Missouri Baptists celebrate uptick in baptisms
By Benjamin Hawkins
BRANSON, Mo. – During their 191st annual meeting, Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) messengers celebrated their Great Commission partnership and were challenged to reach and baptize 8,000 new believers across the state in 2026. They also urged churches to continue fighting for the life of the unborn, and they adopted a task force report regarding “office of the pastor, specifically as it relates to a woman’s role in ministry.”
Coming from 478 churches, 1,365 Missouri Baptist messengers and 361 guests gathered at the Branson Convention Center for the meeting here, Oct. 27-28.
‘We are surrounded by lostness’
During his annual address, MBC Executive Director Wes Fowler thanked Missouri Baptists for their cooperation and for their sacrifice in supporting the Cooperative Program (CP) and Missouri Missions Offering (MMO). He reported that, over the past 100 years, Missouri Baptists have contributed $775 million to the CP.
“When we cooperate,” he said, “we can accomplish great things for the Lord in Missouri, across our nation and across the world.”
“The Cooperative Program is not the mission of the Missouri Baptist Convention,” he added. “It never has been, and it never will be. … Our mission is to help churches fulfill the Great Commission.”
Fowler reported that baptisms in the state rose by 9.6 percent in 2024, with a total of 7,486 reported baptisms. He challenged Missouri Baptists to win 8,000 new believers to the Lord in 2026 and baptize them.
“We haven’t had 8,000 baptisms since 2015,” he said. “I believe we should pray for 8,000 baptisms in 2026. Will you join me in this prayer? Will you cry out to the Lord for professions of faith and baptism? Will you commit to evangelism? … Will you share your faith unashamedly and with boldness?”
Messengers adopt report on office of pastor
During their business session, Missouri Baptist messengers adopted a Credentials Committee task force report regarding the “office of the pastor, specifically as it relates to a woman’s role in ministry.” See full story here.
Other business
Messengers reelected their current slate of officers for a second term. MBC officers include President Wesley Vance, executive pastor at Crossway Baptist Church, Springfield; First Vice President Brian Jump, pastor of Forest Park Baptist Church, Joplin; Second Vice President Justin Perry, pastor of First Baptist Church, Viburnum; and Recording Secretary Richard Young, pastor of South Haven Baptist Church, Belton.
Messengers also approved a 2026 CP goal of $15 million, unchanged from last year.
The approved CP budget sets aside 6 percent of the total CP giving for “shared expenses,” which are allocated for annuity protections, CP promotion and The Pathway.
From the remaining CP budget, 36.84 percent is allocated for Missouri Baptist missions and ministries. Additionally, 23.16 percent is allocated for Missouri Baptist entities.
The remaining 40 percent is allocated for national Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries. Any CP receipts above the budgetary goal will be split evenly between MBC and SBC ministries. These percentages are unchanged from last year.
The 2026 MBC annual meeting will take place at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Mo., on Oct. 26-27.
SBTC looks to advance the mission
By Gary Ledbetter
LUBBOCK, Texas – Messengers to the 2025 Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Annual Meeting held Oct. 27-28 at Southcrest Baptist Church conducted several items of business to support the work of the convention for the coming year.
Caleb Turner, senior pastor of Mesquite Friendship Baptist Church, was elected president. Turner formerly served as chairman of the SBTC Executive board – the youngest ever to hold that responsibility.
Ed Johnson III, lead pastor of Harvest Fellowship Baptist Church in DeSoto, was reelected vice president. Amy Hinote, pastor’s wife from First Baptist Church in Justin, was reelected secretary.
The convention’s operating budget for 2026 will be $27.83 million, a .18 percent increase over the 2025 budget. The budget is essentially flat, with a $50,000 increase funded from designated funds. The SBTC budget continues to call for 55 percent of undesignated receipts to be sent to the national Cooperative Program, while 45 percent of undesignated receipts remain in Texas to mobilize SBTC churches.
The convention’s Executive Board submitted resolutions commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith and Message. Jim Richards, SBTC executive director emeritus, presented the resolutions on behalf of the board. Reading from the resolution, Richards described the Cooperative Program as “a missions-funding strategy God has blessed to support and strengthen Southern Baptist efforts to share the gospel throughout the world.”
SBTC Executive Director Nathan Lorick also highlighted Baptist cooperation in his address.
“That is what we see: a vision of all SBTC churches mobilized and multiplying disciple-making movements,” Lorick said. “Movements where our churches are resourced, leaders are networked, and the mission is advanced. Movements that saturate our state with the gospel and take it to the ends of the earth.
“It is a vision of cooperation – doing more together than any one church could do on its own,” he continued. “The apostles saw this vision. The messengers at the 1925 SBC Annual Meeting [where the Cooperative Program and the Baptist Faith and Message were adopted] saw it. The founding churches of the SBTC in 1998 saw it. Now, it’s our turn to pursue it.”
Messengers considered five resolutions produced by the Resolutions Committee. The first honored Danny Forshee, lead pastor of Great Hills Baptist Church, as he completed his second and final year as SBTC president. Another honorific resolution expressed gratitude to Southcrest Baptist Church and its senior pastor, David Wilson, for their “kind hospitality and generosity.”
The remainder of the resolutions highlighted the importance of freedom of speech; the need for prayer, fasting, and repentance; and an appreciation for the convention’s Texas Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee for “[representing] our biblical convictions before the Texas Legislature.”
The convention registered 790 messengers for their West Texas meeting. Registered guests brought the total number of attendees to 1,289.
Three motions regarding Fielder Church in Arlington were ruled out of order due to being inconsistent with the convention’s Constitution and Bylaws. In August, the SBTC Executive Board formed a committee to review the Constitution and Bylaws. The committee will review the documents in their entirety to ensure the convention’s polity and affiliation requirements are clearly stated, particularly as they relate to the office and title of pastor. Proposed amendments will be published 90 days before being voted on by messengers to the 2026 annual meeting.
The 2026 SBTC Annual Meeting will be hosted by First Baptist Church Forney Oct. 26-27, 2026.
Read additional coverage from the SBTC Annual Meeting here, here, here and here.
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