Baptists - Baptist Standard

Judge cancels Sills jury trial and calls for new trial date

Federal Judge William Campbell has canceled the jury trial between David and Mary Sills and the Southern Baptist Convention set for Feb. 10, 2026, calling for it to be rescheduled.

12/16/2025 - By Baptist Press Staff

Wisdom-Martin announces WMU retirement plans

Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director-treasurer of national Woman’s Missionary Union, announced Dec. 10 she will retire in January 2027, marking 36 years of ministry service.

12/10/2025 - By Julie Walters / Woman’s Missionary Union

District Court issues decisions for seminary and Patterson

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary remains dismissed from claims of defamation in a case involving the school and its former president, Paige Patterson, with the latter being allowed to file again for summary judgment, a U.S District Court decided.

12/04/2025 - By Brandon Porter / Baptist Press

Motions to unseat Arlington church ruled out of order

Three motions at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention annual meeting to disallow messengers from Fielder Church in Arlington because of the church’s stance on women in pastoral roles were ruled out of order.

11/05/2025 - By Scott Barkley / Baptist Press

Florida pastor Willy Rice nominee for SBC president

Florida pastor Willy Rice announced his intentions to be nominated for Southern Baptist Convention president at the 2026 SBC annual meeting in Orlando.

11/03/2025 - By Brandon Porter / Baptist Press

Morris Chapman, longtime SBC leader, dead at 84

Morris H. Chapman, former pastor, former Southern Baptist Convention president, former SBC Executive Committee president and champion of the Cooperative Program, died Oct. 20, at age 84.

10/21/2025 - By Erin Roach

Akin announces retirement from Southeastern Seminary

Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, announced to students gathered for a chapel service on Oct. 14 his plans to retire next summer.

10/15/2025 - By Yonat Shimron / Religion News Service

Voddie Baucham Jr. dies at 56

Voddie Baucham Jr., a conservative Black pastor, author and seminary leader heroic to some and controversial to others, has died at 56.

09/26/2025 - By Bob Smietana / Religion News Service

SBC Executive Committee takes up messenger motions

Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee members addressed referrals from messengers to the 2025 SBC annual meeting at their Sept. 22-23 meeting.

09/24/2025 - By Laura Erlanson & Scott Barkley / Baptist Press

Executive Committee declines to sue Johnny Hunt

The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee at their Sept.23 meeting weighed the potential merits and risks of filing countersuits in cases involving what it considers fraudulent claims of responsibility.

09/24/2025 - By Scott Barkley / Baptist Press

Sills drops lawsuit against Jennifer Lyell estate

Michael David Sills and his wife Mary no longer are seeking damages against the estate of the late Jennifer Lyell in a lawsuit stemming from Lyell’s accusation of sexual abuse against Sills.

09/24/2025 - By Diana Chandler / Baptist Press

Ezell explains vision behind NAMB church planting

Terminology goes a long way in perception. It’s difficult to get a clear picture if words have different meanings on different sides of a conversation.

09/22/2025 - By Scott Barkley / Baptist Press