaders alike.

“Don’t miss the highly anticipated SBC Entity Leader’s Race at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 8,” Walters said. “Who will take home gold this year?”

At booth #1211, discover how WMU curriculum helps everyone learn about, pray for, support and actively participate in missions.

“Our engaging booth experience brings the message “Missions Starts Here” to life and shows how every age level in your church can be involved in missions discipleship,” Walters said. “Pick up a “missions discipleship passport” to explore WMU curriculum highlights and see how WMU equips churches to live on mission year-round.”

A WMU button and a digital curriculum sample are free to those who get their registration badges scanned.



Churchgoers look to join with others in their discipleship walk

By / May 12

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Churchgoers are getting better at developing and deepening relationships within their congregations, but it’s still not a strength.

U.S. Protestant churchgoers say they’ve established several friendships with others in their church and are trying to use those relationships to grow their faith, according to Lifeway Research’s State of Discipleship.

Building relationships is one of eight signposts that measure characteristics evident in believers who are progressing in spiritual maturity. It ranks sixth among the other signposts, with the average churchgoer scoring 64.0 in the attribute.

“When you think of a local church, you think of people coming together. We could assume those relationships formed naturally, but that is rarely the case. In an individualistic culture, immersing yourself in the lives of other people who are not your family is unnatural,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research.

“It is counter-cultural for people in local churches to continue to make the effort to foster trusting and caring relationships that are focused on following Christ together.”

Forming friendships

Most churchgoers make an effort to connect with those they don’t know. Two in 3 (66 percent) say they intentionally try to get to know new people they meet at church. One in 10 (11 percent) disagree, and 22 percent neither agree nor disagree.

U.S. Protestant churchgoers have improved since a 2013 Lifeway Research study, when 53 percent sought to get to know new people, 22 percent disagreed and 25 percent weren’t sure.

Seemingly, those efforts often blossomed into deeper friendships. More than 3 in 4 churchgoers (77 percent) say they have developed significant relationships with people at their church, while 8 percent disagree and 15 percent neither agree nor disagree.

Those numbers are similar to a 2019 Lifeway Research study, when 78 percent said they had developed such relationships. In 2013, 74 percent agreed.

“These two efforts may not naturally exist together – working to meet new people and investing in being a good friend to those you know – but they reflect biblical attitudes toward relationships. It is not an either/or. We can strive for depth of friendships and be eager to meet new people at church,” said McConnell.

Churchgoers today are more likely than those several years ago to focus on establishing peace within their congregations. Now, almost 3 in 5 (58 percent) say they intentionally try to be a peacemaker at church. Few (12 percent) disagree, and 30 percent aren’t sure.

In 2019, Lifeway Research found 49 percent said they tried to be a congregational peacemaker, 13 percent disagreed and 38 percent said neither.

Discipleship and relationships

Often, those attempts to get to know new people and form friendships have become part of U.S. Protestant churchgoers’ discipleship.

More than 2 in 3 (68 percent) say they have several Christian friends who keep them accountable, while 13 percent disagree and 19 percent aren’t sure.

Additionally, most (58 percent) say they intentionally spend time with other believers to help them grow in their faith. Around a quarter (27 percent) aren’t sure, and 15 percent disagree.

Those numbers mark improvement over previous years. In 2013, 42 percent said this was the case, while 48 percent agreed in 2019 that they were intentional about spending time to help others grow in their faith.

One way many churchgoers help others grow is through an adult small group or class, like Sunday School, Bible studies or other similar group gatherings. A 2024 Lifeway Research study found the average U.S. Protestant church had seven groups with 69 adults participating across all groups.

The average churchgoer attends a small group around three times a month. Almost half (45 percent) attend at least three times a month, with 22 percent attending four times and 17 percent five or more. Fewer say they attend once (12 percent) or twice (12 percent) a month.

Those who aren’t attending a type of small group offered by their churches have been steadily decreasing over the past decade. In 2013, 41 percent said they did not attend at all in a given month. By 2019, 38 percent were not involved in a small group. Now, around a third (32 percent) say they don’t regularly participate in a typical month.

