2019 SBC Annual Meeting in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Protecting sexual abuse victims is central to the mission of the church, said a group of denominational leaders during the Baptist21 panel on June 11 in Birmingham, Ala. Immediately after the panel, Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, addressed his church's handling of a sexual abuse case as reported June 10 in the New York Times. The panel was held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting, June 11-12.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) –- The Southern Baptist Convention's future ministry and mission was the topic of a For the Church panel discussion hosted by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary during the SBC annual meeting. Moderated by MBTS President Jason Allen, the discussion featured Paul Chitwood, H.B. Charles Jr., Ronnie Floyd, Kevin Ezell and Jamie Dew, filling the room with nearly 1,000 attendees Tuesday, June 11, at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Answered prayer, unity, compassion and clarity are among distinguishing characteristics of the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd told Baptist Press. "I feel like the spirit of the convention was overall really strong, and I contribute that to a lot of things. But overall, I think that God answered our prayer. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord was present," Floyd said. "I think there was a resolve coming to Birmingham that we're going to speak clearly, we're going to try to do it in the right way, and I thank God the messengers determined to do it in the right spirit."

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Officers of the Southern Baptist Convention's Hispanic Leaders Council discussed the complexities of ministry in Hispanic communities -- and ministering in their particular contexts -- at a panel sponsored by the Cooperative Program during the SBC annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. During the panel, which was conducted completely in Spanish, moderator Bobby Sena asked the group questions on challenges they face in reaching different groups of Hispanics. They also discussed efficient methods of evangelism, resources they use, and specifically working with Hispanics who are "apartados," those who once went to church but no longer do.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Ledtkey "Lit" McIntosh, one of the stalwarts who helped develop the Fellowship of Native American Christians, retired as FoNAC's chairman during its seventh annual meeting June 10. Reflecting the group's interest in reaching younger Native Americans, Jordan Kanuho of the Pawnee and Navajo nations was named FoNAC's new chairman. He is pastor of Belvin Baptist Church in Okmulgee, Okla.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- The Southern Baptist Messianic Fellowship (SBMF) focused on both business and relationship building at their annual gathering, held in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Birmingham, Ala. Ric Worshill, executive director of the Southern Baptist Fellowship, spoke June 9 about the importance of connecting and building relationships with the other Southern Baptist entities. The SBMF is primarily composed of Messianic Jews (Jews who follow Jesus Christ as Messiah).

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- The new president of the International Mission Board preached June 11 at the 38th annual meeting of the Council of Korean Southern Baptist Churches in America, or Korean Council. IMB President Paul Chitwood spoke Tuesday evening, June 11, at First Baptist Church in Pleasant Grove, Ala., a Birmingham suburb, where about 700 people had gathered for the Korean Council. He spoke during a three-hour "Missions Celebration" during the three-day Korean meeting, which takes place each year in the same city as the SBC annual meeting.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- Church leaders attending the fourth annual National Asian American Fellowship shared stories of God at work among the Southern Baptist Convention's 2,073 Asian churches. Church planter Jon Las shared his story of starting Mosaic Church in northern Alberta, Canada. During the past five years, the church has seen 468 people make professions of salvation in Christ.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- A Women & Work Forum drew 170 women to hear author and teacher Jen Wilkin and Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance, after the June 11 session of the SBC annual meeting at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center. "This is the kind of event I'd hoped to see for women," Wilkin said. As a woman who was a stay-at-home mom for some time, then a church volunteer and eventually on staff at her church, Wilkin said she has developed some thoughts about women and work.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BP) -- This year's fifth annual Women's Leadership Breakfast focused on how women in a diversity of life stages have learned what it means to lead in their contexts by developing themselves and those under them for the glory of God. The annual event is hosted by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Missie Branch, director of graduate life and assistant dean of students to women at SEBTS, moderated the June 12 panel discussion in Birmingham, Ala. ...