===Bart Barber===
Bart Barber has served FBC Farmersville since 1999. He is married to Tracy (Brady) Barber. Together they have two children. Bart is a native of Lake City, Ark., where his parents had him in church before he was born. God saved him at the tender age of almost-six, called him to preach when he was eleven, allowed him to preach his first sermon (such as it was) when he was fifteen, and permitted him to serve as a pastor of a church when he was a senior in high school. Bart has a B.A. from Baylor University in their University Scholars program, an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and a Ph.D. in Church History also from Southwestern. For his dissertation he wrote about a denominational split among Arkansas Baptists in 1902, suggesting that they all should've gotten along with one another.
Ben Mandrell should take humility lessons from Bart Barber
I thought I had seen arrogance in Southern Baptist Convention agency heads in my 62 years of living, but I had not heard from Ben Mandrell until today. His cold-hearted arrogance speaking before the SBC annual meeting today is in a class all by itself. Honestly, I was stunned hearing him speak from the floor of the convention in Indianapolis where a motion was under consideration to censure him and Bart Barber and Al Mohler for signing an amicus brief in a Kentucky case that had nothing to do with the SBC but pitted them and the SBC against an abuse survivor seeking justice. According to Ecclesiastes, there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. This Kentucky case was, at best, a time to remain silent. Because in filing the controversial brief they did, these three SBC leaders gave the appearance of putting the SBC on record seeking to cut off justice for a known abuse survivor. (Baptist News Global 6/12/24) Read More>>>>>
I thought I had seen arrogance in Southern Baptist Convention agency heads in my 62 years of living, but I had not heard from Ben Mandrell until today. His cold-hearted arrogance speaking before the SBC annual meeting today is in a class all by itself. Honestly, I was stunned hearing him speak from the floor of the convention in Indianapolis where a motion was under consideration to censure him and Bart Barber and Al Mohler for signing an amicus brief in a Kentucky case that had nothing to do with the SBC but pitted them and the SBC against an abuse survivor seeking justice. According to Ecclesiastes, there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. This Kentucky case was, at best, a time to remain silent. Because in filing the controversial brief they did, these three SBC leaders gave the appearance of putting the SBC on record seeking to cut off justice for a known abuse survivor. (Baptist News Global 6/12/24) Read More>>>>>
Barber exhorts Southwestern graduates to go to the harvest
FORT WORTH—Get to work in the harvest, Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber challenged the 301 graduates of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College during spring commencement held May 3 on the Fort Worth campus. The spring 2024 graduating class included students representing 27 states of the U.S. and 22 countries. Seventy-seven of the 301 certificates and diplomas awarded were for non-English degrees and certificates. “This class represents the student body at Southwestern, which is now a multinational, multi-ethnic, intercultural, intergenerational community,” said SWBTS President David S. Dockery, noting the names listed in the commencement program that were representative of “every region of the country and multiple nations around the world, and we celebrate God’s goodness in bringing them here.” (Southern Baptist Texas 5/14/24) Read More>>>>>
FORT WORTH—Get to work in the harvest, Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber challenged the 301 graduates of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College during spring commencement held May 3 on the Fort Worth campus. The spring 2024 graduating class included students representing 27 states of the U.S. and 22 countries. Seventy-seven of the 301 certificates and diplomas awarded were for non-English degrees and certificates. “This class represents the student body at Southwestern, which is now a multinational, multi-ethnic, intercultural, intergenerational community,” said SWBTS President David S. Dockery, noting the names listed in the commencement program that were representative of “every region of the country and multiple nations around the world, and we celebrate God’s goodness in bringing them here.” (Southern Baptist Texas 5/14/24) Read More>>>>>
SBC President Bart Barber apologizes for filing legal brief seeking to limit liability for sex abuse
Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber admitted Monday that he approved joining a controversial amicus brief filed on behalf of the SBC Executive Committee, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Lifeway Christian Resources challenging the validity of new legislation in Kentucky that allows child sex abuse survivors to sue non-perpetrator third parties such as churches and schools retroactively. Responding to significant negative feedback from SBC Executive Committee members and other SBC leaders, Barber issued a statement shared on his personal blog “Praisegod Barebones,” in which he, a vocal supporter of the sexual abuse survivor community, said he was only given three hours to decide on whether the SBC should join the brief after the organization’s lawyers had recommended it.