“While higher numbers of churchgoers have been claiming to be involved in a small group Bible study, pastors are not so sure. Since 2008, pastors say they have seen a growing gap between worship attendees and small group or Sunday School participation,” said McConnell.

“Technically, both cannot be true. Churchgoers who have heard the importance of groups state their participation in the best possible light, while pastors, who feel responsibility for all their members, likely can’t exclude those who attend worship less than once a month from their estimates.”

In an additional Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant churchgoers, 74 percent believe it is important for every adult to be involved in a Bible study group or Sunday School class at church, including 35 percent who strongly agree. One in 5 (21 percent) disagree, and 5 percent aren’t sure. Those numbers are similar to a 2019 study.

That same study found most churchgoers (55 percent) have been asked by someone at church about their relationship with God within the past month, including 28 percent who say it has happened in the last week and 27 percent in the last month.

Fewer say it has been within the last six months (13 percent), the last year (5 percent) or more than a year ago (6 percent). Some (14 percent) say they don’t recall that ever happening to them. Another 8 percent aren’t sure.

Bowing heads together

As churchgoers form relationships with other believers, they aren’t just talking to each other. Most are also talking with God together, and those prayers often include non-Christians.

According to the State of Discipleship study, 2 in 3 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (67 percent) say they pray in a group with other Christians apart from a church worship service at least once a week, including 12 percent who pray every day, 21 percent who do so a few times a week and 34 percent who pray once a week.

Around 1 in 8 (12 percent) pray in a group a few times a month. One in 20 (5 percent) pray with other Christians once a month. Another 16 percent say they rarely or never do so.

Additionally, 74 percent of churchgoers pray for the spiritual status of people they know who are not professing Christians at least once a week, including 32 percent who do so every day, 26 percent who say they pray a few times a week and 15 percent who do so once a week.

Few pray for the spiritual status of those they know a few times a month (9 percent) or once a month (5 percent). Around 1 in 10 (11 percent) say they rarely or never pray for non-Christians in that way.

“Building biblical relationships is not just about forming friendships that benefit oneself. It is an others focus that desires for more people to experience the life in Jesus Christ that unites us,” said McConnell.

For more information, view the complete State of Discipleship report, the other churchgoer report and visit LifewayResearch.com/Discipleship.

Methodology

The online survey of 2,130 Protestant churchgoers was conducted March 19-26, 2025, using a national pre-recruited panel. Respondents were screened to include those who identified as Protestant/non-denominational and attend religious services at least once a month. Respondents could complete the survey in English or Spanish. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education and denominational affiliation. The completed sample is 2,130 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 2.21 percent. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups.

The online survey of 1,200 American Protestant churchgoers was conducted Sept. 2-7, 2025, using a national pre-recruited panel. Respondents were screened to include those who identified as Protestant/non-denominational and attend religious services at least once a month. Quotas and slight weights were used to balance gender, age, region, ethnicity, education, and religion to reflect the population. The completed sample is 1,200 surveys. The sample provides 95 percent confidence that the sampling error from the panel does not exceed plus or minus 3.2 percent. This margin of error accounts for the effect of weighting. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups. Comparisons are made to an online survey of 1,002 American Protestant churchgoers conducted by Lifeway Research Sept. 20-27, 2019.



As World Cup arrives in North America, Southern Baptists gear up to share the Gospel

By / May 11

ATLANTA – As the world prepares for one of its largest sporting events, Southern Baptists have created opportunities to leverage the 2026 World Cup to share the Gospel.

Sixteen major cities throughout North America will host soccer matches that are expected to draw crowds of 15-25 million people who will come from all over the world to watch the games or be part of the festivities surrounding the events. More than 5 billion are expected to watch broadcasts of the games.

“The World Cup presents a unique opportunity for our Southern Baptist family of churches to engage people from all over the world with the Gospel,” said Tim Dowdy, vice president of evangelism at the North American Mission Board (NAMB). “Our hope is that churches in the cities where these events will be held as well as people from churches around the North America who plan to attend an event will find the tools designed specifically for the World Cup helpful in pointing people to Jesus.”

