“On behalf of our board of directors, I am pleased to announce that this year’s gift from the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund represents the single largest gift we have been delighted to forward to these saints in need,” said Wheeler. “As a cooperating ministry of the Florida Baptist Convention, ‘Stewardship. Simplified.’ is constantly looking for ways to financially resource the many Great Commission causes of Florida Baptists.”

Through the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund, Florida Baptist Financial Services is able to partner with GuideStone’s Mission:Dignity to provide an extra check—a 13th check—to retired pastors and their wives or their widows in the Sunshine State, many of whom spent their entire lives in ministry, often serving at smaller churches which had smaller budgets and were unable to contribute toward any type of retirement fund.

Aaron Meraz, director of GuideStone’s Mission:Dignity, immediately posted to social media his appreciation to Florida Baptists for this record-breaking financial gift.

“Mission:Dignity can’t say ‘THANK YOU’ enough to Florida Baptist Financial Services and Rick Wheeler. The generosity to these Florida recipients and those who served in Florida is truly an incredible blessing!”

Florida Baptist Financial Services has facilitated stewardship and generosity among Florida Baptists and has served as the charitable foundation of the Florida Baptist Convention since 1947. In 2022 Florida Baptist Financial Services began partnering with Mission:Dignity and GuideStone when the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund was launched following the sale of the Florida Baptist Retirement Center in Vero Beach. Since then, the total amount distributed from the fund has been more than $750,000.

“We are grateful to provide these funds from the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund,” said Wheeler. “Together, we are truly making a difference in the lives of these heroes of the faith who have faithfully led and blessed Florida Baptist churches.”

Across the nation, more than $9 million is distributed annually through Mission:Dignity, ensuring a well-deserved dignity and independence to those who have served faithfully in local Southern Baptist churches. Of the 2,700 individuals receiving assistance each year, approximately 60% of the recipients are widows. One of four is a pastor’s widow age 85 or older.

Wheeler said Mission:Dignity and the Retired Shepherd’s Fund are a natural channel to provide aid to those who deserve the highest honor as “heroes of the faith.”

“We stand on the shoulders of these wonderful heroes of the faith who have faithfully served churches across Florida,” he said. “What a joy it is to help meet their needs. May we be found faithful in our generation as they were in theirs.”

To participate in giving to the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund, please contact Florida Baptist Financial Services at 904-345-3222 or by email at rwheeler@floridabaptist.org.

For more information on assistance provided by Mission:Dignity for retired ministers, please go to https://www.guidestone.org/Mission-Dignity.

Aaron Burgner, board president, reflected on a recent mission trip to Kenya and reminded attendees, “God is always moving and working,” not only in Florida but throughout the world.

Florida Baptist State Convention President Mike Orr greeted the group and stated that he is prayerfully beginning to plan the 2025 Florida Baptist State Convention annual meeting and invited State Board of Missions members to join him in prayer as he selects a theme for the gathering.

Stephen Rummage, executive director-treasurer of the Florida Baptist Convention reported that Florida Baptist churches gave $28,058,383 through the Cooperative Program in 2024. Of that, the convention sent $14,077,603 to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program. The state retained $13,980,780 for missions and ministry efforts in Florida. Additionally, Florida Baptists gave $815,363 in 2024 to the Maguire State Mission Offering. The entire offering is designated to fund church planting initiatives in the state.

Rummage said, “I am thankful and grateful for what God had done in the state of Florida in 2024, financially and otherwise.”

Focusing on 1 Corinthians 9:25, Rummage stated that he is grateful for the heroes of the faith who live every moment of their lives in order “to make an eternal difference.” He encouraged State Board of Missions members to attend at least one stop of the upcoming Continuing Together tour, which begins on Feb. 20 and will include 14 locations in every region of the state. During this tour, Rummage will share his vision for the Florida Baptist Convention.

The Board referred three motions that were presented at the 2024 Florida Baptist State Convention to the appropriate committees for consideration. Two motions presented by Joel Breidenbaugh, messenger from Gospel Centered Church in Apopka, were referred to the Denominational Committee of the State Board of Missions. Breidenbaugh’s motions recommended amending bylaw 2 of the Florida Baptist State Convention, specifically in reference to defining standards for churches to be considered in friendly cooperation with the Florida Baptist Convention. The Board referred one motion presented by Cory Thorpe, messenger from First Baptist Church of Crawfordville, to the Administrative Committee. Thorpe’s motion referenced the digital availability of the Florida Baptist Convention’s annual guidebook. Both committees were instructed to report back at the 2025 annual meeting of the state convention.

