Newly elected Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President Clint Pressley offered his first public remarks as president during a press conference on Wednesday (June 12), expressing confidence that the denomination is united by its “love for the Bible,” “love for the gospel,” and “love for the mission.”

Pressley, who pastors Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, was elected by SBC delegates, called messengers, at the SBC’s annual meeting on Wednesday. 

“It is an honor—and a strange honor—but an honor to be the president of the Southern Baptist Convention,” Pressley said. “I didn’t plan ever to be the president, [but] thought about it several times in the last few years and now seemed like a really good time to do it with all that’s going on in our convention.”

“I love the Southern Baptist Convention,” he added. 

Pressley went on to say that he has been a Southern Baptist since he was a teenager and that he now serves as pastor of the same church he first began attending in 1985. After attending New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and filling several pastoral roles in Mississippi and Alabama, he returned to Charlotte and became pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in 2010. 

As Pressley steps into his role as the SBC’s president, he indicated that he has no visions of grandeur.

“As the Southern Baptist Convention president, it sounds like you have a lot of power. But you don’t,” he said. “You basically preside over the meeting in the summertime. And then you appoint committees, and then you will provide maybe influence to the bully pulpit.”

As to the key issues raised at the convention, namely the long deferred creation of the “Ministry Check” website to track abusive pastors, church employees, and volunteers and clarity regarding the SBC’s stance on women’s ordination, Pressley said that he trusts the denomination’s existing processes. 

“I think our mechanisms are strong,” he said. “They have worked well for quite some time and continue to work well and will do so in the future.”

“There’s a lot to celebrate within the Southern Baptist Convention, especially as it points to biblical fidelity and real clear mission focus,” Pressley went on to say. “I think part of what the president’s job is to do all you can by way of influence and make sure, as a convention of churches, we are focused on what our mission is. So I look forward to next year. It’s a great time to celebrate.”

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“We’re joyful people—joyful in what the Lord has given us, joyful over his word, joyful over the gospel,” Pressley said. “And I think it’s incumbent on us to make sure we project what we have to be joyful about.”

Phil Johnson, executive director of Grace to You and an elder at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church, shared on social media that he is being treated for multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer. Doctors discovered the disease during Johnson’s recent treatment for kidney problems.

In a June 10 thread on X (formerly Twitter), Johnson began by thanking well-wishers for their prayers. “I want to say thank you again to the countless people who told me they were praying for me during my hospitalization last month,” he wrote.

“My ‘catastrophic’ kidney malfunction turned out to be a sort of blessing in disguise,” Johnson continued. “In the [hundreds] of blood tests and a bone-marrow biopsy doctors ordered, they discovered I have Multiple Myeloma, a kind of blood cancer that lets the proteins in my blood attack other organs.”

Johnson added that he had just met with “an excellent oncologist” who’s “prescribing a cocktail of drugs, followed by a bone-marrow transplant.”

Remission Is ‘Achievable,’ Phil Johnson Is Told

In his post, Johnson said he was told the prescribed treatment should lead to remission. According to the Mayo Clinic website, the blood cancer can be slow-growing and doesn’t always cause symptoms early on.

“The goal, as I understand it, is to keep me alive long enough for something else to kill me,” wrote Johnson. “The oncologist assures me that’s an achievable goal, and I’m glad that in the providence of God, they were able to diagnose this before the cancer progressed so far that no treatment could help.”

He concluded by sharing Psalm 31:15, “My times are in His hand.”

Johnson, 70, has worked closely with John MacArthur since 1981, editing most of the Bible teacher’s books. He’s also an ordained pastor and the founder and former editor of The Spurgeon Archive.

In early April, Johnson landed in the emergency room after experiencing a pulmonary embolism. Because blood tests revealed “critical kidney malfunction,” doctors started him on dialysis.

On May 11, Johnson shared that “the last 6 weeks were brutal” but that he was feeling “almost human” again. Then on May 28, he wrote that he was having a diagnostic bone-marrow biopsy.

