| Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Classification | Mainline |
| Theology | ProgressiveBaptist |
| Region | 5 countries |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Kentucky,United States |
| Origin | 1993 |
| Congregations | 192 |
| Seminaries | 5 |
| Official website | awab |
TheAssociation of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists (AWAB) is aprogressiveBaptistChristian association of churches. The headquarters is inLouisville, Kentucky,United States.
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The Association has its origins in the founding of American Baptists Concerned for Sexual Minorities in May 1972 by members of theAmerican Baptist Churches USA who supported the inclusion of LGBTQ people.[1]
At a convention inSan Jose, California in 1993, the Association replaced the latter.[2] In 1996, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church inOakland, 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 five countries.[5] The organization merged with the Affirming Network of theCooperative Baptist Fellowship in 2024.[6]
The association believes in the fullinclusion of LGBTQ people in the lives and ministries of Baptist churches.[7]
It has five member theological institutes.[8]
