The year was 1949. CIA operative Douglas Mackiernan fled for the border of Tibet as Mao Tse-Sung’s communist army swept through China. Though the national boundary was a treacherous 1200 miles away, getting there was the only hope for survival. For seven months, he endured the elements.

Pastors and ministry leaders pay close attention to several numbers in their ministry leadership context. Two of those — worship attendance and financial giving — can serve as early warning signs of the health of a church or Christian ministry.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention has initiated a strategic effort to leverage the current Republican majorities in Congress and the executive branch to defund Planned Parenthood by eliminating the organization’s federal funding.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Roy Orbison burst on the scene in the early 1960s with his hit “Only the Lonely,” which he wrote along with Joe Melson.

“Once saved, always saved.” This statement is a basic tenet of Southern Baptist faith. It is true and well supported by Scripture. But it is also one of the most controversial of all our traditions.

The name Abe Anglin probably means nothing to you, but from the fourth grade on, I knew he just had to be my sixth-grade teacher. He wasn’t much over 6 feet tall, but to me, he was a peculiar, giant of a man because he had a bald head with a large scar on the side due to brain surgery. Little did I know that I would not only be a student in his class, but I would also learn lessons from this man that still shape who I am today.

We are not saved by our work, but we are saved to do good work. Paul makes both points crystal clear in Ephesians 2:8-10.  And God honors our work. Proverbs 12:11 reminds us, “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.” 

​The soloist faced an awkward situation one recent Sunday at Jet Blue Park in Ft. Myers, where the Boston Red Sox hosted the Atlanta Braves in a Spring training game. About halfway through the national anthem, she went blank, paused, and started over.

In 1 Timothy 5:1, the Apostle Paul advises us, “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers.” Growing up, I was taught to always respect my elders. This good advice was based on the Bible’s admonition and the simple reasoning that suggests that anyone older than I has lived longer and has had more opportunity to learn than I have.

As citizens, Christians have a responsibility to participate in government. Part of that participation includes protecting our God-given rights.

It has been estimated that out of the approximately 3,550 Southern Baptist Churches in Georgia, almost ten percent could be without pastors at any given time. That leaves many facing the question, "How should a church go about seeking a new pastor?"

Though Dwight Eisenhower grew up to command an army and become President of the United States, he had an explosive temper as a child. On one occasion, when his parents would not let him participate in an activity with his older brothers, he flew into a rage. Running outside, he began pounding his fists into an apple tree. It wasn’t long before his father came along, administered corporal punishment, and sent him to his room without supper. 

When we are willing, God is willing and able to teach us many things. I have learned, sometimes through hard experience, to listen to what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell me. Recently, He impressed on me a mistake I have been making most of my life.

Churches across the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond are having weekend gatherings for their students called Disciple Now or “DNow” retreats. These retreats provide the students with a unique environment for worship, Bible study, fellowship, evangelism, and, in some cases, service projects.

Mention the word “fast” today and the conversation might turn to the speed of light, the stride of a cheetah, or someone’s internet connection. Refusing to eat, however, is usually the furthest thing from our minds.

Before Tom Peters introduced the term “MBWA” (Management by Wandering Around) in 1982, Ben Cates had been honing the practice for decades. 

On my list of retirement adventures is travelling to Florida to watch the Atlanta Braves in Spring training action. I got to attend my first Spring training game on March 2nd when the Braves blasted the New York Yankees 11-1.

For many churches, men’s ministry revolves around events—breakfasts, retreats, conferences, and service projects. While these gatherings provide fellowship and encouragement, they often lack a deeper discipleship focus.

A recent sermon series through the Beatitudes struck a personal chord with me that I hope echoes throughout our congregation for months into the future. Speaking about life in the family of God, Jesus offers eight specific blessings for His followers that are admittedly counterintuitive.

Five years ago, I stepped off a church bus filled with Baptist pastors into a Seventh-day Adventist Church. (No, we weren’t rethinking our view of the Sabbath.) We were there to meet with the leadership of a new church plant called “Gospel Hope.” They were renting space to meet on Sundays since the building was available. We piled into a “Saturday School” room and listened to Gospel Hope’s pastor, Ryan McCammack. 

Insecurity is less of an either/or issue in the lives of most ministry leaders, but more of a reality on a spectrum. While not all leaders are debilitatingly insecure, most battle this malady at some level. 

WOODSTOCK, Ga - Dr. Abby Johnson, a highly influential national leader in the pro-life movement who is famous for the movie Unplanned (which is about her life) will be the keynote speaker for the Marietta 40 Days For Life Kick-off event at First Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ga. on March 2.

A man was in a supermarket pushing a cart which contained, along with a few groceries, a screaming child. As he walked the aisles, the young dad kept repeating, “Keep calm, George. Don’t get excited, George. Don’t yell, George.”

At times, part of a song gets “stuck” in my mind and I keep repeating it over and over. I am sure you experience the same thing. But as I get older I realize more and more how the Lord God uses all kinds of things to impress us with His purposes. For several weeks now I keep repeating in my mind, “And my unworthiness.”

His attire was not expected when he walked into the commons area of a hostel in New Hampshire last August. A straw hat was perched on the crown of his head; he was wearing what appeared to be a hand sewed black vest, pants, and a homespun white shirt.