The struggle was real on Sunday morning. It was my turn to teach at the jail. We have been going to a prison or jail every week since 2006. It was not a new place or crowd. Teaching is one of my favorite things! Yet butterflies skittered in my stomach. I had read the Bible verses again and again. In truth I was ready, still I was uneasy.

Since its inception in 1981, PrayerLine has been a reliable source for daily prayer requests from the International Mission Board, enabling callers to listen and pray for international missions. Dedicated people like Joey Bosch and David Ratliff have been using this service for years, finding joy and purpose in praying for missions across the world.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — A tractor-trailer loaded with generators, temporary roofing, more than 20,000 meals, and equipment to serve meals to first responders and survivors, has staged at Send Relief’s headquarters in Alpharetta.

FRANKLIN , Tenn. — The response by Tennessee Baptists disaster relief volunteers in recent days can best be summed up in one word: Extensive. That word applies to almost every aspect of the ongoing relief efforts — including the amount of time that the projects are going to take, the range of the impacted areas and the variety of assignments that the volunteers are being asked to do. 

This has been a tough week for several reasons. Unexpected change is hard for me. I like to know what to expect and when to expect it. I only wish life worked that way but sadly it doesn’t. I don’t mean any of this to sound trivial, but this has just been life lately.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — How does your church’s groups ministry compare to the average group ministry? Would you like to know if your church’s Bible study groups are healthy?

HUDSON, Fla. — First Baptist Church of Hudson, like many congregations in Florida, is no stranger to the aftermath of natural disasters. The community is still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, which left the church’s food pantry campus under eight feet of water.

Summer may be over, but the impact of Vacation Bible Schools held at Georgia Baptist churches will carry far into the future. Krista Staton, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s kids ministry consultant, reports that this year more than 1,400 children made commitments to Christ at churches large and small across the state.

FAIRVIEW, N.C. (BP) – Cane Creek starts as a trickle up in the mountains from Stacy Harris’ home. Garren Creek and Flat Creek are there too. Typically, they create the small, crystal-clear pools trout love and cascading waterfalls that are favorites of Smoky Mountain tourists.

Since the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel one year ago, Send Relief has been working with Christians and churches in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank to bring hope and help to hurting communities. The generosity of Southern Baptists has provided hot meals and basic food boxes, medical supplies, trauma counseling, and even bomb shelters, impacting more than 22,000 survivors of the war.

As Florida Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers continue to come alongside community residents impacted by Category 4 Hurricane Helene, and with Hurricane Milton now setting its sights on Florida’s west coast, all Florida Baptists are being encouraged to join relief efforts by giving, going and praying.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Lifeway’s Next Gen team equipped Next Gen leaders from across the nation to refocus their ministries. The annual ministry conference—ETCH (Equipping the Church and Home)—took place at Brentwood Baptist Church in Brentwood, Sep. 30–Oct. 2.

In Acts 17, Paul encounters the intelligentsia of the first-century world. Paul’s engagement with the philosophers in Athens would be like addressing the combined faculties of the leading academic universities in England and America.

SUWANEE, Ga. — Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief continues to meet the physical and spiritual needs of people impacted by Hurricane Helene’s destructive path across Georgia. As of Friday morning, GBDR director Dwain Carter reported that more than 134,000 meals had been prepared by volunteers, including those from other states supporting the response.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — Lifeway Christian Resources welcomed Andrea Lennon as director of women’s ministry last month. Lennon previously served for 10 years as the women’s ministry specialist for the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. Lennon is known as a committed Bible teacher whose life calling is to “teach women to know the truth, live the truth and share the truth.”

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — A simple phone conversation between Jonathan Chapman, collegiate ministry specialist at East Tennessee State University, and Troy Rust, director of missions for Holston Baptist Association, led to one of the largest-ever disaster relief training events in Tennessee.

LAKE CITY, Fla. — Although Lake City, located about 60 miles west of Jacksonville, may have been spared the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s record-setting storm surge and fierce winds, the storm still forced many in the community to search for basic needs.

“Sometimes it’s easier to submit to God’s will while praying than to live with the result of His will when the answer is no.” Lauren Sullens, president of Georgia WMU, spoke candidly about the mystery of prayer after her 43-year-old husband, Pastor Clint Sullens, died suddenly in April 2024.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — When Lifeway Christian Resources employees met for their biannual One Lifeway gathering on Tuesday, Sept. 24, the company presented a $70,000 check to the Nashville Rescue Mission.

PERRY, Fla. – When Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region, it was the third storm to hit in 13 months, following 2023’s Hurricane Idalia and Hurricane Debby earlier this year. “As the storm track tightened and it became clear that landfall would be in our area for the third time,” said Steven Ruff, pastor of First Baptist Church, Perry, “I remember thinking, ‘Are we ready to do this again?’”

ALPHARETTA, Georgia (BP) – During a time when change seems to be constant for Southern Baptists, associational mission strategists from across the United States met to learn more about how to lead through it.  

MOUNT VERNON, Ga. (LBM) – Less than a week after Hurricane Helene devasted parts of the US, a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief feeding team is on the ground to “give a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name” to those affected by the powerful storm.

Tony Wolfe, executive director-treasurer for the South Carolina Baptist Convention, said as he drives around his state, he sees months and months of work to do in the wake of Hurricane Helene. “This may be the biggest disaster at least in terms of wind damage that our state has ever known,” said Wolfe.

CUMMING, Ga. — The United States has a long history of immigration. It is a country built on the backs of immigrants. The Statue of Liberty standing in the New York City harbor bears a quote from Emma Lazarus’ sonnet, “New Colossus,” that says, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

We can’t trust Dixie out of our sight. (Dixie is the eight-month-old puppy my beloved rescued a month ago.) The first week she was with us, Dixie got out of her crate twice while we were gone and set off the security alarm.