Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists

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Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists
AWAB Logo-Small.png
Classification Mainline
Theology Progressive Baptist
Region5 countries
Headquarters Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Origin1993
Congregations192
Seminaries 5
Official website awab.org

The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) is a progressive Baptist Christian association of churches. The headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, United States.

Contents

History

Worship service at First Baptist Church of Morehead, Kentucky. FIRSTBAPTISTMOREHEADKENTUCKY.jpg
Worship service at First Baptist Church of Morehead, Kentucky.
Riverside Baptist Church of Washington, D.C.. Riverside Baptist Church DC 02 (cropped).jpg
Riverside Baptist Church of Washington, D.C..

The Association has its origins in the founding of American Baptists Concerned for Sexual Minorities in May 1972 by members of the American Baptist Churches USA who supported the inclusion of LGBTQ people. [1]

At a convention in San Jose, California in 1993, the Association replaced the latter. [2] In 1996, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland, California ordained Randle R. Mixon, the first openly gay Baptist minister. [3]

In 2007, it had 69 member churches. [4]

According to an association census released in 2025, it has 192 churches in 5 countries. [5] The organization merged with the Affirming Network of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2024. [6]

Beliefs

The association believes in the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the lives and ministries of Baptist churches. [7]

Schools

It has 5 member theological institutes. [8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bill J. Leonard, Baptists in America, Columbia University Press, USA, 2005, p. 242
  2. ↑ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 603
  3. ↑ Andrew Gardner, Binkley: A Congregational History, Univ. of Tennessee Press, USA, 2023, p. 111
  4. ↑ William H. Brackney, Historical Dictionary of the Baptists, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2009, p. 603
  5. ↑ Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Member Churches & Ministries, awab.org, USA, retrieved August 16, 2025
  6. ↑ Jeff Brumley, AWAB and CBF’s Affirming Network merge, Baptist News Global, USA, June 17, 2024
  7. ↑ Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Welcoming & Affirming All People, awab.org, USA, retrieved November 5, 2022
  8. ↑ Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Education Partners, awab.org, USA, accessed August 16, 2025
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