Attendees received reports from four Florida Baptist Cooperating Ministries: The Baptist University of Florida, One More Child, Florida Baptist Financial Services and Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center.

The next board meeting will be April 24-25 in Jacksonville.

The Florida Baptist Pastor’s Theological Education Scholarship was established in April 2022 at the Florida Baptist State Board of Missions meeting, and this year’s recipients are the second group to be awarded the scholarships.

“We are excited to partner in providing resources for theological education to Florida Baptists. The calling out of the called is critical for the advance of the gospel. It is a blessing to share in the equipping of the called for ministry. The generosity of Florida Baptists provides tangible encouragement to those preparing for ministry,” said Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer.

Rick Wheeler, president/CEO of Florida Baptist Financial Services, added, “Through the generosity of our board members, we were once again able to offer these scholarships from the Florida1Fund. While life and ministry can be difficult at times, we want to make it as easy as possible for Florida Baptist pastors and their immediate family members to be equipped as they fulfill God’s call to serve the church. We were delighted to receive so many words of thanks and gratitude from the scholarship recipients, and we are honored to serve them in this way.”

Among this year’s 50-plus recipients is Aaron Chan, assistant pastor at River City Baptist Church in Jacksonville and church planter at the Hope Church of Mayport in Jacksonville.

“As a church planter, personal finances are often tight and unpredictable. As a church planter who is also a fulltime seminary student, paying for a theological education is just another addition to the stress that I face daily. I am so thankful for the Florida Baptist Pastor’s Theological Education Scholarship. The generosity of so many through this scholarship truly makes a difference to me and my family, and it allows me to care for my family and my church in an even greater way,” Chan said.

Chan has two more semesters before earning a master of divinity degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Seana Reavis, wife of Josh Reavis, associate pastor at North JAX Baptist Church, is a second-year recipient of the scholarship. She is studying to attain a master of theological studies degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

“I have been serving in ministry alongside my pastor husband for nearly 18 years and have long prayed about the opportunity to receive seminary training. As a mother of three growing children, receiving this scholarship means that I won’t have to defer taking seminary classes as it removes some of the financial barrier that parents often have for further education,” she said.

“My prayer is that this degree program will strengthen and further equip me to effectively teach and serve at the church where my husband is a pastor.”

Garrett Johnson, worship pastor at Mandarin Baptist Church in Jacksonville, said he “began sensing God expanding my calling to other areas of ministry. God has been using me and my family to meet the needs of our faith family in ways I most certainly wasn’t anticipating early on in ministry!”

He and his wife, Alejandra, felt that “pursuing a seminary degree was something God was leading me to, but yet again, things didn’t quite make sense or add up, especially financially. But having seen God come through in the past made us believe He will provide again. So, we jumped in!”

Still, as due dates for tuition payments drew closer, the couple began to feel financial pressure “that we might not be able to make certain ends meet, or that it might have just been an unwise time.”

Johnson learned about the scholarship opportunity and quickly submitted his application. “As He always does, the Lord shows up with what we were

needing! He is a faithful God and will always provide for what He calls us to!”

Expressing gratefulness for the scholarship, Johnson said, “I believe that God wants to use this next season of life to train and prepare me for what He has in store for me serving His church.”

Johnson is beginning his seminary journey this semester, pursuing a master of arts in ministry leadership degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Scholarship applicants must be actively serving, or be an immediate family member of one who is actively serving, in an ordained pastoral role within a Florida Baptist church for at least one year and must also be pursuing a ministry-focused degree through a Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated college or seminary.

The deadline for applications for the 2024-25 academic year will be in June 2024, and scholarships may be renewed for up to two years.

The theme, “For the Kingdom,” and Scripture found in Matthew 6:33 were the focus of the President’s Message given by Paul Purvis, lead pastor of Mission Hill Church in Temple Terrace.

When God’s kingdom comes, Purvis said, it will come in truth, grace, power and glory. Purvis urged Florida Baptists to “make sure our vision is aligned with God’s vision.

“We must maintain our focus; we must keep the main thing the main thing. We must stay on mission. As individuals, as churches, as a convention, we must start living and leading for the kingdom.”

