October 24, 2026
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Ahead of Student Baptism Sunday, leaders point to importance of relationships, Scripture

Students pray at the altar on the first day of Confluence, Oct. 11, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand)
ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Mike Camire extended an invitation after a worship service during the mission camp his students attended this summer. A seventh-grade girl came to his wife, Julie, following the invitation and asked to talk. “So, my wife took her, and then a couple of her friends actually went with her,” said Camire, “and they went out into the hall, and my wife shared the gospel with her and led her to the Lord.”
Trending stories
Photo illustration. (Index/Henry Durand)
Bible access remains out of reach for millions despite growth in digital engagement
More than 125 million Christians around the world want a Bible but do not have one, even as digital Bible use continues to grow rapidly, according to reports released this month. The Bible Access List 2026 estimates that more than 125 million Christians around the world want a Bible but do not have one, while more than 500 million Christians face some form of restriction on Bible access. That includes more than 250 million for whom access is very difficult.
Angie Presnal stands in front of items collected at a concert held at FBC Winder, Ga. (Photo/Jon Duncan)
Angie Presnal discovers an unexpected calling and a lasting purpose in missions
CARROLLTON, Ga. — About 20 years ago, Angie Presnal took a spiritual gifts inventory and scored a zero in missions. Today, she helps coordinate mission projects for the Georgia Baptist Jubalheirs and serves as ministry assistant for the Carrollton Baptist Association.
Barb Coffan, right, interprets as Pastor Mac McCurry prays during the Deaf Day event held at Pleasant Valley North Baptist Church in Rome, Ga., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand)
Deaf Day equips churches to reach Deaf people with the gospel
ROME, Ga. — Dana Tarter summed up one of the challenges churches face in reaching Deaf people with the gospel in three words. “Access is key,” she said. “If you don’t have access to the information, it doesn’t matter what information you’re trying to share, you’re missing it.”
Students pray at the altar on the last day of Confluence, Oct. 11, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand)
Confluence students answer calls to faith, ministry, and mission
MCDONOUGH, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s annual collegiate gathering, Confluence, led to at least 22 professions of faith, 118 responses to a call to ministry, and 651 other decisions or commitments. 
Members worship in Transformation Church's newly renovated sanctuary. (Photo/Transformation Church)
Transformation Church embraces Great Commission in Lula
LULA, Ga. — Transformation Church in Lula is very much akin to the New Testament church because, in many ways, it reflects the spirit of the church described in Acts 2:44-47. It is not a large church, and it is not a wealthy church, but the people are excited about their faith, seeking to meet the needs of their community, and welcoming everyone to be a part of their family.
Baptist Life

Monroe Festival of Hope sees 96 professions of faith

Evangelist Doug Elks. (Photo/Festival of Hope, Frank Simme)
MONROE, Ga. — Rain fell on the opening night of the Festival of Hope at American Legion Post 64 Fairgrounds, but the four-night evangelistic event continued and resulted in 96 professions of faith.

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Diane Dawson, Karen Watkins, and Benita Hallmark, from left, make jump ropes by braiding strips of T-shirts. (Photo/West End Baptist Church)
CLANTON, Ala. — It started with a little online inspiration and ended up being a big, fun project, according to Karen Watkins. And now the women of West End Baptist Church in Clanton are sending more than 300 handmade jump ropes to children in other countries this Christmas season.
Members of the Tennessee Men’s Chorale, led by Wayne Causey, far right, perform ‘Goodness of God’ in the streets of Cologne, Germany. (Photo/via Baptist and Reflector)
COLOGNE, Germany — Beneath the shadow of Cologne Cathedral, a choir of Tennessee Baptist men sang “Amazing Grace.” Passers-by stopped and recorded on their phones. Others watched quietly or raised their hands. A few shouted, pointed, and chuckled. In the crowd, a man with a visual impairment leaned on his cane and mouthed the words “that saved a wretch like me.”
President Jason K. Allen speaks at Midwestern Seminary’s fall trustee meeting. (Photo/MBTS)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Midwestern Seminary’s fall trustee meeting brought together prayer, thanksgiving, and a renewed commitment to preparing faithful gospel servants. Trustees celebrated continued enrollment growth, approved faculty elections, and joined the campus community for three special presentations recognizing God’s provision for the institution’s work.
President David Dockery speaks at the Board of Trustees Meeting. (Photo/SWBTS)
FORT WORTH, Texas — President David S. Dockery expressed “gladness and deep gratitude” for the Lord’s work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary during the last four years in his report to the Board of Trustees on Oct. 21, rejoicing in the blessings of continued enrollment gains and the financial health of the institution.
Georgia
An ACT Assessment test. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman, File)

Georgia ACT scores decrease

ATLANTA — Georgia’s class of 2026 scored lower on the ACT than the class of 2025, but they still beat the national average. Georgia’s 2026 graduates who took the college admissions test after their freshman year earned an average composite score of 20.9, down half a point from the score of the prior year’s graduates.

