The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) is a progressive Baptist Christian association of churches. The headquarters is in Louisville, Kentucky, United States.
History
220x220px|thumb|right| [[Worship service (evangelicalism)|Worship service at First Baptist Church of Morehead, Kentucky.]]
220x220px|thumb|right| 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.
At a convention in San Jose, California in 1993, the Association replaced the latter. In 1996, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church in Oakland, California ordained Randle R. Mixon, the first openly gay Baptist minister.
In 2007, it had 69 member churches.
The organization merged with the Affirming Network of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2024.
According to an association census released in 2025, it has 192 churches in five countries.
Beliefs
The association believes in the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in the lives and ministries of Baptist churches.
Schools
It has five member theological institutes.
See also
- Homosexuality and Baptist churches
- Christianity and homosexuality
- List of Christian denominations affirming LGBT people
- Progressive Baptist churches
- Blessing of same-sex unions in Christian churches
References
External links
- Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists — official website