Florida Baptists’ 160^th annual meeting drew 1,225 in attendance, including 822 messengers representing 412 churches, along with 403 guests.

Special committee report

Messengers adopted a report brought by a special committee tasked with examining policies and procedures governing sexual abuse allegation reporting, survivor care and prevention within the FBSC. The nine-person committee, chaired by JJ Johnson, pastor of South Tampa Fellowship, selected Telios Law, PLLC, based in Monument, Colorado, to conduct an independent review of such policies and procedures. Five cooperating ministries were included in the review: Florida Baptist State Board of Missions, Florida Baptist Children’s Homes, Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center, The Baptist College of Florida, and Florida Baptist Financial Services.

The committee reported that Telios Law noted there were no overwhelming flaws in the policies and procedures of the state’s cooperating ministries. The committee’s report then highlighted seven “areas of critical importance moving forward” and requested that the cooperating ministries provide updates at the 2023 FBSC annual meeting on the progress made in addressing these “opportunities for improvement.”

Budget adoption/policy revisions

Messengers approved a 2023 Cooperative Program goal of $29.5 million to be distributed 51% to Southern Baptist Convention causes and 49% to Florida Baptist Convention causes. The 51/49 split is the same distribution Florida Baptists have approved since 2016, the first budget recommendation after Tommy Green became executive director-treasurer in 2015. The approved 2023 budget is a $350,000 increase over the 2022 goal of $29.15 million.

Messengers also approved recommendations that would codify the process used with the cancellation of the 2020 annual meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic if a catastrophic event or other widespread emergency prevents the annual meeting of the FBSC from occurring in person in the future.

These recommendations came in response to a motion presented by Joel Breidenbaugh from Gospel Centered Church in Apopka at the 2021 FBSC annual meeting.

Baptist College of Florida honors Kinchen/looks to future

Messengers to the 2022 FBSC annual meeting honored Thomas Kinchen, president, The Baptist College of Florida, on his planned Dec. 31 retirement after serving in that role for more than 30 years. Messengers presented Kinchen with a standing ovation and a resolution expressing appreciation to him and his wife Ruth Ann for dedicating “their lives in service to their Lord and to Florida Baptists through their devotion and love for The Baptist College of Florida and its students.”

In response, Kinchen encouraged Florida Baptists, saying, “Embrace your school. Embrace the future. Grab tomorrow and run with it,” pledging his full support to president-elect Clayton Cloer.

A breakfast for BCF’s alumni and students on Monday, Nov. 14, and an afternoon fellowship on Tuesday, Nov. 15, provided opportunities for individuals to offer personal words of affirmation and thanks to Kinchen for his faithful service.

Messengers approved a recommendation to change the name of the college to Baptist University of Florida. The name change requires two consecutive years of approval by messengers to the FBSC annual meeting.

RISE for Life

In partnership with One More Child, Florida Baptists announced the launch of the RISE for Life initiative, which outlines the group’s mission through the acronym RISE:

• Reach every child
• Involve every church
• Strengthen every community
• Empower every family.

With the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the partnership calls on every Florida Baptist church to stand in the gap for the most vulnerable in society by partnering with pregnancy care centers, mentoring single mothers, becoming involved in foster care ministry, conducting resource drives to meet the practical needs of mothers and their children and taking other actions.

Lake Yale/Florida Baptist Financial Services

Florida Baptists affirmed the cooperating ministries of Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center and Florida Baptist Financial Services. Lake Yale offers a free pastor sabbatical program for all Florida Baptist pastors and pastoral staff. Florida Baptist Financial Services leaders shared that the organization has been able to provide higher education scholarships to Florida Baptist ministers and their families, provide a 13^th check to retired ministers and wives through Mission:Dignity and offer loans to Florida Baptist churches.

Officers elected

Four 2022-23 FBSC officers were elected by messengers, including three officers who will serve second terms. Purvis was reelected by acclimation to serve as FBSC president. Dwight Woods, senior pastor of Family of God Baptist Church in Panama City, was reelected by acclimation to a second term as first vice president. Healthcare professional John Bozard, a member of First Orlando, was reelected by acclimation to his second term as second vice president. Rounding out the slate of officers to be elected to serve Florida Baptists in 2022-23 was Janey Frost, minister of music and women at West Pensacola Baptist Church, elected by a ballot vote to serve as FBSC recording secretary

The 2023 FBSC annual meeting is set for Nov. 13-14 at Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa.

