What News and Resources Does AWAB Publish for LGBTQ+ Baptists?

The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) publishes two main streams of content: a bi-monthly newsletter called The Welcoming Spirit, and a blog/news feed that carries organizational statements, commentary, and profiles. Both are aimed at education, advocacy, and keeping LGBTQ+ Baptists and their allies connected to the wider Welcoming and Affirming movement. If you want ongoing updates, subscribing to the newsletter is the direct route; if you want to browse individual articles, the blog is where they live.

The Welcoming Spirit Newsletter

The Welcoming Spirit is described on the site as AWAB's bi-monthly publication. The October 2026 edition is framed around the theme "Legacy, Faithfulness and What Comes Next," inviting readers to reflect on the legacies they inherit. That gives a sense of the newsletter's typical shape: a themed reflection rather than a pure events bulletin.

AWAB also offers a separate monthly newsletter subscription. The site's signup form asks only for a name and email, and the page states "Stay up to date with news and profiles by becoming a subscriber to our monthly Welcoming Spirit newsletter."

What you get

• Themed reflections tied to a current moment or season in the movement
• News and profiles of people and congregations
• A recurring connection point rather than one-off announcements

How to subscribe

1. Go to the AWAB site and locate the newsletter signup section.
2. Enter your name and email address in the form.
3. Submit — the page confirms with a "Success!" message.

If you only want the bi-monthly Welcoming Spirit rather than the monthly mailing, check the subscription options on the site, since the page distinguishes between the bi-monthly publication and the monthly newsletter.

Blog and News Articles

AWAB's blog carries short news posts and longer commentary. Recent examples from the site show the range:

The Brian Henderson piece makes the educational case directly: "Words matter in LGBTQ+ ministry because the people affected by them are already sitting in our churches, studying in our seminaries, and serving throughout Christian communities." That is the kind of argument AWAB uses its platform to circulate — practical theology aimed at congregations already wrestling with inclusion.

The Dolly Parton tribute shows the other register: public remembrance used to model what welcome and faith look like in a life that reached beyond the church.

Why These Resources Exist

AWAB describes itself as "the only organization solely devoted to building the Welcoming and Affirming movement within the Baptist traditions," and as "The National Voice for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Allied Baptists in the US." Since 1993 it has worked with individuals, congregations, regional groupings, and as a national body.

The stated purpose is to "advance the Radical Welcome and Love of God in Jesus Christ through being the Ministry of Reconciliation and building up the Beloved Community where all will be one." The published content serves that mission in three ways:

• Education — explaining what Welcoming and Affirming means in practice, as in the Henderson commentary on language
• Advocacy — speaking publicly through outlets like Baptist News Global
• Community connection — keeping scattered individuals and congregations linked through shared reading and reflection

Practical Takeaways

• For individuals: subscribing to the newsletter is the lowest-effort way to stay current. It requires only a name and email.
• For congregations: the blog articles work as discussion material — the Henderson piece on words and ministry is a natural starting point for a leadership or adult-education conversation.
• For anyone exploring AWAB: the site also offers a "Find a Church" tool and membership through the Rainbow Circle, so the news and resources sit alongside concrete ways to connect rather than standing alone.

The site does not publish pricing information for these resources, and no payment details appear on the pages reviewed here. Whether any content sits behind a login or membership requirement is not stated in the available material, so check directly before assuming open access.