ORLANDO – The All Nations booth in the Exhibit Hall of the Orange County Convention Center provides space for all ethnic fellowships to talk with messengers about their ministries during the week of the 2026 SBC annual meeting.

ORLANDO – The 2020 U.S. Census data provides population counts of 313 race and ethnicity groups living in the United States, plus 1,187 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages.

Dr. Jerry Boyd "J.B." Graham, 90, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2026. Born on April 25, 1936, in Randlett, Oklahoma, J.B. answered God's call to ministry during his high school years and faithfully served that calling for the rest of his life.

String Strong, a one-day string orchestra camp, will be held at Mt. Yonah Baptist Church in Cleveland, Georgia, on Saturday, June 13 from 8:30 am to 5 pm, culminating in a concert at the end of the day.

JONESBORO, Georgia – A sequel to the best-selling “Experiencing God: Knowing and doing the will of God” is in production by Lifeway Christian Resources. 

nternational Mission Board trustees appointed 71 fully supported missionaries during their May 13-14 meeting near Richmond, Virginia. Missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration on Tuesday, June 9. The event will be livestreamed on sbcannualmeeting.net.  

STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. — Members of First Baptist Church of Stockbridge gathered April 25 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Florence Love, a longtime church member whose century of faithful service, hospitality, and prayer has impacted generations of family members, neighbors, and fellow believers.

DUBLIN, Ga. — More than 250 pastors, ministry leaders, and church members participated in the latest round of Engage 6 evangelism gatherings in May, bringing total participation in the Georgia Baptist Mission Board initiative to 1,272 so far in 2026.

ROSWELL, Ga. — More than 100 pastors, church planters, and ministry leaders gathered at Northside Church on April 23 for Send Network One Day, an event centered on helping churches embrace a culture of multiplication through disciple-making and church planting.

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation protecting religious services in Georgia from disruptive protests, a measure Georgia Baptist leaders say safeguards religious liberty and the freedom to worship peacefully.

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation on Monday, May 11, adding clergy to Georgia’s improper sexual contact statute, creating a pathway for prosecutors to pursue charges when ministers use positions of spiritual authority to obtain sexual contact through counseling relationships.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Thirteen students from Georgia Baptist churches have been recognized this year for their academic excellence and commitment to the mission of Christ. Each recipient was selected for outstanding achievement in both the classroom and their spiritual leadership.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — After more than a decade under its current ownership — and years of prior operation under a different name — the only surgical abortion provider in Greensboro closed its doors on April 30, prompting responses from area pro-life ministries.

With 1,452 years of combined service across 48 countries, 56 International Mission Board missionaries gathered near Richmond, Virginia, May 3-7, for the annual IMB Celebration of Emeriti.

WASHINGTON (BP) – Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley is urging pastors to lead their congregations in prayer for the nation on May 17 in concert with a religious outreach in Washington celebrating the semiquincentennial.

ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – Have your say at the Cooperative Program interactive display at the 2026 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting Exhibit Hall in Orlando, where the SBC Executive Committee will gather testimonies on how the CP has impacted individual journeys, churches, and ministries.

NASHVILLE (BP) – The 2026 SBC Book of Reports is now online. The book is the go-to guide for Southern Baptists as they prepare to make decisions during the annual meeting. The print edition will be available at this year’s meeting in Orlando.

Slaw makes me really nervous. Wait. That’s not exactly right. Making slaw makes me really nervous. I don't have a set recipe.

ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – With approximately 20,000 total attendees expected for the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting on June 7-10, guests and messengers are urged to nail down their housing needs.

WELCOME, N.C. — J. Allen Murray, pastor of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Supply, N.C., and current president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, will be nominated for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) at this summer’s annual meeting in Florida.

LEWISBURG, Ky. (BP) – Kentucky pastor Austin Rouse will be nominated for second vice president at the 2026 SBC Annual Meeting in Orlando. Rouse is the pastor of families and students at Southern Heights Baptist in Russellville, Ky.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Churchgoers are getting better at developing and deepening relationships within their congregations, but it’s still not a strength.

European streets and sidewalks still bustle with a young generation that is growing through immigration. However, more and more neighborhoods are filled with senior citizens. Many local populations are aging rapidly. Birth rates are falling. Migration is bringing in fresh faces, yet the continent’s native population is slipping into the senior bracket faster than any other region on the planet.

Alex Rios stepped into the baptistry pool slowly and carefully — his smile never left his face. Cheers let out across the auditorium at First Baptist Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee, as soon as some caught a glimpse of Rios, proudly wearing his “Unashamed” T-shirt.

DALLAS  — GuideStone, Lifeway Research, and Baptist state conventions have again teamed up to conduct the SBC Church Compensation Survey, the largest free study focused on church pay and benefits in the United States.