Good news: Housing allowance decision overturned, dismissed
By Roy Hayhurst DALLAS — The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court’s ruling that the minister’s housing allowance was unconstitutional. In the decision by the Chicago-based appeals court, it determined that the plaintiffs lacked standing to...
Larry Pruitt, former Iowa pastor goes home
Funeral services for Larry Gene Pruitt, 68, of Ada, were held on October 20 at the Union Hill Baptist Church, Rev. Gary Jamar officiated. Larry Pruitt died Wednesday, October 15, 2014 at a local hospital. He was born February 5, 1946 in Frederick, Oklahoma to Marvin...
IMB’s Platt unfolds five-point strategy
by Tess Rivers OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. (BP) -- IMB President David Platt outlined his five-point strategic plan while presiding over his first trustee meeting as head of the mission agency. In a plan based on five biblical goals which have led to four practical steps and...
Pleading With Southern Baptists
By Ronnie W. Floyd With a deep burden for revival in the church, spiritual awakening in America, and for the world to be reached for Christ, I wrote this simple and brief 16-page e-book entitled, “Pleading With Southern Baptists”. It is imperative we now come together...
Life on Mission resource ready for release
by Adam Miller ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) -- Liz Olear says she's learned Christians can't separate faith from other areas of life. Olear served for several months as a missionary through an internship program, called Generation Send, with the North American Mission Board....
First Baptist Church of Dunkerton Welcomes New Pastor
By Ed Gregory, BCI Field Staff for Eastern Iowa First Baptist Church of Dunkerton, Iowa is alive and church on the move again. Their pastor describes the Church as a well-established, vibrant church - on fire for the Lord. Sitting on the corner of a major street in...
BCI Annual Update – Video
Watch this video and find out what God has been doing among the churches of the Baptist Convention of Iowa, and what the BCI is doing to support our churches.
Adios Achucarros
By John L. Shaull, BCI Field Staff for Western Iowa After nearly six years of church planting work in Iowa, including churches in Des Moines, Ottumwa and Fort Dodge; Arnaldo and Mabel Achucarro and their three children; Alexandra, Ezekiel and Rebecca, are moving to...
Fewer SBC Churches Growing, More SBC Churches Declining
By Ronnie W. Floyd From 1978-1983, 30.5% of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention were seeing at least a 10% increase in total membership over a five-year period of time. During this same time, 51.9% of our SBC churches were plateaued and 17.6% were in decline....
Being Gospel-Centered Is A Bloody Mess
By Mike Leake I still remember my white-knuckled pew grabbing. When I really wanted to go forward at service and give my life to Christ. Maybe it was a rededication—maybe it was coming to Christ for the first time. I don’t know, but I know that at that time the gospel...