The Florida Baptist Pastor’s Theological Education Scholarship was established in April 2022 at the Florida Baptist State Board of Missions meeting, and this year’s recipients are the inaugural group to be awarded the scholarships.

“I am grateful for the collaborative kingdom heart of our Florida Baptist family. The intent of the scholarship is to bless our Florida Baptist pastors and family members pursuing theological training through a Southern Baptist-affiliated college, university or seminary. We rejoice that God continues to call out the called to vocational Christian ministry. Our prayer is that this scholarship initiative will encourage those seeking theological education,” Tommy Green, Florida Baptists’ executive director-treasurer said when the scholarship was established.

Rick Wheeler, president/CEO of Florida Baptist Financial Services, agreed, “We are thrilled to partner with the Florida Baptist Convention to provide these scholarships from our Florida One Fund.  Today’s ministry environment calls for leaders who are equipped to serve with theological clarity and conviction. We pray these scholarships will bless those who are preparing to serve or taking their skills and training to the next level.”

Among this year’s 60-plus recipients was Tadd Anderson, lead pastor at Mosaic Church in Crestview.

“I’m very thankful for this scholarship. It means that as a young pastor of a relatively small Florida Baptist church, the financial burden of continuing my theological education will be a little bit less!”

Anderson is studying to attain a master’s degree in biblical counseling at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri.

“The need for biblical counselors in the Panhandle of Florida is great. After earning my degree, I hope to start a counseling ministry to serve and minister to hurting people in our area, with the hope of new life offered in the gospel,” said Anderson, who has served his church in Okaloosa Baptist Association since 2017.

Jason Stanland, middle school pastor at Fruit Cove Baptist Church in Jacksonville, also is an inaugural recipient of the scholarship. Stanland is studying to earn a doctorate at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

“My doctoral degree at New Orleans Seminary means getting the resources and help to develop a philosophy of ministry for middle school ministry. This is something that is very needed as every church has middle school students but few have strategies to engage and disciple them,” Stanland said, expressing gratitude for the scholarship.

Hannah Loy, who attends The Baptist College of Florida, said, “This amazing scholarship allows me to follow what God has called me to do. With this scholarship I can move forward in earning a bachelor’s degree in music and a minor in psychology. I hope to be a music therapist helping people who struggle with anxiety and trauma and showing them Gods love.” Her father, Steve Loy, is pastor of Spruce Creek Baptist Church in Port Orange.

Scholarship applicants must be actively serving, or be an immediate family member of one who is actively serving, in an ordained pastoral role within a Florida Baptist church for at least one year and must also be pursuing a ministry-focused degree through a Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated college or seminary.

The deadline for applications for the 2023-24 academic year will be in June 2023, and scholarships may be renewed for up to two years.

Florida marks the fifth state to offer such a partnership between Mission:Dignity/GuideStone and state conventions. Similar programs are underway in five other states.

“The newly created Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund will distribute more than $2.5 million over the next 10 years to retired pastors through Mission:Dignity,” Florida Baptist Convention Executive Director-Treasurer Tommy Green said. “It will be a tremendous blessing.”

Rick Wheeler, president and CEO of Florida Baptist Financial Services, said Mission:Dignity was a natural channel to provide assistance.

“Once we prayerfully made the decision to sell, we began looking for the right partner to continue the ministry in Vero, and the Lord answered our prayer,” Wheeler said. He also indicated that donating the funds through Mission:Dignity would continue to honor the purpose of the retirement center, which was to provide assistance to retiring Florida Baptist pastors who have faithfully served the Lord.

In 2022, Mission:Dignity helped more than 2,500 individuals with extra money needed for housing, food and vital medications. It also ensures a well-deserved dignity, independence and, often, the ability to continue serving the Lord. About 300 Florida recipients and recipients who have served in Florida will receive a 13th check starting this December.

“We have been blessed to see so many state conventions come alongside our Mission:Dignity recipients to provide additional support,” said GuideStone President Hance Dilbeck. “It reminds them their Southern Baptist family has not forgotten their service to the Lord and His people. This generous gift honors the Lord by showing honor to these faithful servants.”

