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...
Iowa Baptists approve 50/50 CP split
During their Baptist Convention of Iowa annual meeting in Des Moines, messengers voted to increase the percentage of Cooperative Program funds forwarded to national Southern Baptist Convention causes from 20 percent in 2014 to 50 percent of all CP receipts in 2015....
What does it mean to be a Southern Baptist?
Among doctrines Southern Baptists emphasize is the doctrine of local church autonomy. Article VI of the Southern Baptist Convention's confession of faith clearly states, "A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized...
Call To Columbus Video
SBC President Ronnie Floyd has issued a "Call to Columbus," urging all Southern Baptists to pray for and attend the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention in Columbus OH on June 16-17. For more information go to sbcannualmeeting.net.
Heartland Community Baptist Church New Building Dedication
Heartland Community Baptist Church, in Sioux City will have an Grand Opening and building dedication service on Sunday December 14. Heartland CBC received their credentials from the Baptist convention of Iowa and adopted their Constitution and bylaws on October 14,...
Pastors Return From BCI Israel Trip Exhausted and Inspired
In October 28 Iowa pastors, their spouses, friends and family traveled to Israel for a life changing experience. During the trip we visited places in Israel related to many passages in both the Old and New testaments. It was an amazing experience to be in the same...
A Call To The Frontlines
By Kevin Ezell It has been more than two years since Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast Coast of the United States. Thousands of homes were devastated and millions of people impacted. Southern Baptists have been on the front lines serving since day one. But there...
3 Minutes at Sunset or Sunrise Can Turn Your Church Around
By Ronnie Floyd, President of the Southern Baptist Convention I think every church in the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond would want their people to engage in preparing weekly for the worship services of their church. Just imagine the power that would be upon...
No church Too Small For Global Missions, Pastor Says
by Kate Gregory EDITOR'S NOTES: This year's Week of Prayer for International Missions in the Southern Baptist Convention is Nov. 30-Dec. 7 with the theme of "One Sacred Effort -- Find your place in God's story" from Matthew 28:19-20 (HCSB). The Lottie Moon Christmas...
Fourteen Characteristics of Genuinely Friendly Churches
By Thom S. Rainer Several years ago, when I was involved in active church consultations, I assembled data on what I called GFCs, genuinely friendly churches. I set certain parameters for GFCs; then I attempted to measure those churches guest return rates. A guest...
