ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Despite the well-documented challenges of pastoral ministry, a new Lifeway Research study finds that fewer than 2% of evangelical and Black Protestant pastors leave the ministry each year for reasons other than retirement or death—a rate that has remained stable since 2015.

In 1922, Georgia Baptists began asking the question, “What will we do next?” They had been conducting two capital fundraising campaigns during the previous six years, the Georgia “Half-Million Dollar Campaign” (1916-1919) and the “75 Million Campaign” (1919-1922). Although the 75 Million Campaign was still in progress, Georgia Baptists were already looking beyond it, concluding it would be detrimental to return to the strictly competitive society-based model of mission support.

MACON, Ga. — For Andy Johnson, the founder and CEO of Baptist Search Partners, the launch of the firm isn’t just a new chapter — it’s the culmination of two decades of pastoral ministry and a growing burden to help churches find the right leaders.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn — Culture claims to know about Jesus, but many people are in the dark about who He really is. Lifeway Christian Resources’ 2026 Vacation Bible School theme—“­Illumination Station: Shining a Light on Who Jesus Really Is”—prepares churches to help kids discover Jesus is the Light of the world.

CRAWFORD, Ga. — Tucked between Big Clouds Creek and Little Clouds Creek and surrounded by trees and grassy fields, is Cloud’s Creek Baptist Church. This remote church, established in 1788 following the Revolutionary War, is seeing revitalization and a changing attitude towards community and outreach. 

The summer of 1914 was a low point for the Georgia Baptist State Mission Board. The Mission Board was broke, out of money, and deeply in debt. Banks had given them a poor credit rating, refusing to provide a short-term operational loan. State Missionaries and support staff paychecks were being delayed, and missionaries were being laid off.

STATESBORO, Ga. — Mission Georgia exists to mobilize Georgia Baptist churches to penetrate their communities and make a gospel impact for the cause of Christ. Read Georgia, one of the ministries of Mission Georgia, is designed to see children and their families introduced to the love of Jesus and brought to a saving knowledge of our Redeemer.

RICHMOND, Va. — International Mission Board trustees approved 65 fully funded missionaries for appointment during their May 21-22 meeting near Richmond, Virginia. The missionaries approved for appointment will be recognized during a Sending Celebration on Tuesday, June 10 in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptists will have six opportunities this fall to take part in the SPARK 2025 church-strengthening conferences, with events scheduled across the state and registration now officially open. Building on last year’s success—more than 3,600 participants representing 385 churches—SPARK continues to expand its reach, momentum, and ministry impact.

CAIRO, Ga. — Keith Stewart has been called to serve as Grady County Baptist Association’s Associational Missionary Strategist. His first day was April 1, 2025. 

Georgia Baptists attending the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting this June are invited to a special evening of fellowship, celebration, and encouragement at the 2025 Georgia Baptist Fellowship.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Just weeks after returning from a month-long flood recovery deployment in Kentucky, Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief (GBDR) teams are once again preparing to serve the Bluegrass State — this time in response to a deadly tornado outbreak that claimed at least 27 lives and left widespread destruction across southeastern Kentucky.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — With evangelism gaining renewed momentum across Georgia, the Georgia Baptist Mission Board has named Steve Foster as its new evangelism catalyst, a strategic role that had remained vacant since JJ Washington’s transition to the North American Mission Board.

LONDON, Ky. (AP) — At least 27 people have been killed by storm systems that swept across part of the U.S. Midwest and South, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announcing Saturday that 18 of the deaths came in his state and 10 others were hospitalized in critical condition.

Commencement season at three Georgia Baptist-affiliated institutions — Truett McConnell University, Shorter University, and Brewton-Parker College — provided a vivid reminder that academic achievement and gospel-centered calling can go hand in hand. As students walked across the stage to receive their degrees, they also stepped into roles of service and leadership.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Fifteen 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.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Southern Baptist leaders gathered Tuesday in Memphis to mark the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Program and to reaffirm their commitment to working together in support of shared ministry.

DULUTH, Ga. — For the second year in a row, graduates of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s Church Training Institute in Georgia were celebrated at a commencement ceremony marked by dignity, gratitude, and gospel purpose.

WAKE FOREST, N.C.  — Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Judson College are pleased to announce Landon Dowden as associate professor of preaching and pastoral ministry. …

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP) – Tony Wolfe hopes the 100th anniversary of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program will remind members of the world’s largest protestant movement how interdependent they are. Wolfe is leading a celebration to mark the anniversary on Tuesday, June 13.

CLARKSVILLE, Ga. —  Building relationships across state lines and serving together as one family is what Bethlehem Baptist Church in Clarksville and Emmaus Church in Manchester, N.H., have been doing in partnership for the past four years.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Members of the Board of Trustees for the North American Mission Board gathered at NAMB’s building May 5-6, where they endorsed 31 new Southern Baptist chaplains, re-elected officers, and expressed appreciation for trustees who are concluding their service to the Board.

It’s been two years since the International Mission Board re-emphasized finding and researching unengaged and unreached people groups around the world. Project 3000 was born out of Southern Baptists’ commitment to ensure every people group has access to the gospel. 

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Robert Prevost, a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.

MARIETTA, Ga. — Georgia Baptist Jayme Pendergast is the Director of Athletics at Marietta’s Life University. Although she describes herself as an introvert, she is a highly motivated, extremely gifted, and incredibly confident young woman.