Soccer is one of the world’s most popular sports, and every four years, hundreds of millions of people tune in from around the globe to watch World Cup matches. IMB photo

The International Mission Board (IMB), NAMB and several Southern Baptist state conventions are encouraging churches and Christians to engage their communities with the good news. NAMB has created a web page that captures several of these efforts in one place.

IMB has established an engagement strategy that it has utilized during the last three Olympic cycles to make an impact on the global audience that will be paying attention to the games and events surrounding the World Cup.

“IMB’s digital engagement team has been on the cutting edge of strategies to advance the Gospel across language barriers and to people groups who would not otherwise have access the good news of Jesus Christ,” said IMB President Paul Chitwood.

A key aspect of the approach directs individuals to a website IMB created that asks and answers the question: “Who am I?” Visitors to the site will see the page and all its resources in their own language. They will be able to hear a virtual Gospel translation and download a copy of God’s Word.

NAMB is offering soccer-themed resources – stickers, patches, lanyards and wristbands – that direct people to the “Who Am I?” site through QR codes. Whether hosting watch parties, attending the fan fests or doing street evangelism, these resources can help believers initiate Gospel conversations.

“Now, a sporting event taking place in Canada, Mexico and the United States brings IMB and NAMB together to focus on how we can serve each other and the nations,” said Chitwood. “This is another way Southern Baptists are uniting around our Great Commission work.”

Major cities throughout the continent will be hosting these games, and Southern Baptist state conventions in California, Texas, Missouri and Georgia all have established plans to share the Gospel with the global crowds who will be visiting their states.

As the World Cup comes to North America this year, Southern Baptists have been organizing ways to use the game of soccer to make connections with people and open doors for gospel proclamation. IMB photo

With Atlanta being one of the host cities, Georgia Baptists have put together an outreach toolkit that can be used by church leaders and volunteers in churches of any and every size throughout the state. California has two of the World Cup’s host cities, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and launched the Yellow Card Initiative to use the global language of soccer to raise awareness about sin and the need for the Savior.

The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC), also a state with two World Cup sites in Dallas and Houston, has similarly put together a web page with instructions for ministering to people through events and other forms of outreach. Missouri Baptists are working with their churches to spread the Gospel among those traveling to St. Louis as they host World Cup matches.

“Fulfilling the Great Commission is what we’re all about as Southern Baptists,” said NAMB President Kevin Ezell. “My prayer is that God opens doors for the World Cup to be an avenue where Christians connect with unbelievers who then connect to Christ.”

NAMB’s World Cup page highlights each of these efforts and encourages churches and individuals throughout North America to leverage one of the world’s major global events to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.



ERLC’s Psalm 139 Project places 100th ultrasound machine

By / May 8

ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (BP) – The Psalm 139 Project, a pro-life ministry of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), celebrated its 100th ultrasound machine placement during a dedication in Elizabethtown, N.C., Friday (May 8).

The ultrasound was placed at Mercy House Pregnancy Resource Center during a special ceremony on Friday morning which was attended by representatives from the ERLC, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina and other local staff and volunteers.

This ultrasound machine is the 100th placement the Psalm 139 Project has made overall and the fifth so far in 2026.

“Glory to God for this milestone moment in the history of the Psalm 139 Project,” said Rachel Wiles, director of the Psalm 139 Project.

“Ultrasound technology is powerful and literally saves lives. It has been an honor to lead this work, and I am deeply grateful for the heroic efforts of pregnancy care centers across the country who serve as the hands and feet of Christ, offering hope and life-saving care every day. May the Lord continue to bless the ministry of the Psalm 139 Project for years to come as we look forward to celebrating the next 100 placements.”

NC Baptist leadership celebrated the state convention’s partnership with the ERLC which made this placement possible.

"It's a great privilege for NC Baptists to participate in this strategic placement that will save lives and take part in a monumental moment for the Psalm 139 Project,” said Todd Unzicker, executive director-treasurer of NC Baptists.

