Donn and Joni Schaefer had organized mission trips to Russia ten times since 2008. They taught English in Siberia as a way to open discussions about the gospel. But when the invasion of Ukraine shut down trips into Russia for Americans, the Schaefers looked for other avenues to use their unique skills. The Illinois couple […]
‘God is at work’ despite stormy waters, McLaurin shares with SBC Exec Comm
A call for unity, a presidential search update and a hefty check presentation highlighted the opening session of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s Sept. 19–20 meeting in Nashville. Additionally, EC chair Jared Wellman maintained a streamlined and upbeat approach to the evening event attended by 75 of the 84 EC trustees, 26 of which are […]
(Re) Building faith
A tent erected for a couple of weeks each year out on the edge of town became the center for personal spiritual renewal and evangelistic zeal for a century or more. Traveling evangelists would ignite dry-wood believers and leave fiery faithful in their places to continue their work in the local church for another season. […]
News Stories
IBDR ready if called to respond to Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian continues to grow stronger with some forecasting it could strike the west coast of Florida as Category 4 hurricane with winds as strong as 140 mph and high storm surges by landfall. As of Tuesday afternoon, the cities of Tampa and St. Petersburg appeared to be in the storm’s path. The last time […]
Greenway resigns from Southwestern presidency
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary announced Sept. 23 president Adam W. Greenway has resigned from his post effective immediately. The announcement follows an all-day meeting of the executive committee of the seminary’s board of trustees and the seminary administration on Sept. 22. “In receiving President Greenway’s resignation, we express our deepest appreciation for his more than […]
Barber urges ‘vigilance against corruption,’ announces 2023 SBC Annual Meeting theme
Bart Barber, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, urged the SBC’s Executive Committee during its Sept. 19 meeting in Nashville to stay “vigilant against corruption,” while also passionately supporting those who are preaching truth in dark places around the globe. During his 20-minute message, Barber also announced the theme for next year’s SBC Annual Meeting […]
SBC task force seeks firm to process, help with reports of sexual abuse
The Southern Baptist Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force released its first report Sept. 16 following the group’s Sept. 5 meeting. The report provides background context, the current status of the group’s efforts and intended future steps. As far as its current status, the task force has prioritized the following mandates and requests: •”The retaining of an individual […]
Encouraging Words
My weepy witness
I was horrified at the tears filling my eyes. It was the last day of Vacation Bible School at Chatham Baptist Church and I had stopped on our way out to thank my daughter’s teacher. But what I’d intended as a breezy thank-you turned awkward as I was hit with the full weight of my […]
Cloyd: Why a doctor’s warning still rings in my heart
My wife, Jeanette, has walked with a slight limp for as long as I have known her. She has had joint issues that required her to exercise caution when moving about. For years, some degree of numbness has been present in her hands and feet. Earlier attempts to identify and correct these matters were not […]
Leaders
We all need a break—from burnout
We’ve all experienced burnout. Maybe your burnout story involves being overworked, cutting a vacation short due to an emergency, or navigating a family crisis. Maybe it’s a result of Covid-19. Ministry burnout often comes over time as a result of multiple events. Take David for example. In 1 Samuel 18-21, we read about David’s marriage […]