Please Pray for Phil Johnson of Grace to You

From October 2022 to March 2023, Johnson was unable to post any updates to X (which was then still called Twitter). He revealed that he’d been put in “Twitter jail” after commenting on a story about a drag queen crossing-guard at a Denver elementary school. On a repost from Libs of TikTok, Johnson suggested that exposing children to that individual amounted to “taxpayer-funded grooming.”

Southern Baptists voted to adopt a resolution on Wednesday (June 12) that reaffirms the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) commitment to the protection of unborn children with regard to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive technologies. 

The resolution, titled “On the Ethical Realities of Reproductive Technologies and the Dignity of the Human Embryo,” was adopted at the denomination’s annual meeting in Indianapolis, roughly three months after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos have legal standing as children.

The ruling has been controversial—even among Christians—and the reasoning behind it appears to have been explicitly theological. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Parker went as far as to say that “embryos cannot be wrongfully destroyed without incurring the wrath of a holy God, who views the destruction of His image as an affront to Himself.”

While some Christian leaders and organizations are vocally supportive of IVF, a number of prominent Southern Baptists have expressed concern about the fate of embryos that are frozen or otherwise discarded. 

Last month, Brent Leatherwood sent a letter to the U.S. Senate on behalf of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, urging legislators “to develop and implement a system of federal oversight that protects and informs women and ensures embryos are treated with care, even as we oppose the general practice of IVF.”

In addition to raising concerns about discarded embryos, the ERLC also published a resource in which it urged Southern Baptists to consider “the question of severing procreation from the sexual union, and the anthropological question of ‘making’ children as commodities rather than ‘begetting’ them as gifts from God.”

Similarly, Dr. Albert Mohler, who serves as president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS), argued in an address to Southern Baptists at a private event in Indianapolis on Monday that addressing the issue of IVF is essential to the pro-life cause.

Mohler was the one who submitted the resolution to the Resolutions Committee alongside SBTS ethics professor Andrew T. Walker. 

“In the contemporary context, we’re about to find out how pro-life the pro-life movement is,” Mohler said on Monday. “And one of the shake-out issues of our contemporary day is that we’re about to find out how many people were riding on the pro-life movement rather than actually believing in the worldview of the pro-life movement.”

“Restricting abortion is not a pro-life victory,” Mohler continued. “It is a means towards an eventual pro-life victory.” 

RELATED: The Alabama Ruling on Embryos Claimed To Be Christian. Christians Aren’t so Sure.

In the SBC’s new resolution, Southern Baptists reaffirmed their belief that life must “be respected and protected from the moment of fertilization until natural death, without regard to developmental stage or location.”

In a wide-ranging interview with Ben Shapiro on June 9, pastor and Bible teacher John MacArthur talked about hot-button topics such as Christian nationalism, the so-called “war on children,” and the state of churches in the United States. MacArthur, president of Grace to You, also answered questions about how to find a good church, how to minister to skeptics, and how to properly characterize Jesus.

On Sunday’s edition of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” the editor emeritus of the Daily Wire spoke to MacArthur for an hour about “The Religious Decline of the West.” MacArthur, longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, appeared via video. The pastor, who turns 85 next week, addressed biblical morality, wokeness, and the role of church and family in today’s culture.

Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew, is a prominent conservative figure. He, like MacArthur, has made numerous controversial statements.

RELATED: Mental Illness Drugs ‘Attack You’—John MacArthur Doubles Down on Controversial Comments

John MacArthur: Bible-Believing Churches Must Bear Moral Authority

During Sunday’s interview, Shapiro brought up the “devastating” effects of decreased church attendance among Americans. MacArthur cited possible factors including weak, worldly churches and the crumbling family structure.

“Many, many churches have lost their sense of transcendence,” said MacArthur. “It’s like going to a rock concert. It’s like going to a TED talk. It’s like going to hear somebody tell you you’re really a wonderful person and you can speak your own world into existence.”

