WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president Monday, returning to power with a promise to end America’s decline and to “completely and totally reverse” the actions of the man who drove him from office four years ago.

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.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people in the Los Angeles area as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number was expected to rise.

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.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wildfires that ravaged some of the most picturesque neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area continued to grow Wednesday as fire crews battled three major out-of-control blazes that killed at least five people.

TOWNSEND, Ga. — Shellman Bluff Baptist Church is celebrating tremendous growth, which Pastor Brad Butler attributes to the grace of God, and the generosity and enthusiasm of its members. “We are growing through word of mouth,” he says. “Members are inviting friends, family, and people in the community. They are genuinely excited about the church family.”

Of all the stories covered in The Christian Index in 2024, perhaps none had a greater impact than the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene and the Georgia Baptist Mission Board’s response.

PLAINS, Ga. — The memorial services for former President Jimmy Carter will culminate Thursday with a private funeral service and burial in Plains, Ga. Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are partnering with other agencies to help feed the hundreds of workers present for those events.

NEW ORLEANS — The Leeke Magee Christian Counseling Center at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, in conjunction with Baptist Community Ministries, is offering free counseling services to those impacted by the attack that took place New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street. This includes direct victims, their families, first responders and any other community members otherwise impacted by the event. 

ATLANTA, Ga. — Crises abound in our world today. However, few seem to be more troubling and heart-rending than the conflict between Israel and Hamas, especially regarding the hostages that have been killed and those who are still held captive somewhere in the Gaza Strip.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A U.S. Army veteran driving a pickup truck that bore the flag of the Islamic State group wrought carnage on New Orleans’ raucous New Year’s celebration, killing 15 people as he steered around a police blockade and slammed into revelers before being shot dead by police.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Firework mortars and camp fuel canisters were found stuffed into the back of the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded outside President-elect Donald Trump's Las Vegas hotel early Wednesday, killing a suspect inside the vehicle and sparking an intense investigation into possible terrorism.

NEW YORK (AP) — From Sydney to Mumbai to Nairobi, communities around the world welcomed 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces, and ice plunges. The New Year’s Eve ball dropped in soggy Times Square, where thousands of revelers stuck it out in heavy rain to celebrate the start of 2025 in New York City.

DECATUR, Ga. — When Jim Haskell, a student majoring in Industrial Engineering at Georgia Tech, agreed to assist the student minister at Atlanta’s Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in 1973, it was not likely that he knew the amazing path that God would fashion for him in the decades to come.

ROCK SPRING, Ga. — In a heartwarming act of generosity and compassion, Peavine Baptist Church has announced that it has partnered with Undue Medical Debt to erase more than $5.7 million in medical debt for over 4,200 individuals in the Georgia counties of Catoosa, Walker, and Whitfield.

ALPHARETTA, Ga.  — Send Network’s efforts in 2024 underscored the important role new, gospel-focused churches play in reaching North America and the world. “The early Church understood when God births a church, he has the nations on his heart,” Send Network President Vance Pitman said at the Send Network Gathering in Boston.

Intercessory prayer is an essential part of completing the Great Commission. God works through your prayers to impact lostness. We’ve seen it!  This year, we asked you to pray for some fun and sometimes difficult things happening around the world. Join us as we celebrate the goodness and greatness of God.

SENOIA, GA — In the true spirit of the holiday season, New Hope Baptist Church is thrilled to announce its first Christmas Store Georgia, a heartwarming initiative dedicated to bringing joy and hope to local families in need. This event took place at the church's South Campus in Senoia on Dec. 13 and 14.