Church Leadership Radar - Saturday, June 27, 2026

This week on the Ministry Week in Review Saturday edition, Ted Rhoades covers:SBC Annual Meeting 2026 — Willy Rice elected as new SBC president, a constitutional amendment advances, and controversy erupts over comments on the sexual abuse crisis within hours of his election.Glenn Packiam on FrontStage BackStage — A powerful observation about the drift from presence, prayer, and shepherding toward performance, platform, and productivity in ministry.The Unstuck Group Q2 2026 Church Staffing Report — Budget constraints are the #1 staffing challenge for the third consecutive year, and Worship Arts roles are now the hardest positions to fill in any church.Gateway Church Lawsuit Dismissed — A federal judge in Texas rules the First Amendment shields a church's internal decisions on tithe fund allocation (ecclesiastical abstention doctrine).Bright Spot: Trinity Church Aberdeen, Scotland — A 250-person congregation in the most secular city in Scotland spent 7 years and millions of dollars restoring a crumbling 1905 granite church building — and reopened it in March 2026 with addiction recovery ministry, VBS, and community outreach already launched.Source Links:Willy Rice Elected SBC President — Baptist PressFrontStage BackStage Podcast with Jason DayeThe Unstuck Group Church Staffing Report Q2 2026Gateway Church Lawsuit — Ministry WatchTrinity Church Aberdeen📧 Subscribe to the Church Leadership Radar newsletter🎙️ Healthy Church Staff Podcast