“We are so thankful for the leadership of Rick Wheeler and Tommy Green for making this additional gift possible,” said Aaron Meraz, director of Mission:Dignity. “These pastors and others we serve are truly deserving of a double honor, and thanks to the efforts of so many, those we are privileged to serve will be receiving this blessing.”

For more information on Mission:Dignity, to give, to apply for assistance or to refer someone in need, visit MissionDignity.org.

By Roy Hayhurst | Director of denominational and public relations at GuideStone

Originally, the FBRC was established to aid and care for the aging and those who had served the Lord in ministry. While Florida Baptists have been privileged to serve retirees at the Vero Beach location since the early 1960s, the increased regulatory environment and complexities of leading a broad-scope retirement community during a global pandemic led to the decision to sell the center to a company who had more scale and capabilities in the retirement center space. “Once we prayerfully made the decision to sell, we began looking for the right partner to continue the ministry in Vero and the Lord answered our prayer.”  Wheeler went on to say that repositioning these funds honors the original intent of the retirement center was to provide assistance to retiring Florida Baptist pastors who have faithfully served the Lord. The solution: The Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund.

Most of the resources used to start the Retired Shepherd’s Fund originated from the sale of the Florida Baptist Retirement Center. Joined by Dr. Tommy Green, Executive Director of the Florida Baptist Convention along with Dr. Hance Dilbeck and Aaron Meraz from Guidestone’s Mission Dignity. Wheeler signed the fund agreement document to launch the fund which will benefit retired Florida Baptist ministers who have demonstrated a financial need.  The newly created Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund will supply a “13^th check” to all Florida Baptist retirees and their spouses who receive assistance from Mission Dignity.  Wheeler stated that he estimates that the fund will “distribute over $2.5 Million to retired Florida Baptist pastors and their widows over the next ten years.”  Commenting on the establishment of the fund, Guidestone’s President Dr. Hance Dilbeck stated, “We want Florida Baptists to know that this is very significant for Mission Dignity, and it sets a high bar for Southern Baptists across the US to emulate.”

In a recent interview, Mission Dignity recipient and retired Florida Baptist pastor Dale Johnson along with his wife Janelle stated “We appreciate the gift that the Florida Baptist Foundation is giving to Mission Dignity.  It really meets a tremendous need. The small churches we served in did well to pay us a salary…and to have people that love the Lord and understand what we were doing and to meet these needs now in our lives, we are so appreciative.”

During the announcement, Florida Baptist Retirement Center Board Chairman, Albert Byrd prayed over the KR Management executive team and for their future endeavors.  KR Management President Ryan Rockefeller expressed their excitement in owning the center. “From the day, we walked on the campus, we knew there was something special about this location” Rockefeller commented. Rockefeller went on to announce that the new name of the center will be Hidden Lakes Senior Living Community.

The sale was also recognized and featured at the Board Fellowship Dinner which included key executives from KR Management of Largo, Florida, the buyers of the property who currently own and/or operate fourteen senior living centers across Florida.

To participate in giving to the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund, you can reach out to Florida Baptist Financial Services at (904) 345-3222 or email us at rwheeler@floridabaptist.org

For more information on assistance provided by Mission Dignity for retired ministers, please go to: https://www.guidestone.org/Mission-Dignity

“At Florida Baptist Financial Services, we are always seeking ways to lift up and strengthen pastors and churches,” Wheeler said. “Bivocational pastors have always been a substantial percentage of the number of pastors serving Florida Baptist churches – and the number is growing.”

FBFS is partnering with the Graceville college and the Florida Baptist Convention in establishing and supporting the bivocational ministers fund to impact the work and training of bivocational and small church pastors across the state.

“Theological education for these servant leaders can be more challenging due to the time, resources and energy demands on their life and ministry,” Wheeler said. “We pray that this scholarship will open the door for many more leaders to be equipped to fulfill God’s call upon their life to serve the church.

“When you help a pastor, you are also helping their family, their church, and their community.”

Wheeler shared how his appreciation for bivocational pastors was personal having grown up in the home of a Florida Baptist bivocational pastor.  “It is a rich blessing to be a small part of seeing other leaders blessed through this fund.”

BCF students participate in a full range of state and federal aid programs to help with college expenses, said Sandra Richards, director of BCF’s student life and marketing.

