Posts published in “SBC”

Louisiana pastor fired from library job for refusing to use preferred pronouns

Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, introduces Luke Ash, pastor of Stevendale Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, to a crowd of pastors and elected officials attending a breakfast in Baton Rouge on July 17. (Photo credit: Peyton Robert)

Louisiana pastor fired from library job for refusing to use preferred pronouns

July 22, 2025

By Will Hall Baptist Message BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) — Luke Ash, the bivocational pastor of Stevendale Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, was fired July…

Lifeway trustees begin search for new president, name interim CEO

Joe Walker will serve as interim president of Lifeway Christian Resources, trustees decided in a special-called meeting July 15. (Photo credit: Lifeway)

Lifeway trustees begin search for new president, name interim CEO

July 17, 2025

Ben Mandrell called as Bellevue senior pastor

Ben Mandrell preaches at Bellevue Baptist Church on July 13. The church called Mandrell to be their eighth senior pastor. (Photo credit: Bellevue Baptist Church)

Ben Mandrell called as Bellevue senior pastor

July 15, 2025

Critical aid helping Texans find ‘some sense of normalcy’ after flooding

Debra Britt is the on-site “white hat” leader for Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief in Kerrville, Texas. (Photo credit: Marc Hooks/The Baptist Paper)

Critical aid helping Texans find ‘some sense of normalcy’ after flooding

July 11, 2025

‘We are ready for anything’: SBTC DR teams deploy to catastrophic Hill Country flooding

A woman surveys the damage in the wake of catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas, over the weekend. (Photo credit: The Kerr County Lead)

‘We are ready for anything’: SBTC DR teams deploy to catastrophic Hill Country flooding

July 7, 2025

Clergy Act advances from House
Ways and Means Committee
DALLAS – On Dec. 10 the House Ways and Means Committee advanced the Clergy Act, H.R. 227, in a bipartisan, unanimous vote. The Clergy Act would provide ministers who opted out of Social Security a one-time window to opt back in. The bipartisan legislation was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by California Congressmen Vince Fong and Mike Thompson, and has gained the support of several co-sponsors. The legislation is supported by GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and other leaders from a wide variety of large and historic denominational benefit boards. In a news release issued by Rep. Fong’s office, GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck expressed gratitude to Fong for his leadership. The Clergy Act would create a two-year window beginning in 2029 that would allow eligible ministers who have opted out of Social Security to revoke their exemption and begin contributing. Ministers must still meet the standard 10-year contribution requirement to earn full retired-worker benefits, receiving benefits proportional to their contributions.