Brandon Porter

CLEARWATER, Fla. (BP) – Florida pastor Willy Rice announced his intentions to be nominated as a candidate for Southern Baptist Convention president at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. In a video released Friday (Oct. 31), Rice said he is allowing the nomination based on his hope for renewal in the SBC.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Longtime pastor and SBC leader Morris H. Chapman will be remembered at a memorial service at 2 p.m. Oct. 24 at Triune Baptist Church near Nashville. Chapman pastored churches in Texas and New Mexico for 25 years before being called to lead the SBC Executive Committee from 1992 until 2010.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP) – SBC leaders say their debt of gratitude runs deep to Southeastern Seminary’s Danny Akin. This week the seminary president announced his plans to retire from leading the seminary effective July 31, 2026.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Minutes, facts and figures are what you’ll find in the SBC Annual, and the 604-page 2025 edition is available now at SBC.net.

WASHINGTON (BP) – Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission trustees named an interim president, voted to form a task force to study biblical immigration and unveiled a new Psalm 139 initiative during their meeting Sept. 16-17.

WASHINGTON (BP) – Retired South Carolina state convention leader and longtime pastor Gary Hollingsworth has been selected as interim president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission beginning Oct. 1. Hollingsworth was named to the post by ERLC trustees at their meeting Sept. 16.

NASHVILLE (BP) – Southern Baptist leaders have released a statement to lament the assassination of Charlie Kirk and call for justice. Kirk, 31, the president of Turning Point USA and a conservative advocate, was assassinated Sept. 10 as he spoke at an event at Utah Valley University.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – The day after conservative mobilizer Charlie Kirk was killed by a gunman in Utah, leaders at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary jettisoned their previously scheduled chapel service and, instead, spent the hour talking about how to deal with tragedy as Christians.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP) – SBC President Clint Pressley calls on pastors and churches to spend a dedicated time in prayer for the nation this Sunday (Sept. 14) in a video released today (Sept. 11).

OREM, Utah (BP) – Conservative advocate Charlie Kirk was killed by a gunman at Utah Valley University Wednesday (Sept. 10). President Donald Trump paid tribute to the leader via social media calling him great and legendary.