African American fellowship’s Greg Perkins explores ‘perversion of proximity’
EATONVILLE, Fla. (BP) – Proximity to those in power is not necessarily a good thing, National African American Fellowship (NAAF) President Greg Perkins said in NAAF’s annual sermon June 8, cautioning pastors to submit to God rather than pursue closeness to perceived power.
Jeff Iorg champions more giving to global missions; special needs ministry report
ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg championed increased giving to international missions in his June 9 report to the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting, also commending the findings of a Special Needs Ministry Task Force.
Black Collective panel discusses immigration, urges support for Resolution 7
ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – The primary goal of Christian immigrants in the U.S. is to spread the Gospel amid darkness, a panel of Haitian, Ghanaian and African American Southern Baptist pastors affirmed June 8, encouraging Southern Baptists to advocate for the just treatment of immigrants here.
Executive Committee elects officers, committee chairs; affirms accountability, budget cut
ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee reelected Anthony (Tony) Dockery as chairman June 8, along with a full slate of officers and committee chairs in a meeting focused on God and aimed at serving the Convention with accountability and a streamlined budget.
‘Do what Jesus says,’ Iorg implores First Baptist Apopka, citing Mark 1:40-44
APOPKA, Fla. (BP) – Jeff Iorg used Mark’s account of Jesus healing the leper to encourage First Baptist Church in Apopka to obey Jesus in compassionate evangelism, preaching June 7 during the 11 a.m. worship service.
Retired Army General Doug Carver joins Virginia National Guard student’s claim of religious bias
RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Southern Baptist chaplaincy executive Douglas Carver has joined a Virginia National Guard member’s court fight claiming the state’s tuition assistance program discriminates against students pursuing religious degrees. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Carver (retired), executive director of chaplaincy for the North American Mission Board (NAMB), filed an amicus brief in support of […]
Serving, resourcing churches Evan Lenow’s goal as ERLC tenure begins
NASHVILLE (BP) – Evan Lenow, who began this week as Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) president, tells the story of a rural Mississippi church faced with ministering to a little boy who presented himself as a transgendered girl at Vacation Bible School (VBS).
ERLC, lawmakers urge blocking Title X family planning funding from abortion industry
WASHINGTON (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has joined 159 lawmakers, including several Southern Baptists, urging the Trump administration to restore a rule that blocks Title X family planning funding from subsidizing abortions.
Christians in India denied clean water, jobs, food in ongoing religious persecution
CHHATTISGARH, India (BP) – Hundreds of Christians in central India have been denied clean water, fresh produce and employment for nearly a month in unsuccessful attempts to force them to denounce Christianity, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported May 29.
NorthWoods Deaf Church launches with baptisms, fellowship, music loud enough to feel
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (BP) – When Corey Harrison struggled with deep anger in college, wondering why God created him Deaf, a friend invited him to a men’s retreat. There, Harrison recalled the love he experienced when his childhood church hired Deaf pastor Paul Cannon.