“It’s psychological and sociological games,” he continued, “but it lacks…the sense of connecting with God, with finding reality in an invisible means of support beyond yourself.”

Shapiro asked how people seeking biblical truth amid that atmosphere can “determine what is a Bible-believing church that’s worth their time versus a church that maybe has a Pride progress flag hanging off the door and claims to be speaking in the name of the gospels.”

“A church that is faithful to Scripture, a synagogue that is faithful to Scripture, bears moral authority,” MacArthur responded. “It exists to say, ‘This is what the Lord has said. This is what God requires. This is divine mandate. This is the morality that leads to blessing and disobedience. And disregard for this morality leads to cursing.’”

Christian actor and activist Kirk Cameron has fought criticism and censorship for promoting family, faith, and country—especially in his recent children’s books. Cameron announced another “See You at the Library” event this summer; it will take place in multiple locations on Aug. 24 to bring “huge change to our nation.”

“Let’s be about love. And let’s teach our children the true meaning of love. And that’s what our movement and the See You at the Library Day is all about this summer,” Cameron told Fox News Digital.

Kirk Cameron Invites Families To ‘Be About Love’ and Join ‘See You at the Library’

As an outspoken Christian and father to six grown children, Cameron hasn’t backed away from sharing his views on faith, family, and the role of our country. He and his sister, Candace Cameron Bure, have publicly challenged parents and families to instill wholesome values in their children.

Cameron called out parents and grandparents in their “most sacred duty.” He pointed out the important role “to teach your children what is important, love God with all their hearts, and care for others.”

In the middle of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, Cameron went on to say, “And that doesn’t mean waving a pride flag. Love—the supreme and superlative virtue—has always been opposed to pride.”

See You at the Library 2024 seeks to “celebrate a return to American, constitutional, and biblical values” at libraries around the country. Families, with children of all ages, gather for a story hour containing wholesome books that uphold traditional values.

“This year, as Pride Month is upon us, we’re seeing more of an inundation than ever of children [as young as] two and four years old,” Cameron said, “through television shows like ‘Rachel’ getting over 100 million views and inviting transgender [individual] Dylan Mulvaney on the program.”

Cameron continued to cite Pride events involving children, saying, “And the Guinness Book of World Records just recorded the largest drag queen story hour in the world, with 268 people.”

Cameron said, “It’s not a surprise to anyone who loves God, who loves their children and who loves America that our country and our children are under assault today.”

“There is no time to waste when it comes to teaching our children what’s important,” Cameron said. “I think we’re in the position that we’re in now as a nation due to the failure of good people to teach their children what is important.”

“And sadly,” he added, “we’ve believed the propaganda and the lie that others are better equipped to teach our children what’s important, like public schools or even youth pastors at churches.”

In the midst of these staggering reports, Cameron asked, “And so what do we need?” He continued, “We need courage. We need hope. We need faith. And that’s what our movement is endeavoring to instill into the hearts of parents and grandparents so that they can raise their children.”

Cameron told Fox News Digital of the incredible support he has received from thousands of families across the country. “We are calling on families all across the nation to double what we did last year,” Cameron said. “We want to see over 500 libraries, 600 libraries, in all 50 states and tens of thousands of people gathering to say that we want to return to the American constitutional and biblical values in public libraries.”

“Let’s teach our children the true meaning of love,” affirmed Cameron. “Love embraces humility. Love speaks out against sin courageously. Love never bows to the crooked and perverse winds of a culture that seeks to enslave your children and take away their future.”

Clint Pressley has been elected the newest president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). 

Pressley, who pastors Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, was voted president by Southern Baptist delegates, called messengers, after a second run-off vote on Wednesday (June 12). Per SBC bylaws, the winning candidate must receive at least 50% plus one vote to win. 

The race began with six nominees: David Allen, Bruce Frank, Mike Keahbone, Jared Moore, Clint Pressley, and Dan Spencer.

Notably, Pastors Bruce Frank and Mike Keahbone, who have both been vocal advocates of sexual abuse reform and have served on abuse reform task forces, were eliminated during the first round of voting. 