“We believe every person is made in the image of God, and the images generated by this machine will reflect that eternal truth to the mothers and fathers served by Mercy House."

Leigh Britt, nurse manager for Mercy House Pregnancy Resource Center, said the new machine will allow the center to provide more comprehensive care for its clients.

“An ultrasound is a vital early step in pregnancy care, and now women in Bladen County can receive this service at no cost in a safe and supportive environment,” Britt said. “This is a testament to God’s faithfulness and the generosity of his people, allowing us to serve women and families in an even deeper and more meaningful way.”

Since its inception, the Psalm 139 Project has provided ultrasound equipment and necessary training to pregnancy resource centers across the country. The initiative began as a way to assist pregnancy resource centers by providing updated technology as they care for many women experiencing unplanned pregnancies. It does not receive Cooperative Program dollars and is instead fully funded through donations, 100 percent of which go toward the ultrasound placements and subsequent training.

Most recently, the Psalm 139 Project has started a new emphasis called “Across State Lines,” which focuses on providing ultrasound equipment and subsequent training to pregnancy resource centers in states where abortion is readily available. Women often travel to these states to seek the procedure.

Wiles recently chronicled the journey of the Psalm 139 Project and her personal experience as director in a first-person article.

“The advent of ultrasound technology and its advances over the years have changed the way the public views life,” Wiles said. “It’s nearly impossible to contend that a pregnancy is just a clump of cells when confronted with a beating heart and images of fingers and toes.

“This is precisely why the Psalm 139 Project began. Through Southern Baptist support of this initiative over the last two decades, many families have experienced a window into the womb firsthand. This type of ministry is happening all over the country as pregnancy centers minister to those in need.

“I get to connect with the staff of many pregnancy centers, who I quickly learned are the heroes of the pro-life movement. These clinic staff show up day in and day out to do ministry where life is messy. They boldly share about the physical life growing within the womb and the eternal life Christ offers.”

The Psalm 139 Project officially started collecting funds in the early 2000s and donated its first ultrasound machines in 2004. Since then, ultrasound machines were placed in pregnancy centers periodically throughout the years.

That was until 2021-2023, when the initiative pursued a bold goal of donating 50 ultrasound machines before the 50th anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case which legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.

Remarkably, Psalm 139 Project reached its goal of placing 50 ultrasound machines in these two years, and a monumental Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe in 2022, thus sending abortion regulation primarily back to the states.

The abortion landscape has completely changed since this decision, with some states passing near-full bans on abortion while others have doubled down and even welcomed “abortion tourism” in their states.

Abortion numbers have reportedly gone up since the overturning of Roe, due largely to the legality of medication abortions. The prescription and distribution of abortion pills remain a continual battle in the fight to protect preborn lives.

Despite this, Wiles said she is grateful for the massive impact the Psalm 139 Project is making both now and eternally.

“Looking back over the arc of the Psalm 139 Project, what’s the legacy of 100 machines?” she said. “We will never truly know this side of heaven, but I am confident that, because of this project, there are people walking around today who would not have been born. Beyond that, families have come to Christ and generations beyond them will be forever changed through the power of the Gospel.”



NAMB trustees celebrate progress, elect new officers at Alpharetta meeting

By / May 7

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – North American Mission Board (NAMB) trustees gathered in Alpharetta May 4-5 for two days of meetings marked by reports of significant progress.

That progress included news that in 2025 baptisms continued their upward trend. In addition, the “Class of 2025” church plants included the highest number of new plants in nearly a decade. And finally, Southern Baptists passed a milestone of more than 12,000 churches started since 2010.

North American Mission Board (NAMB) president Kevin Ezell addresses NAMB’s Board of Trustees during their May 4-5 meetings at NAMB’s building in Alpharetta, Ga. Photo by NAMB staff

After committee meetings during the afternoon, trustees gathered for a dinner Monday evening that spotlighted the work of NAMB’s evangelism team.

Shane Pruitt, director of Next Gen Evangelism for NAMB, said people often ask him what God is doing among young people.

