Baptist Press Archive

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

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  • Boy Scout resolution adopted by SBC
    by Tim Ellsworth, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- Southern Baptists expressed their "opposition to and disappointment in" the membership policy of the Boy Scouts of America but affirmed the freedom of local churches to determine their own relationships with the national Scouting organization.

    The action came in a resolution drafted by the convention's Resolutions Committee and approved by messengers June 12 during the SBC's annual meeting in Houston. Southern Baptists have tracked the BSA membership controversy closely in recent months, as many churches either sponsor or are affiliated with local Scouting troops.

    Steve Lemke, provost at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary who chaired the Resolutions Committee, said the committee felt compelled to address the matter.

    "We think we did so in a balanced way," Lemke said.

    The lengthy resolution detailed the sequence of events that led to the BSA's May 23 vote to approve new membership guidelines stating that "no youth may be denied membership in the Boy Scouts of America on the basis of sexual orientation or preference alone." Read More

  • TIMELINE: Boy Scouts & Southern Baptists
    by John Evans, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- Spurred by the decision of the Boy Scouts of America to admit openly homosexual youth as Scouts, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution on the matter June 12 during its annual meeting in Houston. Read More

  • WMU addresses exploitation, pornography
    by Julie Walters, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- For 125 years, Woman's Missionary Union has focused on a singular purpose of engaging churches in missions, Wanda S. Lee, executive director of national WMU, told messengers to the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston. Read More

  • Luter: prayer, revival vital for SBC
    by Norm Miller, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -– Fred Luter answered questions on topics ranging from disaster relief to his prayer life in a news conference after being elected by acclamation to a second one-year term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, June 11 in Houston. Read More

  • Mental health motion has pastor's passion
    by Barbara Denman, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- Messengers offered 12 motions June 11 during the opening day of the Southern Baptist Convention's June 11-12 annual meeting in Houston, the fewest number in recent years. Read More

  • 'Bible Studies for Life' overhauled by LifeWay
    by Carol Pipes, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    Photo by Bill Bangham
    HOUSTON (BP) -- LifeWay Christian Resources continues to experience "God's hand and God's favor," President Thom S. Rainer said in his report to messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston. Read More

  • NAAF hires Jay Wells as exec. director
    by Diana Chandler, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- The National African American Fellowship named Elgia "Jay" Wells as executive director during its business meeting Monday (June 10), creating the paid position as one of several steps to make the group more responsive to its members. Read More

  • Hispanic leaders train for 'missional advance'
    by David Raul Lema, Jr., posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- More than 200 Hispanic Southern Baptist leaders converged in Houston for "Avance Hispano 2013" for missional training in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Read More

  • SBC's Committee on Nominations named
    by Staff, posted Wednesday, June 12, 2013 (11 years ago)

    HOUSTON (BP) -- Seventy Southern Baptists from 35 state Baptist conventions have been named to serve on the 2013-14 SBC Committee on Nominations.

    The Committee on Nominations will nominate people to serve on the SBC's boards, commissions and committees. They will present their report to the 2014 SBC annual meeting in Baltimore.

    The committee, announced during the June 11-12 SBC annual meeting in Houston, is made up of two people from each state convention, with at least one layperson.<... Read More