This photo combo shows President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington on April 30, 2011. (AP Photo/File)

Trump, Obama to campaign in Georgia

ATLANTA — Two high-profile partisans will visit Georgia over the next week to promote their parties’ candidates ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. On Saturday night, President Donald Trump will return to the Peach State for a rally in Perry. The visit, his third to promote statewide Republican candidates in Georgia this year, will come soon after his visit to Dalton last week and three months after his visit to Cobb County in July.
The seal on the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building is seen June 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

FBI is investigating reports of an 'incendiary device' being thrown at an ICE building in Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) — The FBI is investigating reports of an “incendiary device” being thrown at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in downtown Atlanta on Tuesday night.
A person waits in line to vote in Georgia's primary election on May 24, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Georgia early voting tops 1 million ballots

ATLANTA — A record number of Georgia voters have cast early ballots in person for a midterm election, surpassing 1 million on Tuesday. “We continue to break records each day of early voting,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

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Nation
Virginia Senate President pro tempore Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, listens to debate on the Senate floor, Feb. 17, 2026, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Ryan M. Kelly, File)

Powerful Democratic Virginia state Sen. Lucas is accused of leading a marijuana criminal conspiracy

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Virginia state Sen. L. Louise Lucas, one of the state’s most powerful Democrats, was charged on Thursday in connection with what federal authorities alleged was a role leading a wide-ranging criminal enterprise that acquired and distributed large quantities of marijuana and laundered the proceeds.

A plume of smokes rises from MC Tank Transport Inc., where a chemical tank exploded overnight, prompting hundreds of residents to evacuate or shelter in place amid concerns about a potential toxic release, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in north Toledo, Ohio. (Jeremy Wadsworth/The Blade via AP)

A chemical tank explodes in Ohio, forcing evacuations and prompting fears of another blast

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A chemical tank explosion in Toledo, Ohio, forced hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes and others to stay indoors Wednesday due to fears of a toxic release and the possibility of another explosion.
LifeWise Academy incorporates Bible study in its program. (Photo/LifeWise Academy)

LifeWise Academy secures Washington public school access to off-site Bible study

EVERETT, Wash. (BP) – LifeWise Academy has secured the right to operate its off-site Bible-based character development program in Everett, Wash., and garnered a public apology for being falsely accused of favoring white supremacy and a “fascist theocracy.”
Mourners visit a makeshift memorial to honor the victims and survivors of a human smuggling tragedy in which dozens of migrants were found dead or dying in a tractor-trailer a week prior, July 6, 2022, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)

Guatemalan man gets 30 years for role in smuggling tragedy that killed 53 people in Texas

A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced a Guatemalan man extradited to the U.S. over his role in a 2022 human smuggling attempt that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants who had been transported in a sweltering tractor-trailer in Texas.

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World
People watch and take photos of cleanup efforts after weekend protests turned into rioting and looting across France, in Paris, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

French authorities ban some student protests after weekend looting and clashes

PARIS (AP) — Protests planned in several French cities for Thursday were banned, with more bans expected in the coming days after a weekend of clashes and widespread looting marked France’s most violent unrest in years. French President Emmanuel Macron said the measures aim to protect city centers, businesses and public buildings.

A couple drives past a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo)

Iran says 7 oil tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Seven oil tankers caught fire or were damaged in the Strait of Hormuz overnight after being hit by Iran or striking naval mines, Tehran said Thursday.
A woman looks at her damaged apartment after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

Russia pounds Kyiv with missiles as Moscow says 808 drones downed in Russian cities

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia bombarded Kyiv with ballistic missiles in an hours-long nighttime barrage, and the Russian military said Thursday that its air defenses intercepted 808 drones fired by Ukraine at Moscow and other cities, in attacks that dampened new hopes of progress in ending the war. At least two people were killed in Ukraine and dozens of others wounded, officials said.
A Yandex food delivery courier rides his scooter in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Ukraine's strikes on Russian data centers disrupt key services and derail AI research

Russia prides itself on its digital advances — from an extensive e-commerce services sector to ambitious plans for developing artificial intelligence. But now, some of the key data centers at the heart of its technical prowess have been knocked out by Ukrainian drone attacks in the 4 1/2-year-old full-scale invasion, suffering damage that could take a long time to repair.