“I just know God is up to something,” Pruitt said. “And we’re in this moment. And I don’t know about you, but I want to be a part of it, and I certainly don’t want to get in the way of it.”

Later came a panel conversation about NAMB evangelism resources including the new “Gospel Coach” app that harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) to allow people to practice having Gospel conversations with non-believers.

Trevin Wax, vice president of NAMB’s Resources and Marketing group, said the goal of the application is to help people feel more prepared for a Gospel conversation.

“If you can increase the confidence of the person that's sharing the Gospel so they say, ‘I can do this. I can have a conversation with a person because I'm not going to let that hold me back.’ That's what we want,” said Trevin Wax, vice president of NAMB’s Resources and Marketing group. “We want to see more people sharing the Gospel.” Wax’s group helped design the new resource.

North American Mission Board (NAMB) trustees gathered in Alpharetta from May 4-5 for two days of meetings marked by the election of trustee officers and reports of significant progress. Photo by NAMB staff

“No matter what stage of life you're in, you're going to run up to someone who has objections or questions that you feel ill-prepared to answer,” said Tim Dowdy, NAMB’s vice president of evangelism. “It's a great tool to utilize to help solve the dilemma.”

Another panel highlighted church plant successes outside the South, including two in Las Vegas that have launched in the last 18 months with 500 or more in attendance.

“Because of faithful Gospel presence, over decades, the baseline for church planting has changed,” Travis Ogle said. “And it has accelerated new work.” Ogle serves as senior vice president of Send Network and chief operating officer of NAMB.

Trustees convened Tuesday for their formal board meeting, where they received reports and acted on ministry and governance items.

Voting on officers to lead the board, trustees elected Jeff Young as chairman. Young serves as executive pastor of Champion Forest Bapst Church in Houston. Josh Reavis, pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist church in Florida, was elected first vice chair and John Mark Harrison, pastor of First Baptist Concord in Knoxville, was elected second vice chair. All three votes were unanimous.

North American Mission Board (NAMB) trustee Stephanie Kuykendall, left, a member of First Baptist Church Owasso, Okla., submits Jeff Young (at far right in the photo) as a nominee for chairman of NAMB’s Board of Trustees. Young, executive pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, was elected unanimously. Josh Reavis, pastor of North Jacksonville Baptist church in Florida was elected first vice chair and John Mark Harrison, pastor of First Baptist Concord in Knoxville, Tenn., was elected second vice chair. Also pictured left-to-right from Kuykendall are NAMB President Kevin Ezell and current Board chairman Jonathan Jarboe, a member of Pathway Church in Redland, Calif. Photo by NAMB staff

In other reports and actions:

  • Trustees approved a report to the Woman’s Missionary Union detailing how last year’s Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was spent. Everything given to the offering is spent on the mission field, and funds are spent as they come in.
  • NAMB CFO Donna Gardner reported that Cooperative Program revenue for NAMB is down for the year but the Annie Offering is running ahead of budget. Year-to-date actual expenses are running 4.8 percent below budget.
  • Trustees approved an AI policy for NAMB and Send Relief that establishes a steering committee that will implement policy and help integrate AI technology across the ministries.
  • Trustees in attendance who are concluding their service in June were also recognized. Bill Coffey, pastor of Pinecrest Baptist Church in Silsbee, Texas; Tommy Mitchell, pastor of Agricola Baptist Church in Lucedale, Miss.; Brian Nall, a member of Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Fla.; and Gevan Spinney, pastor of Haughton First Baptist Church in La., were each recognized. Isaiah Turner, pastor of First Baptist Henryville, Ind.; Bill Wright, pastor of Trinity Baptist, Vicksburg, Miss.; Amy Thompson, a member of Redeemer Church, Lubbock, Texas; and David Amiss, a member of Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Zebulon, N.C., have also already concluded or will conclude their terms of service in June.

