By Lauren Lamb
ST. LOUIS, MO. —The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship gathered this week in St. Louis for its 2025 General Assembly, an event that brings together Baptists together for worship, leadership and important conversations about ministry in a quickly changing culture.
The Assembly concluded with a worship service Thursday night led by CBF executive coordinator Paul Baxley. His sermon encouraged attendees to focus on Christ to hold their communities together in a place of belonging. “To maintain this kind of community of belonging, there has to be a focus on Christ…Christ holds everything together. Christ is the cornerstone. Christ is the keystone.”
The 11 chaplains and pastoral counselors CBF endorsed during 2024-2025 were commissioned as the service concluded by Renee Owen, Director of Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling, Charlie Reynolds, Associate Endorser for Military Chaplaincy, and Carrol Wilson, Manager for Chaplaincy and Pastoral Counseling Ministries.
“Since January 1998, CBF has been a place for chaplains and pastoral counselors ‘to belong.’ A calling to ministry in specialized settings outside of the local church is a sacred and holy calling,” Owen said.
The Assembly met for two other worship services, led by Charles E. Goodman Jr., Melissa Hatfield. The sermons challenged attendees to use the Lord for strength during hard times and times of change.
There were meetings led about shifting church demographics, honoring retiring field personnel, recognizing scholars and awarding people in missions and ministry working hard for their community.
After a powerful message from current moderator Juan Garcia, delegates elected Tanya Parks as the new CBF Moderator. Parks brings fresh leadership for the Fellowship’s journey toward justice, mercy and discipleship.
The 2025 General Assembly concluded with a spirit of hope and belonging, sending Cooperative Baptists home renewed in their calling to serve, lead and live out the Gospel together.
Explore all the videos, blogs and resources from the 2025 General Assembly here.