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National CP receipts 5% below budget for February

March 19, 2025 By Baptist Press

Cooperative Program

Nashville, Tenn. | National Cooperative Program giving was 5.05% below the budget goal in February, while designated giving was just over 7% below the same number from last year. Southern Baptists gave just over $18 million through CP during the fifth month of the fiscal year. The budget target was $19 million. Year-to-date CP receipts […]

DOJ ends SBC probe, no abuse database yet

March 12, 2025 By Baptist Press

Department of Justice

(Updated 3/13 2:45 p.m.) Nashville | The federal probe of the Southern Baptist Convention’s handling of sexual abuse claims has been closed, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) told SBC attorneys March 12. In a separate case, a former employee of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was found guilty of falsifying notes submitted to the DOJ […]

Boswell to join Midwestern Seminary worship faculty

February 13, 2025 By Baptist Press

Matt Boswell at Sing Conference

Kansas City, Mo. | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has announced the addition of pastor and hymn writer Matt Boswell to the faculty as visiting worship leader and professor of worship ministries. Beginning in the fall 2025 semester, Boswell will join Midwestern Seminary’s efforts to train worship ministers for the Church and to equip pastors and […]

SBC25 pre-registration, childcare registration now open

February 3, 2025 By Baptist Press

SBC25 Dallas

Messenger pre-registration and childcare registration for the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas this June opened Monday, Feb. 3. Based on the hotel reservations already made through the SBC housing system, messenger totals this year could reach upwards of 15,000. The last time the Convention met in Dallas was 2018 when 9,632 messengers attended. At […]

Trump endorses ‘male and female,’ state pushes back on Executive Order

January 31, 2025 By Baptist Press

President Trump

Washington, D. C. | President Donald Trump’s flurry of executive actions his first week in office has drawn mixed reviews from evangelicals. Initiatives to combat radical gender ideologies and protect pro-life demonstrators sparked praise while facets of Trump’s immigration crackdown met with caution in some cases and opposition in others. The president’s other executive actions […]

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Featured Columns

Meredith Flynn

Post-it on your heart

Meredith Flynn

Several months ago, I wrote Isaiah 26:3 on a yellow Post-it note and stuck it on my desk next to my laptop. “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (ESV). At the time (and still, if I’m honest), I was overwhelmed by a big project […]

AI

What should we make of AI?

Ben Jones

What should we make of AI? Artificial Intelligence (AI) has steadily pushed its way to the front of the “another change I didn’t ask for” line. The talking tech heads promise AI is a silver bullet, but over the past year I haven’t shaken the uneasy feeling we humans might be on the receiving end […]

God is busy with our kids. Join in.

Scott Foshie

“We will not hide them from their children, but will tell a future generation the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, his might, and the wondrous works he has performed.” ─ Psalm 78:4 God is reaching a new generation of Christ followers. All over Illinois, thousands upon thousands of children, youth, and adults are seeking the […]

More Columns

Deasy retires, heads for hills

Illinois Baptist Staff

Springfield | Jeff Deasy and his wife, Kathy, are headed home to Tennessee following his retirement after 10 years as IBSA Administrative Director for Operations. He oversaw finances, human resources, and properties. Their ministry began with pastoral leadership in worship in the Volunteer State. Then they spent 20 years with the International Mission Board in […]

News

AI questions

AI and your church: 4 practical prompts to start using this week

Mark MacDonald

Artificial Intelligence isn’t replacing church communicators, it’s simply helping the good ones work smarter. Tools like ChatGPT (and similar) can become a creative ministry partner that helps you understand audience, brainstorm fresh ideas and create content that connects. But only if you ask the right questions. CAUTION: don’t let AI do most of the work. […]

Pastors, church leaders encouraged to participate in church compensation survey

SBC sees attendance, baptism gains amid membership declines

More News Stories

Mission

“While we have not yet arrived at the destination we envision, I believe we are clearly headed in the right direction,” said IMB President Paul Chitwood to trustees in the May 22 plenary session. IMB Photo

IMB trustees appoint new missionaries, elect first woman chair

Leslie Caldwell

Richmond | 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, at 10:08 a.m. CDT in conjunction with the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas. The event will […]

Metro East church plant hosts multiplication meeting

Sallateeska baptism demonstrates SBC connections

More Mission Stories

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