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Perspectives
Dawn Reed
The women of Fitzpatrick are helping me with one of my New Year’s resolutions. In January, I made 15 goals for 2026 and have been working on them, keeping my list visible for motivation. Some have been marked off as they were completed/fulfilled.
Adam Dooley
Few things are more difficult for a pastor than watching people hurt. The number of times I have stood by when a loved one takes his last breath is too numerous to count. Bad diagnoses, broken marriages, rebellious children, abusive relationships, and significant losses are but a small sampling of the heartaches that seem increasingly common in our broken world. Hardships like these can leave us reeling.
Jill Johnson
We recently bought a new car. My 2017 Nissan had 196,000 miles on it and had seen its better days. My new car is taking some getting used to as it has so many different warnings. If I don't put my seat belt on right away, it will beep continually until I do. If I change lanes and another vehicle is in my blind spot, the steering wheel will vibrate along with an alert.
Todd Gray
Tech leader Bill Gates is often quoted as saying, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in 10 years.” The same could be said about five-year goals.  
PJ Dunn
Oh, look! Another artificial intelligence-generated church logo, promotional graphic, or meme. It looks clean — sort of. And anyone can type a few words and suddenly become a graphic artist. Think of how much time and money churches can save by using AI to create all the images they need.

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Business
A tugboat pushes a container ship to a port in Yantai, eastern China's Shandong province on Oct. 14, 2026. (Chinatopix via AP)

China's economy accelerated in the July-September quarter on robust exports

HONG KONG (AP) — China said Monday its economy grew 4.5% in the July-September quarter from a year ago, fueled by robust exports, moving closer to meeting its official annual growth target for the year as trading partners seek to balance their trade deficits with the country.

The Social Security Administration office is seen in Mount Prospect, Ill., Oct. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)

Social Security recipients to get 3.6% cost of living boost, an average of $75 per month

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Social Security Administration projected Wednesday that the annual cost-of-living adjustment for older adults and people with disabilities will go up by 3.6% beginning in 2027, with some recipients complaining that is not enough to offset soaring prices.
(Photo/NOBTS)

New Orleans Seminary partners with The Worship Initiative and SBC Worship for night of worship celebrating Center for Worship Studies

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary hosted a worship night Oct. 6 in partnership with The Worship Initiative and SBC Worship. The event was held in celebration of the ribbon-cutting for the seminary's new Center for Worship Studies, which took place earlier in the day.  
The U.S. Department of Agriculture seal is seen on a podium during a news conference in Washington on July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

More than 160,000 pounds of meat bearing false USDA inspection labels recalled

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 83 tons of meat are being recalled across the U.S. because the products were not properly inspected by federal authorities and were shipped out with falsified inspection stickers, the Department of Agriculture said.
A hiring sign is displayed at a grocery store, in Schaumburg, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Claims for unemployment benefits drop to 197,000, the lowest since mid-July as layoffs remain rare

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, as U.S. jobless claims remain at historically low levels and most Americans enjoy job security.

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Sports
(Photo/TMU)

Truett McConnell women's soccer clinches 5th straight AAC regular season championship

CLEVELAND, Ga. – The tenth goal of the year for Isabella Hodson in the 32nd minute proved to be the game-winner as No. 8 Truett McConnell (13-1-1, 10-0 AAC) held onto a 2-1 score over Reinhardt (8-5-1, 5-3-1 AAC) Wednesday evening at the TMU Soccer Complex.

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero celebrates their win iver the Cleveland Guardians to clinch the American League Championship Series in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Díaz, Caminero and Peralta lead Rays to 7-3 win over Guardians and a trip to the World Series

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Díaz's bat backed up his boast, and the Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series again. Díaz and Junior Caminero each hit a two-run homer, Freddy Peralta pitched 5 1/3 gritty innings, and the Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night to win their third pennant in 29 seasons as a major league franchise.
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kendal Daniels is taken off the field after being injured during the second half in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Falcons linebacker Kendal Daniels carted off on stretcher after third-quarter tackle

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was injured and left the field on a stretcher in the third quarter of Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. The Falcons said that Daniels was alert and had movement in all his extremities and was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for further evaluation. He was seen after the game in the locker room walking under his own power.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams throws a pass in the first half against the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Caleb Williams completes first 12 passes in return after missing 3 games as Bears top Falcons 31-23

ATLANTA (AP) — Caleb Williams had been “itching” on the sideline while missing three straight games. Finally cleared to play, Williams performed as if determined to make up for lost time. Williams completed his first 12 passes in his return from a hamstring injury, D'Andre Swift ran for two touchdowns, and the Chicago Bears beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-23 on Sunday.

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