DUDLEY, Ga. – At least 42 people made salvation decisions this week at Dudley Baptist Church in central Georgia in what is the latest in a series of localized revivals that have resulted in hundreds of new believers. Pastor Matt Greene said many others rededicated their lives to Christ in revival services that ran from Sunday through Wednesday.

On the first of March, the International Mission Board counted more than 1,200 candidates in the missionary application process. This is a significant milestone for Southern Baptists, as the number of missionary candidates in 2019 was 300. "The IMB missionary candidate pipeline has now quadrupled over the past four years. Praise the Lord!” IMB President Paul Chitwood said.

What do you do when you want to plant a church in a new area, but travel is restricted? How do you know where in the city to plant the church and how to generate interest when canvassing and prayer walking aren’t possible?  Missionaries with the International Mission Board are employing digital engagement as a new entry strategy for planting churches.

As many American churches struggle to reach kids and students or retain young adults, a third of the average U.S. Hispanic Protestant church is under 30, including nearly one in five under 18. Pastors at those congregations credit prayer, priorities, and programs for their ability to reach and keep the next generation. “Hispanic churches in the U.S. tend to be comprised of members of different nationalities and cultures,” said Giancarlo Montemayor, director of global publishing for Lifeway Recursos.

MOUNT VERNON, Ga. — The Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation recognized ministries throughout the state that have demonstrated effective and efficient direct health care services to their local communities at its 16th annual Grant Award Luncheon. This year Brewton-Parker College was awarded a grant of $100,000 to continue support for the organization's School of Nursing.

Is this the beginning of a national revival? How can we know if what’s happening in Asbury is real? These and many other questions are being tossed about in light of the events taking place on the campus of Asbury University, Wilmore, Ky., and other colleges across the country. One measure of what is happening is a comparison to national revivals of the past. What light do those revivals shed on what is taking place today?

SILVER CREEK, Ga. — The members of Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church gathered on Sunday, though the service was anything but “business as usual.” The highlight of Sunday's gathering was a note-burning, symbolically celebrating the church becoming debt free. Dr. Philip May, senior pastor, said that the celebration service serves as a reminder of “what God will do through His people when they follow His vision!” He was joined by David Johnson, president of United Community Bank in Rome, Ga., who placed the note into the fire.

As pastors think about communicating theological concepts and principles, they may find surprising common ground with those outside the church on some issues but also troubling disagreements within their own pews. The 2022 biennial State of Theology conducted by Lifeway Research for Ligonier Ministries shows there are areas where even those with evangelical beliefs struggle with various truths of Christian theology.

On the outside, I looked fabulous: new white wig in place, pink sparkly cat-eyed glasses, a pink puffy gown with lots of tulle and glitter. Below the surface, not so much. The fear of being pulled over or in an accident kept me driving very, very carefully.

FORT WORTH, Texas — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary accepted a non-binding agreement for an $11 million acquisition of 15 acres of the B.H. Carroll Park property from the Fort Worth Housing Finance Corporation, the housing development arm of the City of Fort Worth, during the Fort Worth City Council meeting on Feb. 28, Interim President David S. Dockery announced Wednesday.

Have you ever thought about the phrase “in the blink of an eye?" We use that phrase when we are talking about something happening quickly or taking us by surprise.  I hear people including myself talking about how you “blink” and your children or grandchildren are grown.  I’ve also heard the phrase used when people are talking about passing through a small town and they say, "Don’t blink or you might miss it."

The board of trustees for The Courier voted unanimously to call Jeff Robinson as the next editor and president of the official newspaper of the South Carolina Baptist Convention. He begins his duties on March 1. “God has blessed South Carolina Baptists through the ministry of The Baptist Courier for more than 150 years with a history of strong leaders for critical moments in the life of our paper. Rudy Gray provided such leadership during his tenure, and we are forever grateful for his selfless service,” Trustee Chairman Wes Church, pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbia, said.