(Leonardo Blair/Christian Post 10/31/23) Read More>>>>>
Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber admitted Monday that he approved joining a controversial amicus brief filed on behalf of the SBC Executive Committee, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Lifeway Christian Resources challenging the validity of new legislation in Kentucky that allows child sex abuse survivors to sue non-perpetrator third parties such as churches and schools retroactively. Responding to significant negative feedback from SBC Executive Committee members and other SBC leaders, Barber issued a statement shared on his personal blog “Praisegod Barebones,” in which he, a vocal supporter of the sexual abuse survivor community, said he was only given three hours to decide on whether the SBC should join the brief after the organization’s lawyers had recommended it.
(Leonardo Blair/Christian Post 10/31/23) Read More>>>>>
June 14, 2023: Religion News Service: Ouster of Saddleback and Fern Creek from SBC over women pastors is affirmed
Newly reelected SBC President Bart Barber appeared before the outcome of the votes were announced to urge an appropriate response. “I believe in the sanctity of marriage, but I know sometimes in our churches people wind up in biblical divorce,” he said. “But we don’t throw divorce parties at our church, OK?”
Newly reelected SBC President Bart Barber appeared before the outcome of the votes were announced to urge an appropriate response. “I believe in the sanctity of marriage, but I know sometimes in our churches people wind up in biblical divorce,” he said. “But we don’t throw divorce parties at our church, OK?”
Bart Barber and Mike Stone face off to lead Southern Baptist Convention
Two years ago, Georgia pastor Mike Stone received nearly 6,300 votes for president during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Nashville, more than any candidate in a contested election in nearly two decades. Except for one. His opponent, Alabama pastor Ed Litton, got more than 6,800 votes, winning by a narrow margin. The loss was difficult for Stone. Not long after the SBC annual meeting, Litton got in hot water after critics discovered he had used parts of another pastor’s sermons without attribution, in a controversy
that became known as “Sermongate.” Litton would later apologize and decide not to run for a second year in office. Stone also ended up suing former SBC ethicist Russell Moore, a longtime rival, for allegedly ruining his reputation and costing Stone the election. That suit was later dropped.
(Washington Post 6/9/23) READ MORE>>>>>
Two years ago, Georgia pastor Mike Stone received nearly 6,300 votes for president during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Nashville, more than any candidate in a contested election in nearly two decades. Except for one. His opponent, Alabama pastor Ed Litton, got more than 6,800 votes, winning by a narrow margin. The loss was difficult for Stone. Not long after the SBC annual meeting, Litton got in hot water after critics discovered he had used parts of another pastor’s sermons without attribution, in a controversy
that became known as “Sermongate.” Litton would later apologize and decide not to run for a second year in office. Stone also ended up suing former SBC ethicist Russell Moore, a longtime rival, for allegedly ruining his reputation and costing Stone the election. That suit was later dropped.
(Washington Post 6/9/23) READ MORE>>>>>
June 4, 2023: Kentucky Today: SBC presidential candidates hold variety of views on looming issues
Bart Barber, current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, tweeted May 3 that he would be unable to participate this year in panel discussions, Q&As and podcasts leading up to the SBC Annual Meeting. In order to provide fair coverage of both known presidential candidates, The Baptist Paper reviewed social media and previous interviews to compile a few of Barber’s responses to some of the pressing issues facing the SBC.
Bart Barber, current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, tweeted May 3 that he would be unable to participate this year in panel discussions, Q&As and podcasts leading up to the SBC Annual Meeting. In order to provide fair coverage of both known presidential candidates, The Baptist Paper reviewed social media and previous interviews to compile a few of Barber’s responses to some of the pressing issues facing the SBC.
