Articulos en Español by Barbara Denman

DALLAS (BP) -- Kempton Turner grew up in gang- and crack-infested neighborhoods in East St. Louis, Ill. Destined to follow his parents' lifestyle of addiction, during a wild and wanton trip to New Orleans' Mardi Gras, Kempton was approached by a couple who shared the life-changing gospel with him. At that moment, "The Lord revealed Himself to me," Kempton said, sending the young man on an unshakable pursuit of his faith. Now as North American Mission Board church planters, Kempton and his wife Caryn are planting their lives on the same East St. Louis streets he once prowled for easy fixes. Through the City of Joy church, the Turners and their five children are making inroads for Christ by helping neighbors rehab homes and learn job skills, bringing hope to the devastated community with little hope.

DALLAS (BP)-- North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear was elected Southern Baptist Convention president June 12 during the 2018 annual meeting in Dallas, two years after conceding a closely contested election to lead the denomination. The newly elected president succeeds Memphis-area pastor Steven Gaines who served two one-year presidential terms from 2016-18.

PHOENIX (BP) -- Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines was reelected by acclamation to a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the June 13-14 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix. He will lead a diverse slate of officers including Walter Strickland, an African American leader of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary's Kingdom Diversity Initiative, first vice president; Jose Abella, a bilingual church planter from Miami, second vice president; John Yeats, who has served as recording secretary for the past two decades; and Don Currence, a pastor at First Baptist Church in Ozark, Mo., registration secretary.

PHOENIX (BP) -- "Defining Moments," those dramatic, life-changing experiences that make an eternal difference in the hearts and minds of the Christian believer, were recounted and celebrated during the Monday sessions of the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting, held June 11-12 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. The 325 registered participants of the two-day meeting explored defining moments in the Bible and in the lives of missionaries, national WMU leaders, Acteens panelists and other SBC leaders.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP) -- Florida's beaches, rivers, lakes and even pools came alive May 7 with the gospel testimonies of 1,285 new Christian believers as 112 Florida Baptist churches partnered for "Acts 2:41 Sunday -- Baptizing Coast-to-Coast." From the sandy white Gulf beaches of Perdido Key in Pensacola to the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean that stretch from Jacksonville to Miami; from the Suwannee River to lakes and state parks in every region, thousands of Florida Baptists and onlookers gathered to celebrate and witness the hundreds of Christians who publicly professed their faith through baptism.

HOMOSASSA, Fla. (BP) -- When weather forecasters predicted Hurricane Hermine would bring a tidal surge of about three feet from the Gulf of Mexico's churning waters, pastor Alan Ritter thought First Baptist Church in Homosassa would be safe from damage several miles inland. But Ritter faced the worst with little time for preparation when late-breaking news of the storm suggested a seven-foot tidal surge would hit the community located on the Homosassa River.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Nearly 200 associational leaders were challenged to "work heartily as for the Lord, and not for men" during the 2016 Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders gathering held June 12-13 prior to the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in St. Louis. "Do you consider your work important?" asked SBCAL conference team leader Ray Gentry as he established the meeting theme. "Are you working heartily? Are you serving with all of your heart?"

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Ted Traylor challenged Southern Baptists to move forward in cooperation and unity for the sake of the Gospel -- reflecting the preceding historic moment when Steve Gaines became SBC president with gracious consent from fellow nominee J.D. Greear. Traylor, in the annual convention sermon June 15 in St. Louis, drew from Psalm 133 to poignantly repeat the words of the psalmist David in the first verse of the passage: "How good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity."

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Following a runoff vote that didn't produce a majority winner on Tuesday (June 14), North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear announced Wednesday he would withdraw from the race for president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the SBC's annual meeting in St. Louis. Greear's decision -- in an effort to help bring unity following a close vote -- avoided a second runoff and left Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines elected by acclamation as president of the SBC.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Although an announcement of a new Southern Baptist Convention president was expected on Tuesday (June 14), no clear winner was determined the day of election. A run-off between nominees North Carolina pastor J.D. Greear and Memphis-area pastor Steve Gaines failed to provide a clear majority, as required by Roberts Rules of Order. A second run-off election between the two pastors has been scheduled for the Wednesday morning session at 10:58 a.m.