ATLANTA, Ga. — Some 10,000 bottles of prenatal vitamins will be distributed among mothers-to-be in Georgia thanks to a grant from the Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation.

The woman pastor at the center of the Southern Baptist Convention's decision to oust Saddleback Church — the California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren — says she will continue to serve as a ministry leader despite her longstanding ties to the nation's largest Protestant denomination. Saddleback has yet to say if it will appeal its expulsion. But at least one other church — a Kentucky congregation ousted the same day for having a woman pastor — plans to do so, guaranteeing Southern Baptists will weigh the issue at their annual meeting in June in New Orleans.

CORDELE, Ga. – Pastor Terry Ryan is crediting the Lord with putting out one fire and starting another at Penia Baptist Church in a sparsely populated community outside Cordele, a farming town that bills itself as the watermelon capital of the world. One fire was started by an unattended candle, the other, a revival fire, by a move of God that has doubled the size of the congregation and fueled a major increase in baptisms.

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – Priscilla Shirer is challenging women to examine themselves to be sure they're not simply doing "church things" but are, instead, actually growing in their faith. “The spiritual growth we need requires some sweat equity,” Shirer told more than 2,400 women at Long Hollow Baptist Church for “Going Beyond Live,

Hundreds of Georgia Baptists gathered for an evangelism conference on Saturday and Sunday at Central Baptist Church in Warner Robins. Another such conference is set for March 12-13 at First Baptist Church in Cumming.

MARIETTA, Ga. – Brandon Owen believes that the Christian life is continuing the life and work of Jesus on earth today. Owen, a native of Tennessee, is the new pastor of First Baptist Church in Marietta. Pastor Owen has been serving as the Campus and Teaching Pastor of The Church at Harpeth Heights in Nashville, Tenn. Harpeth Heights is one of the eight campuses of Brentwood Baptist Church in Nashville.

NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists say prayer is key to a pair of evangelistic efforts preceding the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for June 13-14 in New Orleans. The “Send Relief Serve Tour,” an effort that seeks to involve participants in service projects in Houma and New Orleans as the foundation for evangelism, will take place on June 9-10. A celebration service will be held June 10 at First Baptist Church, New Orleans, with a meal at 5 p.m. and service at 6 p.m.

International missionary Jeri Whitfield has returned to Thailand to continue the work she had begun some four decades ago. It will her third mobilization. The first time she left, she had finished a two-year term. She was in her 20s. She returned to Thailand as a career missionary in her 40s, but at age 55, facing health concerns from cancer, she made the difficult decision to take an early retirement and return to the U.S.  Now in her 60s, she has gone back

JONESBORO, Ga. – Debbie Verrelli is among an army of Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers who help survivors reclaim their lives and restore their homes after tornadoes touch down. It’s one of the ways the 33-year-old Jonesboro woman serves the Lord who delivered her from a life of drugs, witchcraft, and satanism.

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. – Christians need to continue sharing the gospel even when the people seem to be resistant to it, preachers told Georgia Baptists at an evangelism conference on Sunday. Mark Croston Sr., national director of Black church ministries at Lifeway Christian Resources, said church members can become frustrated when those they invite to accept Jesus say no.

ONTARIO, Calif. –  Gateway Seminary President Jeff Iorg announced Thursday a major gift received by the school to fund short-term mission trips for students. The GoGrant will cover travel, housing, food and tuition costs for one short-term mission trip for master’s and diploma students at Gateway Seminary.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. – The U. S. military is one of the most mobile yet least discipled communities in the country with more than 1.3 million active-duty military personnel and millions more Americans who comprise the broader U. S. military community. In a community often troubled by trauma, addiction, suicide, and death, military chaplains are few and regularly overburdened, exposing the need for a sustained missionary presence in the military community.

KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary hosted two special chapel services on Tuesday and Wednesday, featuring father and son preachers Jared and Eddie Bumpers. Following Wednesday’s chapel, Eddie Bumpers and Wesley Vance presented the seminary a special gift on behalf of Crossway Baptist Church.