In his address to trustees, Ezell shared last year’s strong church planting report. Southern Baptists planted 699 new churches in 2025, the most since 2016. An additional 93 churches were replanted. With 32 new campuses and 127 new affiliations, Southern Baptists saw a total of 951 congregations added in 2025.

Ezell reminded trustees that the number of church plants is not the metric NAMB is most interested in: “It's the survivability rate we are after. The four-year survivability rate while the funding is going and how they stay attached [to Southern Baptists]. And that's what we're most excited about. It is right at 90 percent.”

After reviewing NAMB’s seven ministry assignments from the Southern Baptist Convention, Ezell outlined the importance of staying focused and committed to what God has given the entity to do at this moment in time.

He shared insights from King David’s life based on Acts 13:36: “For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep…” (ESV).

“David's life wasn't perfect,” Ezell said. “He had failures, blind spots, and seasons of struggle. Yet Scripture summarizes him not by his mistakes. His life was not measured by doing everything, but by doing what God assigned him to do in his generation.”

We must be careful not to be tempted by over-reach, Ezell cautioned, or distraction.

“Now, not every opportunity is your assignment,” Ezell said. “Faithfulness often looks less like expansion and more like focus.”

Jonathan Jarboe, a member of Pathway Church in Redland, Calif., will conclude his term as chairman of the NAMB Board of Trustees in June, but continues on as a board member for two more years. He closed the meeting by thanking fellow trustees for the opportunity to serve them.

“It has been a great privilege,” Jarboe said, “and will continue to be a privilege to serve at the North American Mission Board with you all.”



Southern Baptists see attendance, baptism gains amid membership declines

By / May 5

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Southern Baptist churches saw sustained growth in attendance and baptisms, but the two-decade membership decline continued in 2025.

Total Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) membership fell by more than 3 percent from 2024 to 2025, dipping to 12,331,954, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Research in cooperation with Baptist state conventions.

While fewer members belong to Southern Baptist congregations, more people are attending worship services and small groups and are being baptized.

On average, nearly 4.5 million people attend a Southern Baptist church each week, while more than 2.6 million participate in a small group Bible study or Sunday School class – both up more than 3 percent compared to 2024 and up for the fourth consecutive year.

Meanwhile, the number of baptisms increased by nearly 5 percent to well over a quarter of a million, marking five consecutive years of growth and surpassing pre-COVID levels.

“We are grateful Southern Baptists continue to show growth in key metrics like baptisms, worship attendance and Bible study participation,” said Jeff Iorg, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee. “Southern Baptist churches are focused on sharing the Gospel and making disciples, the mission we cooperate to fulfill. While many other issues vie for our attention, pastors seem more determined than ever to focus on our core mission.”

Not all state conventions collect giving data, but among those that do, undesignated receipts in 2025 grew by almost 1 percent to $9,639,343,162.

In addition to some states not collecting information, in some areas, not all Southern Baptist churches report data for the annual census. In 2025, 61 percent of churches reported at least one non-financial item. The lack of reporting from some churches could be hiding larger attendance gains for the SBC.

Membership continues to shrink

Last year, the SBC marked its 19th consecutive year of membership decline, falling to levels last seen in 1973.

“Church closures and churches cleaning up their membership rolls to reflect those people God has currently entrusted to them have negative impacts on total membership numbers,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Churches with more than four times as many members as their average attendance are either unhealthy or need to clean up their membership records.”

The states with at least half a million Southern Baptist church members include Texas (2,353,814), Georgia (1,122,485), Tennessee (1,036,601), Alabama (910,961), North Carolina (833,748), Florida (760,058), Kentucky (644,879), South Carolina (580,039) and Mississippi (575,925).

Unprecedented baptism growth

In 2025, 263,075 people were baptized in a Southern Baptist church, up 4.96 percent from the previous year. This is the first time in the past 75 years the SBC has seen five consecutive years of increases in baptisms. The numbers have not only rebounded since the pandemic but have now surpassed levels from 2017.

