Four considerations for every Southern Baptist church in 2015
By Ronnie Floyd, SBC President As we near the coming of the Lord, we should be more focused than ever before. As our 50,000 plus churches and congregations partner together in gospel causes, the time is now for us to rise up like never before. I want to ask you to...
MISSIONS: Why we go
by Kennedy Mathis SOUTH ASIA (BP) -- Six years ago, I ventured to India. This fall I returned. Nearly four years had passed. A lot had changed. A lot had stayed the same. The city where I served two years had grown. New malls replaced old abandoned ones. The streets...
Celebrate, then look ahead
by Kevin Ezell, President of the North American Mission Board ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- As each year transitions into the next, we see a lot of "list" stories looking back on the best and worst of the preceding 12 months. Some of these stories can be useless and...
Metro Association annual pastor and wives Christmas Fellowship
The Metro Association hosted its 15th annual pastor and wives Christmas Fellowship on Saturday, December 6. Originally, 20 couples had registered but due to illness and family needs only 23 people participated. Jill Olsen prepared a delicious meal and the "white...
Seven Myths about a Pastor’s Workweek
By Thom S. Rainer It is an old joke, one that is still told too often. You go up to your pastor and say, “I wish I had your job; you only have to work one hour each week.” It is likely your pastor will laugh or smile at your comment. In reality your pastor is likely...
Sexuality, religious liberty draw ERLC’s focus in 2014
by Tom Strode NASHVILLE (BP) -- Addressing human sexuality and defending freedom of conscience gained high profiles in the work of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in 2014. The Gospel and human sexuality constituted the subject of both...
IMB’s top stories: Great challenges, new opportunities
By Staff/IMB RICHMOND, Va. (BP)-- Baptist Press asked the International Mission Board to select 10 of its key news and feature stories of 2014 as the year comes to a close. The following list for 2014 includes a brief description with each subject line and link. IMB's...
The Spiritual Openness of the Younger Unchurched
What's the status of the church and how might we share the gospel in this time? By Ed Stetzer There's an idea that Christianity in America is dying. No serious researcher—not one—thinks that. However, I still am surprised that some people think this. (For a quick...
Mission, Self and, God’s Glory
How can pastors lead their congregations to embrace a missional lifestyle? By Ed Stetzer Mission is the opposite of self. That sounds simple and obvious, yet the sad truth is that we revert to non-mission—or self-centered life—very simply and very obviously. One way...
Top Ten Ways Churches Drive Away First-time Guests
By Thom S. Rainer If you attend a church regularly, you’ve probably noticed the phenomenon. A guest shows up for a worship service, but he or she never returns. It is, unfortunately, a common issue in many churches. I did a Twitter poll to ask these first-time guests...