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Jared Moore, pastor of Cumberland Homesteads Baptist Church in Crossville, Tennessee, was also eliminated during the first vote. David Allen, Dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Preaching at Mid-America Baptist Seminary, was eliminated during the second round of voting.

Pressley won 56.12% of the vote in the second run-off vote, beating out Dan Spencer, who pastors First Baptist Church in Sevierville, Tennessee. 

Pressley had been a supporter of the so-called Law Amendment, which would enshrine a ban on ordaining women as pastors in the SBC’s constitution. That amendment failed to pass on Wednesday morning, with 61.45% of messengers voting in favor of it. In order to be ratified, the amendment required a two-thirds majority. 

Pressley’s church made headlines the weekend leading into the SBC’s annual meeting, as it was revealed that a volunteer at the church was arrested last month after he was accused of sexual abuse by a student at the church’s Christian school.

“Administration officials immediately reported this disclosure to Child Protective Services, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police were dispatched to begin an investigation,” Pressley said in a letter dated in early May. 

RELATED: SBC Disfellowships Historic Baptist Church for Position on Ordaining Women as Pastors

Pressley added that per the church’s policy, the allegations were “immediately reported” to law enforcement and child protection authorities. The suspect has been charged with two counts of alleged abuse.

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) messengers failed to get enough votes to approve an amendment to the SBC constitution banning women from holding the office of pastor. The change, authored by Pastor Mike Law and known as the Law Amendment, would have added a doctrinal position that is stated in the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 (BFM) but is not present in the convention’s constitution.

“I move that the Constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention be amended to include an enumerated 6th item under Article 3, Paragraph 1, concerning composition,” said Mike Law in a letter to the SBC’s Executive Committee (EC). “The enumerated 6th item would read: ‘6. Does not affirm, appoint, or employ a woman as a pastor of any kind.’”

The results of a vote taken by written ballot were announced just before messengers broke for lunch Wednesday, June 12. Out of the 10,942 messengers present at the meeting, 5,099 (61.45%) voted in favor of the amendment, and 3,185 (38.38%) voted against it. 

Law Amendment Banning Women Pastors Fails

Mike Law, pastor of Arlington Baptist Church in Arlington, Virginia, introduced his amendment in 2022 at the SBC annual meeting that took place in Anaheim, California. Law brought the amendment after learning there were “five Southern Baptist churches, roughly within a five-mile radius of my own congregation…employing women as pastors of various kinds, including women serving as ‘Sr. Pastor.’” See here for a detailed timeline of events surrounding the amendment.

When they met the day before the 2023 SBC annual meeting in New Orleans, the EC decided to bring the Law Amendment to messengers for a vote, despite the committee stating its opposition to the amendment on the grounds that the convention’s views on the topic of women’s ordination are already adequately stated in the BFM.

The BFM says, “While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

Proponents of the amendment have argued that Scripture is clear, as is the BFM, that women should not be pastors, so an amended constitution would merely reiterate a belief that Southern Baptists already affirm. Furthermore, churches that are in line with the SBC’s values would not be impacted by the adoption of the amendment.

Opponents have countered that because the BFM already states that women cannot be pastors, the Law Amendment is unnecessary. Also, some have expressed concern regarding churches where women serve in roles such as children’s pastor, saying these churches could be unfairly disfellowshipped because of the word “pastor” despite the churches being complementarian in practice. 

In addition to seeing a problem with a growing number of churches ordaining women as pastors, Law and his supporters have drawn attention to the Credentials Committee’s decision in 2022 to withdraw a recommendation it had made to disfellowship Saddleback Church over Saddleback’s ordination of female pastors. 

The committee decided not to call for Saddleback to be disfellowshipped at that time “until clarity is provided regarding the use of the title ‘pastor’ for staff positions with different responsibility and authority than that of the lead pastor.” Saddleback Church was later disfellowshipped at the 2023 annual meeting in New Orleans. 

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