2017 SBC Annual Meeting

PHOENIX (BP) -- An advocacy group seeking to have homosexuality and transgenderism "removed from the sin list" has announced plans to "politely disrupt" the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting June 13-14 in Phoenix. Faith in America (FIA) hopes to persuade the nation's largest Protestant denomination to change its interpretation of Scripture, FIA said in a press release accusing the SBC of marginalizing and harming lesbian, gay, homosexual and transgender (LGBT) children in particular by discouraging sexual sin.

As the Southern Baptist Convention prepares to hold its annual meeting in Phoenix on June 13-14, three church planters -- all Arizona natives -- are helping to push back darkness in the Valley of the Sun.

Preaching, missions and church planting are on queue for the Southern Baptist Convention Cooperative Program booth in conjunction with the SBC 2017 Annual Meeting June 13-14 in Phoenix.

PHOENIX (BP) -- Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines has called Southern Baptists to 21 days of prayer and fasting leading up to the SBC annual meeting in Phoenix. The fast will begin May 23 and end June 12, the day preceding the June 13-14 SBC annual meeting, Gaines announced today (May 18) in a written call to prayer. He defined fasting as "doing without something in order to focus more attention on the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom," adding that "prayer and fasting are essentials in the Christian life."

Tennessee pastor Steve Gaines will be nominated for a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, his son Grant announced today (May 17).

Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines has named tellers for the SBC 2017 annual meeting June 13-14 in Phoenix.

Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines has announced appointees to the Credentials Committee for the 2017 SBC annual meeting in Phoenix.

Oklahoma pastor Brad Graves has announced the withdrawal of his candidacy for Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference president to clear the way for Florida pastor H.B. Charles Jr. to be nominated as the first African American to hold that office.

PHOENIX (BP) -- Florida pastor Jose Abella will be nominated for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Georgia pastor Michael Lewis announced May 10. In 2010, Abella planted Providence Road Church, a bilingual congregation in Miami, and has served as pastor ever since. He is a preacher for this year's SBC Pastors' Conference, a former second vice president of the Florida Baptist Convention and a council member for the Hispanic Baptist Pastors Alliance.

PHOENIX (BP) -- Walter Strickland, a leader of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary's Kingdom Diversity Initiative, will be nominated for first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, former SBC President James Merritt announced May 9. Strickland, an African American, has been special adviser to the president for diversity at Southeastern since 2013. He also teaches theology at Southeastern and since 2015 has operated a consulting service to assist churches and other organizations with diversity-related issues.