October 5, 2026
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Stacy Dyer returns to local-church ministry after six years with Morganton Mountaintown

BLUE RIDGE, Ga. — After six years serving churches and pastors across Fannin and Gilmer counties, Stacy Dyer is returning to local-church ministry.
Trending stories
Authorities, below to the right, investigate the scene of a shooting where at least two people died and 35 were injured Sunday morning, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Vienna, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
No arrests announced in shootings that killed 2, left dozens injured at Georgia block party
VIENNA, Ga. (AP) — Authorities in rural southern Georgia were still searching Monday for suspects in weekend shootings that killed two people and left nearly three dozen others injured when gunfire erupted during a sprawling block party to celebrate a homecoming football victory. No arrests have been announced in Dooly County, where the sheriff says more than 50 shots were fired early Sunday in the small city of Vienna as more than 1,000 people were still outside celebrating long after midnight.
(GBMB/Krista Roe)
First Fervent girls’ conference draws nearly 300, emphasizes abiding in Christ
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Nearly 300 attendees gathered for the first Fervent girls’ conference Saturday, Sept. 26, where students were challenged to consider how a relationship with Christ shapes their identity, relationships, and everyday lives.
Jimmy Scroggins, pastor of Family Church in West Palm Beach, delivers the keynote message at the SPARK conference at Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta, Ga., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand)
SPARK closes 2026 season in Valdosta with challenge to sow for the future
VALDOSTA, Ga. — The SPARK season drew to a close Sunday, Sept. 27, at Crossroads Baptist Church in Valdosta. More than 560 people registered for the final conference, bringing the total for all six 2026 regional training events to 3,833.
Royce Railey, BCM campus minister at Columbus State University, cooks during a block party hosted by Overcome Ministries as part of the Mission Georgia Love Your Neighbor community outreach event in Columbus, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand)
Love Your Neighbor mobilizes Columbus-area churches for service, gospel outreach
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Hundreds of Georgia Baptists spread across Columbus and surrounding communities for 23 Love Your Neighbor projects last weekend, displaying the love of Jesus by meeting practical needs, while looking for opportunities to pray with people and share the gospel.
Registration available for 204th Georgia Baptist Convention Annual Meeting
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Messenger registration is available for the 204th Georgia Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, set for Nov. 8-10 at Second Baptist Church in Warner Robins. This year’s theme, “WIDE OPEN,” comes from 1 Corinthians 16:9: “for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”
Baptist Life

For retired Athens pastor, cruise becomes opportunity for evangelism

Stewart and Dianne Simms pose in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
ATHENS, Ga. — Millions of people board cruise ships each year for vacations, sightseeing, and relaxation. Stewart and Dianne Simms recently boarded one with another purpose in mind — sharing the gospel.

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Paul Jorgensen baptizes a young girl. (Photo/via Kentucky Today)
WINCHESTER, Ky. (KT) — The “Gospel to Every Home” initiative by the Kentucky Baptist Convention was unveiled in 2020, but it is still reaping kingdom benefits in a rural church near Winchester.
(Photo/Send Relief)
SEOUL – Ask most people what comes to mind when they think of South Korea, and they’ll likely mention K-pop, skincare, cutting-edge technology, or bustling city streets filled with young professionals. 
(Photo/MBTS)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Midwestern Seminary welcomed pastors, ministry leaders and students to Kansas City last week, Sept. 28-29, for the 2026 For the Church National Conference. Centered on the theme “The Work of the Word,” the conference encouraged attendees to trust the power, sufficiency, and enduring authority of Scripture in every part of the Christian life and ministry.
Bible study illustration. (Index/Krista Durand)
Some games seem to be universal and timeless. Most everyone, regardless of age or background, is familiar with hide-and-seek, freeze tag, and duck, duck, goose.
Georgia
Authorities investigate the scene of a shooting where at least two people died and 35 were injured Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Vienna, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

2 shot dead and dozens injured at neighborhood block party shooting in southern Georgia

VIENNA, Georgia (AP) — Two people were shot to death in a hail of gunfire, and nearly three dozen others were injured at a homecoming weekend block party early Sunday morning in southern Georgia, according to state law enforcement officials.

A sign stands outside the Paulding County Watson Government Complex in Dallas, Ga., during early voting Oct. 24, 2024. (Index/Henry Durand, File)

Georgia voters will see pen and paper at polls

ATLANTA — Attentive Georgia voters will notice something different when they go to their polling places on Election Day: pen and paper.
A motorist fills his tank at a gas station in Dallas, Ga., Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Index/Henry Durand, File)

Kemp orders another fuel tax suspension as gas prices continue to hit pocketbooks

ATLANTA — For the third time this year, Gov. Brian Kemp has ordered a suspension of Georgia’s fuel tax, as prices at the pump keep rising with no sign of relief. The 30-day suspension order, which Kemp signed Monday, goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday and runs through Oct. 29.

Georgia debuts new “I Voted” sticker for 2026 midterm elections

ATLANTA — Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that his office is debuting a new “I Voted” sticker available to Georgia voters during the 2026 General Election. Renowned Georgia artist Steve Penley of Penley Art Co. created the exclusive design.

