Here’s the Explore the Bible Sunday School lesson commentary for June 22, written by Mark Rathel, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
Messengers voted 3,421 to 2,191—60.74 percent to 38.90 percent—in favor of a motion to “clarify” only churches with male pastors are considered in “friendly cooperation” with the SBC.
Messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention in Dallas voted to affirm all eight resolutions brought to the floor — with some debate — but with only one amendment, deemed friendly.
Messengers to the SBC annual meeting in Dallas voted 3,744 (56.89 percent) to 2,819 (42.84 percent) on June 11 to reject a motion introduced by Willy Rice of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Fla., to abolish the ERLC.
In his report to the Southern Baptist Convention on June 11, Ben Mandrell said Lifeway’s role is to “build things for the body of Christ,” not to be one-size-fits-all.
“Since I became IMB president, because of your generosity not one IMB missionary has come home due to financial need. Thank you,” said Paul Chitwood during the International Mission Board report.
Southern Baptist messengers to the 2025 Annual Meeting rejected an amendment Wednesday that would have required the Southern Baptist Convention to publish detailed financial information like IRS Form 990 disclosures.
SBC President Clint Pressley said it is “no small thing that we’ve been held together for so long by one confession,” noting that he wanted to “celebrate what has held us together what has held us together these 100 years.”
The three major debates anticipated for the more than 10,000 messengers to the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas — plus a few unexpected ones — all failed to garner enough votes for passage.
Resolutions “On the Centennial Anniversary of the Cooperative Program” and “On Honoring the Centennial Anniversary of the Baptist Faith and Message (1925) and Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Baptist Faith and Message (2000)” were among eight resolutions approved by messengers during sessions June 10-11 in Dallas.
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