May 19, 2023: Only Sky: The Southern Baptist Convention had its worst EVER membership drop in 2022
Interestingly, this letter is not signed by any Executive Committee members—except for Willie McLaurin, its Interim President. Since the list is arranged alphabetically, he appears near the end. Drowning out his name, we see various other big-name Southern Baptist officers: seminary presidents, missionary organization presidents, the president of their financial planning group, leaders of important groups like Lifeway, and even the president of the Southern Baptist Convention himself, Bart Barber.
Interestingly, this letter is not signed by any Executive Committee members—except for Willie McLaurin, its Interim President. Since the list is arranged alphabetically, he appears near the end. Drowning out his name, we see various other big-name Southern Baptist officers: seminary presidents, missionary organization presidents, the president of their financial planning group, leaders of important groups like Lifeway, and even the president of the Southern Baptist Convention himself, Bart Barber.
April 18, 2023: Baptist Press: SBC leaders, former presidents react to death of Charles Stanley
“When cable TV came to Lake City, Arkansas, Charles Stanley entered my home. When I started to collect books as a teenaged preacher, he entered my library. I saw him lead our Convention as SBC president. I heard him preach in chapel at Southwestern Seminary. Is there any part of the SBC that does not bear the mark of his influence? On behalf of Southern Baptists, I extend our gratitude to God for Charles Stanley, and I offer our condolences to his family, his friends, and the First Baptist Church of Atlanta.”--Bart Barber, SBC president
“When cable TV came to Lake City, Arkansas, Charles Stanley entered my home. When I started to collect books as a teenaged preacher, he entered my library. I saw him lead our Convention as SBC president. I heard him preach in chapel at Southwestern Seminary. Is there any part of the SBC that does not bear the mark of his influence? On behalf of Southern Baptists, I extend our gratitude to God for Charles Stanley, and I offer our condolences to his family, his friends, and the First Baptist Church of Atlanta.”--Bart Barber, SBC president
Bart Barber, a country pastor who also happens to be the sitting president of the Southern Baptist Convention, began his Tuesday (Nov. 29) as he does most days, with prayer and feeding his cows.
Before the day was out he would take the rare step of denouncing one of his predecessors.
“I would permanently ‘defrock’ Johnny Hunt if I had the authority to do so,” Barber, who leads a church in Farmersville, Texas, said in a statement released Tuesday.
Hunt, who served as president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination from 2008 to 2010, stepped aside from public ministry in May after allegations that he had sexually assaulted another pastor’s wife were made public. Then, last week, a group of pastors announced that Hunt has been restored to ministry, less than six months after Southern Baptists passed a series of reforms designed to address a sex abuse crisis. --SBC President Bart Barber Says Predecessor Johnny Hunt is Unfit to Return to Ministry 12.1.22
Before the day was out he would take the rare step of denouncing one of his predecessors.
“I would permanently ‘defrock’ Johnny Hunt if I had the authority to do so,” Barber, who leads a church in Farmersville, Texas, said in a statement released Tuesday.
Hunt, who served as president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination from 2008 to 2010, stepped aside from public ministry in May after allegations that he had sexually assaulted another pastor’s wife were made public. Then, last week, a group of pastors announced that Hunt has been restored to ministry, less than six months after Southern Baptists passed a series of reforms designed to address a sex abuse crisis. --SBC President Bart Barber Says Predecessor Johnny Hunt is Unfit to Return to Ministry 12.1.22
Bart Barber Files
“I think it is unjust, unnecessary, and unwise to include in abortion laws the prosecution of women who seek or obtain an abortion. The abortionist is the murderer, and any law banning abortion should identify the abortionist uniquely as such.”
-Bart Barber; SBC President; Sept 25, 2022
Nov 30, 2022: The Tennessean: Leaders denounce former SBC president Johnny Hunt’s return to ministry amid abuse allegations
- In May, allegations emerged of sexual assault against former SBC president Johnny Hunt.
- Hunt and four Southern Baptist pastors recently announced Hunt will return to ministry after "restoration" process.
- SBC President Bart Barber: "I would permanently 'defrock' Johnny Hunt if I had the authority to do so."