State Conventions should learn from farm trends
By Tim Lubinus, BCI Executive Director/Treasurer When I was growing up on a farm in Iowa we raised pigs, cattle, chickens, and even a few ducks. In the field we planted corn, soybeans, alfalfa, and oats. We had all the equipment needed to prepare the ground, raise the...
Eight things your church website must have
By Jonathan Howe “Must” is a strong word, and I realize that. But hear me out. Over the past few years, when we’ve written or discussed church websites, Dr. Rainer and I have continually stated “the two most important elements you need to have on the front page are...
What are the top evangelistic churches doing that mine is not?
By Joel Southerland “A church cannot develop an excellent evangelism strategy without planning far in advance.” –Nathan Lorick in Dying to Grow The evangelism decline among Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) churches has been well documented. When you look at the...
Six Simple Ways to Minister to Ministers
Being a pastor is a blessing, but it can be discouraging, too. Here are some ways you can encourage your pastors. by Ed Stetzer and Chris Martin According to just about every stat I hear, pastors hate the ministry, feel miserable, and would get out of the ministry if...
Building a Volunteer Culture in Your Church
It can be difficult, at times, to recruit volunteers at church. How might we create a volunteer culture in our churches? by Jill Fox “Pull a Henry.” Their heads tilted; some brows furrowed. They thought I was crazy. It was working. When you are given the 8 p.m. Monday...
National CP 1.26% ahead of last year through 1st quarter
by BP Staff NASHVILLE (BP)--Year-to-date contributions through the Southern Baptist Convention's portion of the Cooperative Program are 1.26 percent ahead of the same time frame at the end of 2014 and 1.85 percent under the SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget...
Baptist Relief volunteers serving in eight states in wake of holiday storms
Editors note: Iowa Disaster Relief is now on Alert activation level and will possibly be called out in February. If you are interested in training for and serving with Iowa Disaster Relief contact state director Frank McCrary at iowaSBDR@gmail.com. By Joe...
‘Phenomenal’ Start to Decision America Tour
by Trevor Freeze, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Praising God during a time of worship in Des Moines, Iowa. One down, 49 to go. Next stop: Tallahassee, Florida.There may not be one singular reason why more than 2,500 people would brave 30-degree weather in...
Bob Stout retires as pastor of Quimby Baptist Church
by John Shaull, BCI Pastor / Church Support Staff Pastor Bob Stout retired as pastor of Quimby Baptist Church on Sunday January 3, 2016. Bob had served at Quimby for 15 years. He also was employed at the Iowa Mental Health Facility in Cherokee, Iowa during much of...
Metro Association Pastor’s and Wives Christmas Fellowship
by John Shaull, BCI Pastor / Church Support Staff The 16th annual Metro Association Pastor's and Wives Christmas Fellowship was held December 12th at Crestwood Baptist Church. Festivities always include a white elephant gift exchange, a delicious meal and a...
