NASHVILLE — Southern Baptist sexual abuse reform leaders say work must persist even as investigations into allegations of the SBC’s mishandling of sexual abuse continue.

The SBC Executive Committee released a statement on March 6 saying it had been informed there would be no further action taken in the investigation that was launched in 2022. In August 2022, a statement from SBC entity leaders and SBC President Bart Barber said multiple SBC entities were involved in the DOJ investigation.

Legal counsel for the SBC has since confirmed that the investigation into the SBC as a whole remains open and ongoing, however, the DOJ has never made a public statement about the investigation and BP’s requests for comments were not returned on March 5 and March 7. [Read more…]

NASHVILLE — The U.S. Department of Justice has concluded its investigation of the SBC Executive Committee, Southern Baptist leaders learned Feb. 29.

In a statement today, Jonathan Howe, interim SBC EC president/CEO, said the DOJ has told the EC’s legal counsel there is “no further action to be taken.”

Email requests for comment from the DOJ were not returned by time of publication.

The SBC has been represented during the investigation by Gene Besen and Scarlett Nokes of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP. [Read more…]

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NASHVILLE — Well-known academic leader and preaching coach David Allen will be nominated for SBC president at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting this summer. Texas pastor Danny Forshee says he plans to nominate Allen in Indianapolis.

“He is a leader in the SBC having served our Lord faithfully as a local church pastor, professor of preaching, and mentor to literally thousands of pastors all over the world,” Forshee told Baptist Press in written comments.

He pastored two churches in Texas before joining the SWBTS faculty. He has served as interim pastor of 13 churches, the statement said. [Read more…]

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NASHVILLE — Oklahoma pastor Dusty Deevers is planning to nominate Tennessee pastor Jared Moore for SBC president at the 2024 SBC Annual Meeting. Moore is the senior pastor of Homesteads Baptist Church in Crossville.

“Jared faithfully represents salt-of-the-earth Southern Baptists,” Deever told Baptist Press in written comments. “He is a faithful husband, father and pastor who serves the Lord dutifully at his local church without the need for fanfare or attention.

“He loves Christ and, therefore, loves Christ’s Word unashamedly.” [Read more…]

BRENTWOOD — American evangelicals have complex perspectives on immigration and want a nuanced political response, but most want Congress to act soon.

A Lifeway Research study sponsored by the Evangelical Immigration Table found evangelicals are increasingly concerned about the number of recent immigrants to the U.S. but still believe Christians have a responsibility to care for those who are in the country illegally. While most want to secure the border to prevent additional illegal immigration, evangelicals also advocate for a path to citizenship for those already in the country.

“While many evangelicals fear that our nation is harmed by the volume of recent immigrants, more feel responsible to show compassion,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “The urgency continues to grow among evangelicals for Congress to act this year to improve laws around immigration.” [Read more…]

The newly-released God’s Good Design resource. — BP photo

NASHVILLE — The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has released a practical resource to help churches navigate difficult questions and scenarios surrounding the topic of gender confusion.

The resource, released Feb. 26 is titled “God’s Good Design: A Practical Guide for Answering Gender Confusion.”

The guide contains a theological framework addressing the topic of gender from a biblical worldview and offers answers to practical scenarios that churches or pastors may face or have faced regarding the topic. The guide also contains links to additional resources on the topic of gender confusion from a variety of Christian sources. [Read more…]

*This story was updated under the “Funding Plan” subhead below at 3:07 p.m. CT. The original version posted at 5 a.m., and two other minor edits for clarification purposes took place around 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.  

**At 3:25 p.m. CT, The Baptist Paper received an email with a statement from Send Relief leaders noting the funds available to ARITF would not be used to fund an organization outside the SBC. See the “Funding Plan” and “Send Relief response” sections below for context. The full statement can be read on Baptist Press’ site here.

Mike Keahbone (left) and Josh Wester (chair) are among six ARITF members participating in a Feb. 20 news conference in Nashville. — Photo by Morris Abernathy / The Baptist Paper

The incorporation papers for Abuse Response Commission — a new 501(C)(3) organization — are prepped and ready to be submitted in South Carolina.

With ARC comes a permanent home for abuse reform in the SBC, according to members of the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force participating in a Feb. 20 news conference in Nashville. ARC is not a Southern Baptist entity and not part of the Cooperative Program allocation structure.

ARITF chair and North Carolina pastor Josh Wester also shared the information the night before during the opening session of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s February trustee meeting.

‘Only viable path’

“After painstakingly evaluating and exhausting every option, there is broad agreement that the best way to accomplish [our goals] is through an independent organization,” Wester said. [Read more…]

Tennessee Baptists serving on the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee are, from left, Ted Murphy, Forest Hills Baptist Church, Nashville; Dani Bryson, First Baptist Church, Dixon, Corey Cain, First Baptist Church, Seymour; Stacy Bramlett, First Baptist Church, Collierville; and Tim Frank, First Baptist Church, Carthage. — Photo by Morris Aberbnthy / The Baptist Paper

NASHVILLE — Meeting Feb. 19-20 in Nashville, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee trustees approved a recommended $190,250,000 Cooperative Program allocation budget for the upcoming 2024–25 fiscal year. The proposed budget is down $5 million from the current 2023–24 budget year.

Budget recommendations will go to messengers for approval at the SBC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis in June.

Trustees also approved the Credentials Committee’s four recommendations to disaffiliate with churches for faith and practice concerns.

Regarding requests from messengers to the 2023 annual meeting in New Orleans, the EC approved one, declined three (read more below) and postponed a decision on two until the EC’s meeting in June prior to the annual meeting. The two items postponed deal with increased financial transparency from SBC entities (read the full story here). [Read more…]

Photo by Morris Abernathy / The Baptist Paper

A special study group formed during a special called executive session of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee in November presented its first report before the full committee Feb. 19.

Baptist Press reported Nov. 16 that the work study group was asked to review: [Read more…]