More Georgia news

Nation
A Cornell University police car is parked on campus at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Cornell building is sprayed with graffiti blasting school's response to gang rape complaint

THACA, New York (AP) — Cornell’s main administration building was splashed with graffiti and a glass door was broken overnight as the university faces anger over allegations of sexual assault at a fraternity house.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel search by air and on the water for a Boston-bound air ambulance that vanished off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. (U.S. Coast Guard via AP)

Search ongoing for missing medical flight from Bermuda to Boston as crews plan to scour ocean floor

A search continued Sunday off the Massachusetts coast for an air ambulance carrying six people that disappeared during a flight from Bermuda to Boston as authorities planned to comb the seabed floor, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Media witnesses recount the moments before the execution of Christa Pike was halted Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Christa Pike is alive a day after Tennessee’s failed attempt to execute her, her lawyers say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Christa Pike remained alive and was receiving “lifesaving care” at a hospital, her lawyers said Thursday, a day after she survived a failed attempt to execute her for the 1995 murder during what Tennessee's governor called a “deeply disturbing” incident.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a crew of four launches from Pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

SpaceX launches 4 astronauts on a fast track to the International Space Station

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts rocketed into orbit Thursday on a space station mission that will stretch until spring, among them a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he’s away.

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World
Yemeni civilians celebrate while riding in the back of a pickup truck in the Bani Matar district, Yemen, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, as they follow a convoy carrying Houthi prisoners freed in Mokha on its way to Sanaa following the Houthi takeover of the southern Red Sea port city. (AP Photo)

Saudi-backed Yemeni forces expel the Houthis from several areas around key strait, officials say

ADEN, Yemen (AP) — Forces of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen have recaptured several key areas around Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Yemeni officials said Monday.

A B-1 bomber takes off from RAF Fairford in Fairford, England, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

US Air Force removes all bombers from British air base targeted by a suspected terror attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Air Force has brought home its bombers stationed at a U.S.-run military air base in England used to strike Iran following an investigation into a planned terror attack at the RAF Fairford base.
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, left, visits injured Indian Flydubai Capt. Smit Machchhar at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. (Government of Dubai Media Office via AP)

UAE had shared details about FlyDubai flight with Israel, including pilots' names and nationalities

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection.
This combination of photos shows Flavio Bolsonaro, left, in Sao Paulo, on Sept. 29, 2026, and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Rio de Janeiro, on Sept. 23, 2026. (AP Photo, File)

Brazil heads to a runoff election after Bolsonaro and Lula fail to garner a majority of votes

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro and Brazil’s incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will face off in a runoff Oct. 25 for the top job of Latin America’s powerhouse economy after neither won a majority in Sunday's vote.

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Perspectives
David Chancey
​Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The Greek word translated “abundant” means “exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure.” Jesus referred to the full and meaningful life that comes from having a personal relationship with Him.
Ralph Fudge
We read in Genesis 6:8, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” The Bible also tells us that Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation, and walked with God (Genesis 6:9). This was not because Noah was very different originally from all other men. Noah too was a sinner, before and even after the flood.
Dawn Reed
I knew today was going to be a tough one. I needed my full armor of God, all the Fruit of the Spirit, and a guard over my mouth. I had prayed for every crevice to be filled with the Holy Spirit; for the Holy Spirit to lead me, embolden me, and hush me if necessary. So, I dug into God’s Word.
Rhon Carter
Last week I wrote about that old saying, “Don’t let your talent write a check your character can’t cash.” I thought I was probably finished with it, but I’ve kept thinking about it this week, especially as I’ve thought about my own years in ministry and some of the conversations I now get to have with leaders.
Adam Dooley
In many ways, we have never been more connected. Our smartphones give us access to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Within seconds, we can text, post, comment, like, follow, and even livestream. We can attend meetings from home, visit landmarks through virtual tours, and shop online. Social media allows us to follow the lives of people we seldom see, or even those we have never met.

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Business
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.

Major tire company to expand in northwest Georgia

ATLANTA — A global leader in tire production will invest $1.2 billion to expand in Georgia, bringing 1,000 jobs by 2033, according to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office.
The OpenAI logo is displayed on a cell phone in front of an image generated by ChatGPT's Dall-E text-to-image model, Dec. 8, 2023, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

OpenAI flags concerning new AI behavior and vows to track it more closely

OpenAI has disclosed six reports of “unexpected or concerning” behavior in artificial-intelligence models as the debate on AI safety becomes increasingly heated.
Shoppers browse the produce section at a local store Aug. 13, 2026, in Woodbury, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt, File)

Retail sales rise a better-than-expected 1.2% in August

NEW YORK (AP) — Consumers may be griping about higher prices at the pump and elsewhere, but they keep spending, helping to power the economy, according to the latest government snapshot.

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Sports
Argentina's Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the World Cup Group J match against Algeria in Kansas City, Mo., June 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)

Messi set for emotional Argentina farewell in Buenos Aires friendly vs Benin

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina fans are confident there is a bright future beyond Lionel Messi as the team's most influential player of the last two decades prepares to bid farewell. The 39-year-old superstar will play his final match for Argentina on Tuesday — a friendly against Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires — marking a pivotal moment in the country's football.

Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris II watches his RBI double in the seventh inning of Game 2 of a National League Division Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Michael Harris II leads Braves to 3-2 win over Dodgers in Game 2 to tie NLDS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Harris II tripled and scored the go-ahead run on reliever Kris Bubic's wild pitch in the fifth inning, and the Atlanta Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday night to even the National League Division Series at a game apiece.
Missouri defensive tackle Jason Dowell celebrates a victory over Florida, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Columbia, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Missouri makes big jump to No. 14 in AP Top 25 with rout of Gators; Texas No. 1 for 4th week in row

Missouri made a big jump to No. 14 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday following its rout of Florida, while the Gators dropped eight spots to No. 16 and were replaced by LSU in the top 10.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) throws during warm ups before a game against Vanderbilt, Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Stockton throws 3 TDs as No. 2 Georgia rolls past Vanderbilt 38-14 and improves to 5-0

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Gunner Stockton threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns as No. 2 Georgia cruised to a 38-14 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday.

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