“Every baptism represents a life transformed, someone who has found forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. That is what we celebrate today,” said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. “I am grateful for every pastor and every church that has made evangelism and discipleship a priority, and it is deeply encouraging to see baptisms increase for a fifth consecutive year. My prayer is that this momentum would not only continue but would deepen, drawing our entire family of churches into a renewed commitment to share the Gospel faithfully and make disciples who follow Christ for a lifetime.”

Currently, Southern Baptists baptize one person per 47 members, an improvement on the 1:51 ratio in 2024.

The state conventions with more than 10,000 baptisms last year include Florida (33,123), Georgia (26,049), Tennessee (19,277), North Carolina (18,461), the Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) (17,934), the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBTC) (17,569), [DP1] Alabama (13,332), South Carolina (12,841), California (12,258) and Kentucky (11,781). As a whole, Texas saw 26,734 baptisms in Southern Baptist churches.

Thirty-one of the 41 state conventions reported more baptisms in 2025 than in 2024. The conventions with the highest growth in the number of baptisms were North Carolina (+3,773), California (+2,724), Florida (+2,422), Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia (SBCV) (+1,535) and Ohio (+1,058).

The states with the highest percentage growth in baptisms compared to the previous year were all outside of the traditional Bible Belt, including Alaska (+49.3 percent), Colorado (+40.3 percent), Michigan (+36.0 percent), Iowa (+32.1 percent) and California (+28.6 percent).

Along with baptisms, Southern Baptist churches had 168,649 other membership additions, among those congregations in state conventions that report the number.

Attendance and participation growth

In 2025, an average of 4,460,910 people attended a Southern Baptist church each week. The 156,285 more weekly attendees provided a 3.63 percent increase over 2024.

“It’s hard to directly compare today’s average worship attendance to pre-COVID attendance in 2019,” McConnell said. “The reported number is still almost 800,000 less than in 2019, but 10 percent fewer churches are reporting non-financial numbers on the ACP today than in 2019/ As cooperation improves, not only will metrics improve but Southern Baptists will be better positioned to impact communities for Christ.”

Five states average at least 300,000 people attending a Southern Baptist church each week: Texas (515,774), Florida (426,232), Georgia (386,887), North Carolina (374,809) and Tennessee (334,852).

The SBC also saw an increase in those attending a small group Bible study or Sunday School class. Last year, more than 2.6 million (2,650,291) participated in a small group at a Southern Baptist church, up 3.24 percent from 2024.

States with the more than 200,000 attending a small group at a Southern Baptist church are Texas (322,285), Georgia (248,705), Florida (242,436) and North Carolina (206,502).

Other convention data

The SBC lost 268 churches last year, falling to 46,608 affiliated congregations. That number includes those that closed and those that still exist but are no longer affiliated with the SBC. Church closures have outpaced openings across U.S. Protestantism, according to Lifeway Research estimates.

Not all state conventions lost churches, however, as 17 added to their number. The conventions that added the most churches in 2025 were the BGCT (33), SBTC (19) and SBCV (14).

The states with more than 1,500 churches affiliated with Southern Baptist state conventions are Texas (6,575), North Carolina (4,295), Georgia (3,252), Alabama (3,119), Tennessee (2,955), Florida (2,644), Kentucky (2,288), Mississippi (1,999), South Carolina (1,990), Virginia (1,874), California (1,807), Missouri (1,692) and Oklahoma (1,666).

The number of church campuses for multisite congregations increased. In 2025, Southern Baptist churches operated 765 additional campuses, up from 746 the previous year.

Not all states gather numbers on Vacation Bible School, but churches in participating state conventions saw VBS participation grow by more than 9 percent compared to 2024. In 2025, more than 1.66 million people were enrolled in VBS in reporting states.

For more information, view the 2025 Southern Baptist Convention statistical summary and the 2025 state convention statistic report and visit LifewayResearch.com.

Methodology

The Annual Church Profile (ACP) is an annual statistical census of Southern Baptist congregations conducted cooperatively by local associations, state conventions, and Lifeway Christian Resources. Around 3 in 5 Southern Baptist churches (61 percent) reported at least one non-financial item on the 2025 ACP.



