VILLA RICA, Ga. — Joe Dan Worley recently spoke to a Sunday School class of senior adults and explained how his faith in Jesus Christ sustained him in a fierce battle in Iraq during the War on Terror.
BOWMAN, Ga. — Across the street from Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Bowman stand five tiny houses filled with stories of heartache and tragedy. Pleasant Grove hopes to use the buildings to turn them into stories of hope and recovery.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (BP) – It’s 6:45 a.m., and Clint Pressley is already getting loud in the shed. The correct nomenclature is, actually, The Shed. It’s a modest structure behind his home wall-to-wall with barbells, weights, and racks collected over years, anywhere from garage sales to Facebook Marketplace.
STATESBORO, Ga. — This summer, First Baptist Church Statesboro will celebrate 40 years of caring for members through its church nursing ministry. Initially staffed by a part-time nurse in July 1985 supported by love offerings, it became a full-time budgeted ministry in 1997.
ATLANTA — Georgia Baptist pastors and ministry leaders gathered at the state Capitol on Thursday for a time of prayer, encouragement, and education.
BUFORD, Ga. — The Pastor Wellness ministry of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board welcomed the wives of more than 230 ministry leaders to Lanier Islands Legacy Lodge in Buford last month for a retreat designed specifically to cater to their needs. The ladies gathered on Jan. 23-25 to be renewed and fed spiritually, emotionally, and physically.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Nearly 800 youth ministers and spouses from 21 different states attended this year’s three-day Conclave conference in Chattanooga last month.
CULLODEN, Ga. — Sounds of praise are echoing again from the former Culloden Baptist Church on Church Street in Culloden. Renamed New Providence Baptist Church of Culloden, the 100-year-old church has reopened and held its first service Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025.
MACON, Ga. — Friends and colleagues at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board mourned the loss of William “Bill” Russell Eastwood on Thursday, as news spread of his passing. Eastwood, 73, of Macon, peacefully passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. He was a longtime staffer with the Georgia Baptist Health Foundation and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
BARNESVILLE, Ga. — About 100 mission-minded students from across Georgia gathered last weekend at First Baptist Barnesville for Discovery Weekend 2025. The event is a chance for those students to narrow down where they are called to go during Send Me Now summer mission opportunities.
JONESBORO, Ga. — Close to 400 students and volunteers from 60 churches gathered at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24-25, for REELfest. The Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s weekend event provides an opportunity for students from 6th grade through college to come together to learn and perform using their musical gifts.
CLAYTON, Ga. — Pinnacle Retreat Center, nestled in the picturesque northeast Georgia mountains, saw increased visitors in 2024 as more people took advantage of the site for their ministry events. Beth Ann Williams, lead strategist for Georgia Baptist Women, reported that more than 5,500 guests visited the retreat last year, representing a 13.6% increase from 2023. Of those, she said, 74% were Georgia Baptists.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thousands of pro-life supporters from around the country converged in Washington D.C. on Friday, Jan. 24, for the 52 annual March for Life rally. Among the special guests at the event were newly sworn-in Vice President JD Vance and professional surfer Bethany Hamilton, who was the keynote speaker.
VALDOSTA, Ga. — This year’s Bible conference at Northside Baptist Church will take on added meaning because it comes in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destructive trek through Valdosta, Lowndes County, and much of South Georgia.
AUSTELL, Ga. — It has been said that Baptist Associations are “first responders.” When a need or a problem arises in a local church, the association’s leadership is already familiar with the geographic location and spiritual health of the member churches and can quickly respond with concern and assistance. Associations are also resource hubs and can often provide the specific needs that a local church requires.
New leadership was named for the Administration Committee of the Georgia Baptist Convention last week. Chris Humphries, senior pastor of First Baptist Bainbridge, was named chairman and Brady Howard, pastor of Glen Haven Baptist Church in McDonough, will assume the role of vice chairman.
LOS ANGELES — California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief began providing meals at an area disaster relief hub Wednesday, Jan. 15, and deployed two chaplain teams to provide spiritual support to survivors of the fires.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief Volunteers have embarked on a 2-week deployment to the greater Augusta area, doing some remaining cleanup work of damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
VALDOSTA, Ga. — Almost 2,700 people, including staff and volunteers, attended the 2024 MOVE conference in Valdosta. The event, held Dec. 29-30, saw 23 salvation decisions, 43 calls to ministry, and 72 people decide to take the next step in their walks of faith, such as being baptized or recommitting themselves to Christ.
SUWANEE, Ga. — Wade Lott, former senior pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Hiawasee, Ga., has joined the Pastor Wellness ministry of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Lott will serve as pastor wellness catalyst for the Northeast region. Andy Childs, who formerly held that role, was named assistant executive director of the GBMB last month.
LOS ANGELES — Baptists are significantly involved in ministering to the victims of the wildfires that have devastated so much of the Los Angeles area. The latest report indicates that there have been 105 wildfires, 40,300 acres burned, 12,3000 structures destroyed, more than 150,000 people displaced, and 24 lives lost.
Georgia Baptist kids ministry leaders will get a chance to connect with hundreds of like-minded servants with a heart for shaping the next generation at the 2025 Kids Ministry Summit next month at Jekyll Island.
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Churchgoers may hear the Bible preached every Sunday, but their pastors also want them to engage with Scripture during the week. And, more than 9 in 10 pastors are happy to provide free Bibles to anyone who needs one.
ROSWELL, Ga. — Dustin Schadt, lead pastor of Northside Church in Roswell, has a message for believers. To share the gospel, we need to truly see those we are sharing with. In his book, Who Did You See Today? The Power of Outrageous Kindness , he encourages Christians to engage with those around them by taking the time to get to know them and respond to their needs.
Missions begins with vision and strategy. Missions is also continually fueled through a carefully planned mechanism for outreach. But for many local churches, the idea of a systemic plan for yearlong missions efforts is nonexistent.