World

As SBC Backs Refugee Resettlement, World Relief Leader Resigns

Southern Baptists vote to encourage compassion, while Stephan Bauman reveals next move.

Southern Baptists adopted a resolution this morning encouraging fellow believers to offer “care, compassion, and the gospel” to refugees, while at the same time calling on the American government to “implement the strictest security measures possible in the refugee screening and selection process.”

While on the floor of the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), Resolution 12 on “refugee ministry” was amended to encourage Southern Baptists “to welcome and adopt refugees into their churches and homes as a means to demonstrate to the nations that our God longs for every tribe, tongue, and nation to be welcomed at his throne.”

“We’re of course very encouraged by this,” Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilization for World Relief, told CT. “One of World Relief’s core programs is helping local churches (including many Southern Baptist congregations) welcome refugees.”

(Last year, CT reported how World Relief disagreed with half of US governors after the Paris attacks changed how Americans view refugees and US churches became twice as likely to fear refugees as to help them.)

Hours later, World Relief happened to have an announcement of its own: After 11 years with the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, president Stephan Bauman will leave to become the executive director of Cornerstone Trust, a grant management firm based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“I am sorry to see Stephan go,” stated World Relief CEO Tim Breene. “He has made a huge contribution to World Relief over his 12 years, including his tenure as president and CEO. Stephan played a pivotal role in bringing World Relief back …

Continue reading

Post Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.