These financial aid programs, loans, grants, and scholarships provided through fundraising initiatives, friends of the college donations, memorial gifts, and church sponsorships play a large part in meeting the financial needs of students as they attend college preparing for areas of ministry and service.

“Thankfully, financial assistance sometimes comes in the form of unexpected employment opportunities or from an incredible scholarship initiative such as the one established for bivocational ministers,” she said.

“Bivocational student ministers attending BCF are so thankful and extremely grateful for the support of these two organizations as well as the overwhelming support from their churches, families, and many who donate to the college, pray, or provided words of encouragement,” she added.

 For more information on how you can be involved in the lives of students that are “Changing the World Through the Unchanging Word,®” please call 800.328.2660 or visit the website at www.baptistcollege.edu.

Since 1947, Florida Baptist Financial Services has been committed to helping Florida Baptist churches and individuals be good stewards of all God has entrusted to them while also generating revenue to support the advancement of the Gospel in the Sunshine State – “God’s people using God’s resources to do God’s business.”

Wheeler has served the Jacksonville Baptist Association (JBA) network of churches as its lead missional strategist for the past eight years.

“While I am grateful for all the Lord has done through the JBA, I am eager to help Florida Baptist Financial Services pursue how we can partner to fund the work of the Great Commission together,” Wheeler said of his new calling.

During his time leading the JBA, Wheeler and the JBA team have worked tirelessly to strengthen Jacksonville area churches, plant new churches to reach the underserved communities and have also helped churches pool resources and leverage relationships to have a bigger Gospel impact in Jacksonville and surrounding communities.

“On the day you voted to call me in 2011, I stood before you and spoke of a desire to be a missional association that was striving to help churches engage their community,” Wheeler said of his leadership team. “I am so grateful for the trust you placed in me but even more grateful for all of the many friends I have made and the progress we made together.”

Wheeler and his leadership team at JBA also emphasized diversity and racial reconciliation in a culture where barriers still exist while keeping the “Gospel Above All.”

In addition to his work with the JBA, Wheeler serves in various national roles like serving on the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) since 2016, serving on the SBC Committee on Resolutions in 2019 and heading up the 2018 Associational Study Team commissioned during the 2017 SBC annual meeting which took an in-depth look at the role local associations play in the ministry field.

Wheeler also served with the Florida Baptist Convention (FBC) as associate in the Sunday School Department from 2003 to 2006 during which he planned and implemented regional strategy for Sunday School and small group resourcing through central Florida. In his role as director of the Leadership and Life Development of the FBC from 2007 to 2011, Wheeler led a team of six people within the Church Development Division with a focus on leadership development and spiritual transformation focusing on servant leadership development strategies, disciple-making, church conflict resolution, pastor search team and transitional pastor training.

In oral arguments in October 2018 in Chicago, Justice Department attorney Jesse Panuccio defended the housing allowance as constitutional, arguing that it satisfies the requirements of Lemon v. Kurtzman, a 1971 United States Supreme Court decision that articulated a three-prong test for determining whether a legislative act violates the Establishment Clause. He also argued that the provision is constitutional under Town of Greece v. Galloway, a 2013 Supreme Court decision regarding prayers before the opening of a legislative session that suggested that Establishment Clause challenges must be viewed by reference to historical practices and understandings. The appeals court panel agreed the housing allowance passes muster on both counts.

GuideStone^® Chief Legal Officer Harold R. Loftin Jr., who has monitored this and other challenges to the housing allowance, and attended the oral arguments last October, said that history and precedent point to the housing allowance being constitutional.

“The Seventh Circuit concurred that this is a reasonable benefit that does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment,” Loftin said. “We are thankful for the panel’s decision that puts this case to rest for now, though we expect litigation and other challenges will happen again in the future.”

That sentiment was echoed by GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins.

“We expect challenges to the housing allowance will continue as groups like the Freedom From Religion Foundation seek to undermine churches and ministries in any way they can,” Hawkins said. “We are thankful that the Seventh Circuit sided with a host of legal experts that the housing allowance allows churches of all types to best provide for their pastors’ needs without favoring any one over the other. We will continue to monitor future cases and stand ready to advocate alongside our Southern Baptist family and alongside a coalition of large and historic pension boards for the benefit of the pastors we are privileged to serve and, indeed, pastors throughout this country.”

Roy Hayhurst, Guidestone Director of Denominational and Public Relations, March 20, 2019