2015 SBC Annual Meeting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- In a night marked by worship, fellowship and workshops, Hispanic Southern Baptist pastors and leaders from across the United States came together for AVANCE 2015 prior to the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting. The June 14 gathering began at 5 p.m. with worship led by Julio Arriola from Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, followed by a dinner and featured speaker SBC President Ronnie Floyd. David Platt, president of the International Mission Board, also addressed the group. After the dinner, the IMB, the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources hosted workshops. The evening concluded with an informational session from the new Hispanic Leadership Network.

Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, is in Columbus, Ohio, for the SBC annual meeting this week. He shares a few highlights of this year's gathering.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- "Do you know why we are here, sweetheart?" Paulette Foster asked a young girl receiving a Parsons Fest registration bracelet at Indian Mound Rec Center in south Columbus. "Are you here to tell people about Jesus?" she asked. "That's right! And what did Jesus do?" Foster asked. "He died for our sins?"

GROVE CITY, OHIO (BP) -- About 370 Woman's Missionary Union members, leaders and supporters celebrated outgoing National WMU President Debby Akerman, heard from missionaries and even had the chance to kiss a llama during the first day of the WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting, June 14-15. The celebration was held at First Baptist Church of Grove City, prior to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, June 16-17, in Columbus, Ohio.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- New among this year's events held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting is an afternoon tea hosted by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The free event will be open to all women and held Monday, June 15, from 3-4 p.m., in the Hyatt Regency hotel, attached to the Greater Columbus Convention Center where the annual meeting will take place. Dorothy Patterson, wife of Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson and professor of theology in women's studies at the seminary, said "Tea at 3" has been designed around a deep desire to help equip women for the work to which the Lord has called them.

Sharayah Colter recounts the value of ministry wives going to the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting with their husbands. There are plenty of events for ministry wives and plenty of ways that participating in the annual meeting can aid their husbands' ministries.

SBC President Ronnie Floyd urges Southern Baptists to "refuse unbelief" in order to "believe God … for the next Great Awakening in America" and to "believe God … that He wants to ignite our churches to plant Gospel churches by the thousands nationally and internationally."

ASHVILLE (BP) -- The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission will cosponsor a conversation on church and culture, launch a new equipping initiative for ministry to gays and lesbians, and relaunch a magazine during its participation at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting June 16-17 in Columbus, Ohio. The ERLC will partner with 9Marks church health ministry for "Connecting Church and Culture" on the eve of the SBC meeting.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- The Cooperative Program exhibit at the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, will reflect the CP's partnership with the North American and International mission boards, said Ashley Clayton, SBC Executive Committee vice president for Cooperative Program and Stewardship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) -- Ohio Southern Baptists are praying publicly outside all 88 county headquarters across the state through May 29, proclaiming Scripture, praising Jesus and pleading for county officials, businesses and community concerns, organizer Cathy Pound told Baptist Press. "Most of the counties have specific concerns," said Pound, Women's Missions and Ministries Resource Group leader with the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio. "Maybe it's single moms, maybe it's drug addiction, maybe it's sex trafficking; whatever their specific concerns are, we've been lifting those concerns up."