The Rev. Dr. Edward Reid Lycett, Warner Robins, passed away at home on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. He was 72. Edward was born in Atlanta, July 12, 1950, and was preceded in death by his parents Henry Harralson Lycett and Elise Reid Lycett.

BRASELTON, Ga. – On April 30th North Metro First Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Frank Cox had a groundbreaking on their new 34 acres of property located at the intersection of I-85 and Highway 211 (Chateau Elan Exit) and the address will be: 1047 Highway 124, Braselton.

The International Mission Board’s newest missionary emeriti have heard the statistics of lostness. According to recent global research data, 4.6 billion people, or 59%, in the world remain unreached with the gospel. For the missionaries retiring from full-time IMB service, those statistics remain sobering, but lostness isn’t about the newest data. It’s about the faces that come to mind when they look back on the years they faithfully lived and witnessed among the unreached.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — As a registered nurse, Leah McLemore fluently speaks the complex jargon of the medical world. She knows and understands the elaborate-sounding words and intricate diagnoses that are frequently used in hospitals and doctors’ offices. But when discussing the recent death of her husband, McLemore uses terms that anyone can understand: He died from stress. 

There are many Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary graduates who are making an impact for the Gospel throughout the world. One alumnus, Michael Gott, is spreading the Gospel in Ukraine, a hurting nation during a time of crisis and war.

Truett McConnell University will hold the Class of 2023 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday in the Student Wellness Center on the university’s campus. This year’s commencement ceremony will mark a significant milestone for TMU as it will be the largest graduating class in the university’s history, with 207 graduating candidates.

ONTARIO, Calif. — Spring 2023 commencement ceremonies at Gateway Seminary marked the graduation of the largest class of students since the school’s founding in 1944. President Jeff Iorg shared the achievement during the ceremony for the Los Angeles Campus last Friday at Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, Calif.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — More pastors are encouraging members to adopt and provide foster care at a time when adoptions have declined in the U.S. A Lifeway Research study found more than 2 in 5 U.S. Protestant churchgoers (44%) say their congregation and its leaders are proactively involved with adoption and foster care in at least one of seven ways.

DULUTH, Ga. – A group of incoming college freshmen from across Georgia are recipients of Student Achievement Award scholarships that go to the state’s top scholars. The scholarships are awarded to Georgia Baptist students who will be attending either Brewton-Parker College, Shorter University or Truett McConnell University and are determined by academic achievement, college entrance exam scores, church and community involvement, and recommendations from their pastors.

If you know me well at all, you’ve probably noticed that I don’t wear dresses.  I’m a jeans girl and don’t like to dress up at all.  But I was invited to do a devotion at a tea party for a group of church ladies.

Truett McConnell University announces the new Master of Arts in Christian Ministry program within the Balthasar Hubmaier School of Theology and Missions for the fall. This 39-hour program is designed to equip students with a deep understanding of the Bible and Christian theology, as well as practical ministry skills.

I have been working on several projects lately at my job that require correct placement of the document on the page. There is a little button on Word where you can change the layout and margins of your document. You have the ability to choose different margin settings such as normal, narrow or wide. 

McDONOUGH, Ga. — Brady Howard, the 33-year-old pastor of Glen Haven Baptist Church, one of Georgia’s largest and most dynamic congregations, has an assured sense of his calling and a sparkle in his eyes that testifies to the wonder of his faith. He also has a passion to preach the Gospel, love and serve his congregation, and heighten the strong missionary spirit of his beloved church.

An Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer working at Streator Baptist Camp was killed Tuesday when a tree he was cutting down fell on him. Wayne Laechelt of Sugar Grove was working with a fellow Disaster Relief volunteer to cut the tree when it fell across his path. Laechelt was treated on the scene by emergency medical personnel for almost an hour.

DALLAS — GuideStone announced the launch of its online resource, GuideStone.org/SecureAct2, assisting churches and ministry-related organizations and their employees with navigating changes to 403(b) retirement plans in accordance with the SECURE 2.0 Act (SECURE 2.0). This resource will be updated as new guidance is issued by the IRS to assist organizations in complying with the provisions of SECURE 2.0 over the coming years.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — For the second straight year, baptisms and giving increased among Southern Baptist congregations. In-person worship service and small group attendance also rebounded, but total membership and the number of congregations slid. 

Growing up, sports were a huge part of International Mission Board worker Wes Blakely’s world. In high school, he lettered in three sports. He continued to play at the collegiate level. After college, he was a volunteer coach. Now, sports play just as big of a part in his ministry on the mission field.

One day after a deadly shooting at a mall in Allen, Texas, local churches sent prayer teams to the scene to meet needs and intercede for the community. At least eight people were killed and multiple injuries were reported in the Saturday shooting at Allen Premium Outlets.

BLUE RIDGE, Ga. — Dr. Jack Terrell Ruis, former pastor, associational mission strategist and ministry resource consultant for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, passed away on Saturday in Fannin County.

ROBERTSTOWN, Ga. — One north Georgia church has found that fishing poles are the perfect tools for reeling in new believers. Center Baptist Church in Robertstown recorded 37 salvation decisions at a Saturday morning trout tournament that drew more than 400 people to the Chattahoochee River.

“Fear the Lord,” O.S. Hawkins, newly elected chancellor of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Texas Baptist College, challenged the 346 doctoral, master, undergraduate, and certificate graduates during the Fort Worth institution’s spring commencement exercises on Friday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College celebrated hundreds of new graduates this spring as the school held its 73rd commencement exercises on Friday, May 5. Additionally, the seminary recognized John Mark Yeats for his ministry in Kansas City, presented a posthumous degree to Caylee Michelle Dugger, and honored Dr. Blake Hearson as professor of the year.

BARNESVILLE, Ga. — First Baptist Church Barnesville dedicated its new Students and Young Adults Building on Sunday, with prayers by Pastor Jason Teal and the congregation.

MONROE, Ga. — When it comes to supporting Christian causes, women are “a generous force.” That’s what the Barna Research Group reported in an article released on Wednesday. Barna’s online survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults found women are “quite open-minded” when it comes to the kinds of causes they’re willing to support.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Erin Bounds was a 16-year-old at a Lifeway (then Baptist Sunday School Board) Centrifuge camp when she realized she was at a crossroads. “I had accepted Christ when I was a child but was faced with the reality of what that really meant,” Bounds recalled. “Do I want to be who God wants me to be or a regular teenager that just went to church. I decided to be completely sold out to Christ and let the Lord be Lord of my life.”