2016 SBC Annual Meeting

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.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Messengers to the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention renounced display of the Confederate battle flag in a historic, overwhelming vote Tuesday (June 14). The convention adopted late in its afternoon session a resolution that urged "brothers and sisters in Christ to discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole body of Christ, including our African American brothers and sisters."

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Committee members who, next year, will recommend trustees to join in guiding Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries "not only represent the depth of our conviction, they represent the breadth of our cooperation."

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Racial reconciliation rests at the doorsteps of the church and can only be achieved through the Gospel in action, a diverse panel of Baptist pastors said during a trailblazing discussion today (June 14) on the opening morning of the 2016 SBC annual meeting in St. Louis. Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd convened the panel at 10:52 a.m., historically including National Baptist Convention USA President Jerry Young. The two have collaborated for months to put talk into action and actually achieve racial reconciliation in a racially troubled America.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention have elected the 68-member Committee on Nominations for 2016-2017 to represent the 34 states or territories qualified for representation on the committee according to SBC Bylaw 30.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- The inaugural meeting of the Hispanic Baptist Pastors Alliance provided a night of worship and fellowship as well as insight from various SBC leaders and from key Hispanic pastors. The alliance is a network of Hispanic Southern Baptist pastors intent on reaching their Hispanic communities with the Gospel and sharing the Word of God with their congregations, said Felix Cabrera, co-founder of the organization and lead pastor of Iglesia Bautista Central in Oklahoma City.

Collegian Daniel Woodman sees different generations come together to impact St. Louis. Believers came together through the Crossover evangelistic outreach prior to this year's SBC annual meeting "to bring a gift that can be shared by all generations -- the salvation of Jesus Christ," Woodman writes.

ST. LOUIS (BP) -- A capacity audience of 3,000 at The Dome in St. Louis experienced the launch of Send Relief at the 2016 Send Luncheon on Monday, part of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference. In keeping with the Send Relief theme -- bringing practical help with lasting hope -- the North American Mission Board (NAMB) presented Plymouth Baptist Church with a Send Relief trailer to augment the compassion ministry the church of 100 already accomplishes to reach the people of Plymouth, Ind. Pastor Clark Harless, his wife Raechelle and their daughter, Kennedy, joined NAMB president Kevin Ezell on stage. Ezell said Harless and his church epitomize what Send Relief can mean for a community.

Live feed from the floor of the 2016 annual meeting.