AI brings speed in publishing, but also higher value to discernment

By / May 1

NASHVILLE (BP) – As artificial intelligence grows in its capabilities, so does the importance of Christians sifting through a growing number of books and other resources that are generated quickly through AI, but bring a host of issues for readers.

Pastor and writer Tim Challies addressed the topic within the backdrop of how it damages the Christian book market, particularly authors whose work is being hodgepodged together with others’ for an entirely different book.

There is also an obvious danger in the products themselves, though.

“Such books represent the commodification of information,” said Challies. “They are not created to better anyone’s life or convey sound doctrine. Rather, they are created to overwhelm the system with books that are low-effort, low-cost, and low-quality, so they can fool buyers and slurp market share away from books that would actually be far superior in every regard.”

The act crosses the line of plagiarism, certainly, with AI slop capable of covering topics in addition to systematic theology, the focus of Challies’ post.

Discussions of AI’s impact have become more common, including in seminary classrooms. 

“When reading a book on Systematic Theology, or even an introduction to doctrine, the goal of the reader is to obtain truth and answers about subjects like God, Christianity, or the Church,” Madison Grace, provost and dean of the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press.

“The reader trusts the author. That trust comes from the assumption that the author is writing authoritatively,” he said. “Self-published and AI-generated works do not provide that same level of engagement and trust. Even if the work pulls from trusted resources, it does not guarantee accuracy in content nor the nuances by which an author presents the writing.

“In sum, it removes the actual process of research and writing from a book.”

Though AI can be useful in some ways, such as finding grammatical mistakes or searching through documents, “the process” that Grace pointed to remains the technology’s biggest gap.

“Interpreting Scripture, engaging with historic confessions and answering doctrinal questions should be undertaken by God’s people, who are empowered by God’s Spirit and recognized as accountable teachers serving the body of Christ,” said Adam Harwood, McFarland chair of Theology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

When it comes to theology books, there are several concerns of AI-generated materials.

“Theology books have traditionally been authored by people who can be held accountable for their teachings,” Harwood said. “Scripture refers to teachers and church leaders as giving an account to God (James 3:1; Heb 13:17). AI software cannot give an account to God for its teachings.

“AI-generated theology books are [also] not trustworthy resources for discipleship and spiritual formation in the church and its academic institutions (such as colleges, universities, and seminaries) that train people for Christian ministry. These AI-generated theology books seem to have undergone no editorial review process, including academic peer review, to check for historical or factual errors or problematic interpretations of Scripture.”

Challies referenced an author named Blake Whiting, who apparently publishes up to 13 books a week on a range of complex topics. Whiting, of course, is not a real person.

The genesis of such materials “written” by authors like Whiting damages, if not outright negates, their legitimacy, Harwood added.

“These resources are implicated in deception because they represent a human author who does not exist,” he said.

“AI resources cannot present generic Christian theology because such a thing does not exist. Roman Catholics, Presbyterians and Baptists who write on the Lord’s Supper and baptism, for example, will provide different interpretations of Scripture and recommendations for church practices. People hold distinctive theological views, but AI isn’t a person, and it’s unclear what theological distinctives it would affirm when prompted to write on doctrines on which Christians differ.”

Grace noted that conversations over AI have appeared in classes, at faculty meetings and at every higher education conference he’s attended in recent years. Concerns exist over plagiarism and cheating. But perhaps even more important is for AI to not eliminate the intellectual labor that brings growth.

“We cannot let AI do the work for us,” he said. “Researching and writing about the Bible – in scholarship or from the pulpit – needs to arise from personal engagement with Scripture and a dependence on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Biblical teaching in either the Church or the academy should come from this personal research of the Bible in its appropriate context within Christianity and our faith tradition. Utilizing AI as a shortcut undermines this process and can even inadvertently introduce unorthodox or heretical teachings.”

An overall point may be that never before has it been so important to graft discernment into academics.

“The slop is coming, and it’s coming fast,” Challies warned. “Just as we learned to filter spam in our inboxes and robocalls on our phones, we will need to learn to filter spam in our reading lists.”