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IMB reports half-million baptisms. The Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board recorded more than 506,000 baptisms in 2008—an average of one baptism per minute. Southern Baptist missionaries and their partners also reported starting more than 24,650 churches last year. Baptisms were 10.6 percent below the 2007 total; new churches, 8.6 percent below. Meanwhile, the total number of overseas churches topped 204,000, up from 111,000 five years ago. The IMB also reported engaging 93 people groups with the gospel for the first time.
McAfee awarded Lilly grant. The Lilly Endowment has awarded a five-year, $1 million grant to Mercer University’s James and Carolyn McAfee School of Theology to establish the McAfee Center for Teaching Churches, building on a previous grant that funded a pilot Transition-into-Ministry project. The new center will enable McAfee to sustain its work in helping young ministers make the transition from theological education to full-time ministry. Objectives of the center are to bridge the gulf between theological institutions and churches, strengthen the preparation of graduates for the practical, professional dimensions of congregational ministry, and integrate churches more effectively into the formation of ministers.
High-profile Southern Baptists urge Iran sanctions. A former Southern Baptist Convention president, a former mission board president and a denominational agency head joined about 30 other religious leaders in urging lawmakers to impose sanctions to deter Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Former SBC President James Merritt, former North American Mission Board President Bob Reccord and Richard Land, president of the SBC Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, signed the Dec. 10 letter. Members of the Christian Leaders for a Nuclear-free Iran coalition urged Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to bring sanctions proposals to the floors of both chambers of Congress. The letter also went to the top Republican in each house, as well as specific committee leaders.
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